Lead Animator - Remote

Overview

We’re looking for a talented Lead Animator to help shape the animation process and take a hands-on role in delivering standout, high-profile projects. Reporting to the Animation Director, you’ll combine technical expertise with project leadership, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to craft animations that captivate and inspire. This is a chance to push creative boundaries, drive exceptional quality, and contribute to innovative productions that set new industry standards.

In Short

• Lead the animation discipline within projects, ensuring team alignment and accountability.
• Oversee the completion of animation tasks, providing guidance and feedback to ensure high-quality outcomes.
• Proactively identify risks, communicate dependencies, and implement effective solutions.
• Contribute directly to animation tasks, including keyframing and creating block-out animations during prototyping phases.
• Define project processes and workflows from initial planning to final delivery.
• Attend client meetings, representing the animation team and incorporating feedback into project workflows.
• Collaborate with designers to craft engaging animation flowgraphs and behaviours for in-game characters.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration between Animators, Technical Artists, and other disciplines.
• Manage internal and external animation teams, providing constructive feedback and ensuring deliverables align with creative briefs.

Requirements

• Proven leadership experience managing animation teams in an Agile/Scrum environment.
• Strong understanding of animation fundamentals, anatomy, and body mechanics.
• Demonstrated ability to create appealing, stylised hand-keyed animations for commercial productions.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D animation tools and in-engine editors like Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Experience integrating motion capture data and applying it to hand-keyed animations.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines.
• A passion for developing innovative animation techniques and mentoring others.

Benefits

• Experience with rigging, skinning, and animation controllers.
• Knowledge of gameplay technical animation, such as cloth, physics, and ragdoll setups.
• Familiarity with the latest Unreal Engine animation tools and workflows.
• Experience integrating new technologies and tools to enhance animation pipelines.