Intermediate Technical Animator - 12 month Fixed Term Contract

As a Technical Animator, you will collaborate with art, design and engineering to steer and creatively solve challenging technical problems with the Character and Animation pipelines. You’ll be responsible for the skinning and rigging of our characters, as well as developing tools and working within Unreal Engine to create performant, real-time rigs and animation systems.

We are looking to hire a Full Time employee, for a Fixed Term of 12 months.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Rigging for our key projects - Rig and skin a diverse range of characters and props using mGear.
• Technical Animation - Work closely with the Animation team, Character Art team and Technical Art. Deliver high quality real-time character and animation performance in Unreal Engine 5.
• Technical Animation - Configure performant in-game character dynamics for cloth, hair, and other elements.
• Take an active hand in optimization work related to rigging and animation.
• Research new rigging tools and techniques, build on the rigging workflow, pipeline and documentation for your team.
• Develop character Control Rigs to allow for runtime animation adjustments.
• Develop and maintain technical animation tools and pipeline in a way that works with our wider tools and processes

Skills and Experience Required:

• Solid experience in: Unreal Engine 4/5, Maya
• Experience animating or working with animators to ensure the best possible rigs
• A good grasp of human anatomy, and how to bring this to life in CG with different levels of technical constraints
• Not fazed by the challenges of real time character and animation development and can propose solutions to optimise and improve performance
• A cohesive portfolio with clearly-documented work

Nice to haves (suitable for Intermediate role)

• Python / Mel
• 3+ years’ relevant experience in video game technical animation or rigging

Timezones and work location:

We are considering candidates based in Japan, New Zealand (as we have physical studios in both locations) or remote.

We are looking to hire a Full Time employee, for a Fixed Term of 12 months.

Competencies we look for

• Initiative and autonomy: You take responsibility for your work and are able to work autonomously. You show initiative and determine when issues should be escalated
• Clear, consistent and proactive communicator: You think about what information people need and convey that information in a transparent, clear and timely manner. You check to see if people have understood or need additional information. You identify when you need more information to do your job and ask for it.
• Problem solving: Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to exercise sound judgement and make decisions based on accurate and timely information.
• Openness to change: You want to learn what works, share ideas, and are willing to try new things out. You are adaptable and prepared to shift direction after discussion about benefits and risks.
• Teamwork: You are willing to assist and support others as required and get on with team members.
• Planning, organisation, and attention to detail: You develop and use systems to organise and keep track of information or work progress. You review and check the accuracy of information. You show an ability to work on and prioritise multiple initiatives at the same time.

Animation Best Practice:

• Collaborate and discuss artistic and technical challenges with colleagues
• Proactively work together to maintain quality across the board
• Communicate efficiently, take notes and share important information and raise problems when you see them
• Self-manage your tasks to align with the timing and milestones of our Production Roadmap. When timings and priorities change, be open to discussing and working out the best way forward
• Track and note priorities and dependencies to ensure smooth development across the team and minimise delays across the project
• Execute on review feedback from the Animation Director in a spirit of analysis
• Be open to helping with requests and issues on behalf of the wider team if needed
• Take responsibility for your work, including preparing for work reviews ahead of time
• Mentor the teammates around you and share your specialist knowledge
• Identify and learn leadership skills as part of your development