We are seeking a Lead Animator who will be the main creative force behind delivering captivating animations for characters, creatures, and environments. This individual will be able to support, inspire and motivate a diverse team of animators whilst also ensuring the content is performant and achieves our high quality benchmark.


Responsibilities:

Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the animation team, fostering a collaborative and creative work environment.
Set the artistic direction and animation standards for the team, ensuring consistency and quality across projects.
Oversee the entire animation pipeline, from concept and storyboarding to final implementation in the game engine.
Collaborate with other departments to ensure smooth integration of animations into the gameplay experience.
Create and oversee the animation of characters, creatures, and other assets, infusing them with personality and emotion.
Develop believable and fluid animations that enhance the player's immersion in the game world.
Create animations for environmental elements, objects, and interactive elements, adding life and realism to the game world.
Collaborate with level designers and artists to ensure seamless integration of animations into the environments.
Utilize both motion capture and keyframe animation techniques to achieve realistic and expressive character movements.
Lead MoCap sessions and direct actors to capture performances that align with the game's artistic vision.
Stay up-to-date with animation tools and technology, advocating for the adoption of new tools to improve workflow and efficiency.
Work closely with technical artists and programmers to implement animation systems in the game engine.
Provide and receive feedback from internal and external sources to improve animations iteratively.
Collaborate with game designers to ensure animations enhance gameplay mechanics and communicate game feedback to players.

Requirements:

Proven experience as a Senior Animator in the games industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality character and environmental animations.
Experience in leading and managing a team of animators, providing creative direction, feedback, and mentorship.
Proficiency in industry-standard animation software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, Blender) and animation tools used in game development.
Strong understanding of animation principles, including timing, spacing, weight, and motion dynamics.
Familiarity with motion capture techniques and data cleanup processes is a plus.
Knowledge of game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) and animation integration workflows.
Excellent artistic and storytelling skills, with the ability to breathe life and emotion into animated characters and scenes.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
Passion for gaming and a deep appreciation for the role of animation in creating immersive and memorable gaming experiences.

Desirable Skills:

Strong interest in cinematography, storytelling and cutscene creation.
Experience with Unreal Engine, including using Animation Blueprints.
Understanding of 3D modelling best practices when applying deformation to a mesh.
Experience animating high-fidelity characters for third and first person adventure games.
Portfolio

Please send through your portfolio and cover letter. If your examples are from previous works with another studio, please make sure samples are cleared for release by copyright owners. Links to an online portfolio are preferable, otherwise we accept showreels via Dropbox or other secure sharing platforms.