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