Lead Technical Animator (UK Remote)

Posted 23 August 2023
Salary Negotiable
LocationLiverpool
Job type Permanent
DisciplineAnimation
Reference19197
Contact NameJordan Langley

Job description

We're working with a game development studio, based in Liverpool, UK who are looking for a Lead Technical Animator to join the team that's working on a story driven horror blockbuster with genre defining goals.

As the Lead Technical Animator, you’ll play a key role in the development of this highly ambitious project that will push the boundaries of atmosphere, storytelling, player agency, and narrative with a heavy focus on art, animation, audio, and unique character performances to create an immersive experience.

Your responsibilities…
  • Support team with planning, knowledge sharing, and general technical support
  • Mentor, review and provide feedback ensuring high levels of quality are achieved throughout production
  • Create tools/scripts to aid animators with regards to exporting to game
  • Support the implementation of best-in-class character animation
  • Support the process of rigging and skinning including facial set-ups, cloth/hair/physics, props, and environmental assets
  • Collaborate with code and animation team to make sure they are working as efficiently and as stress free as possible
  • Facilitate the creation and maintenance of documentation standards and practices for in-game technical animation
  • Develop a positive and energetic team culture
  • Identify shortfalls in technical animation skills and assist with the recruitment process
  • Working with Dev Managers to ensure a realistic project scope
  • Escalate project risks to Senior Leadership and options to resolve
  • Bring your own experience of best working practices to the team
The skills and experience you’ll bring to the role…
  • Proven experience as a Technical Animator on at least one shipped PC or Console title
  • Experienced in producing high quality rigged and skinned characters, creatures, and props.
  • Comfortable working with motion capture data from 3rd party providers.
  • Previously managed a team of 4 or more technical animation / rigging staff
  • Excellent knowledge of animation and the processes involved in creating animations
  • Strong Python development skills
  • Good working knowledge of QT/PySide
  • A strong knowledge of Maya and Motion Builder
  • Strong problem-solving skills
  • Outstanding communication skills both written and verbal
Desirable but non-essential skills or experience…
  • Unreal AnimGraph workflow
  • Unreal Sequencer
  • Unreal material based procedural animation (via world position offset etc)
  • Character set up in Unreal including physics, cloth, materials.
  • Motion Builder and or Maya API
  • Console development experience
  • Optimisation and debugging of runtime assets
Perks and benefits include…
  • Relocation assistance and financial support
  • Private medical plan, extendable to cover partners and children
  • Enhanced parental leave, emergency days for parental duties and compassionate leave
  • Performance related bonus
  • 25 days annual leave, plus public holidays, and festive office closure
  • Wellbeing support - internal support and external employee assistance via 24-hour confidential helpline
  • competitive salary across all disciplines and a generous employee referral program
  • Cycle to work scheme