We are seeking a Senior Technical Animator to join our team. The job will require supporting the Animation team in establishing and maintaining efficient animation pipelines and rigging standards for cutting edge games targeting latest generation platform hardware with a proprietary multiplatform engine. RESPONSIBILITIES * Work directly with Animators, Designers, Modelers, and Programmers to deliver excellent character movements, facial animations, mechanics, and cutscenes. * Work with Programmers to improve toolkit, systems, establish rigging standards. * Create rigs and skinning for animated organic and mechanical objects. * Proactively come up with ideas on how to improve animation pipeline. * Troubleshoot complex problems as they arise and construct solutions to unforeseen design problems in a timely manner. * Instructing colleagues and documenting necessary information.
REQUIREMENTS * Expert-level proficiency in Maya (rigging, skinning, scripting, animation tools). * Strong experience building and maintaining custom rigs for humanoid, creature, mechanical, and facial animation. * Solid experience with game engines such as Unreal, Unity, etc. * Build and maintain creature locomotion systems, including custom movement logic, animation cycles, and dynamic state machines tailored for quadrupeds, flying or hybrid entities. * 5+ years of experience in rigging in AAA quality. * Good communicator with strong verbal and written English skills. * Excellent problem-solving and time management skills. * Self-direction and motivation. * Proactive attitude. * Desire to help drive the improvement of the game engine year-over-year. * Ability to work under strict schedule and time pressure.
Preferences * Experience working with procedural/physically-altered animation techniques. * Experience with facial animation. * Understanding of real-world kinematics and ability to replicate physical movement using a mix of simulation tools and baked skeletal animations. * One shipped AAA title on consoles. * Experience in working with animation blueprints
