This job might no longer be available.

Lead Animator

Lead Animator (f/m/d)

Are you someone passionate about your team and love to lead by example? Do you like to be the driving force for animation on projects? Are you a passionate animator who wishes to push the quality of animation in games with your own work and those of your team to the highest level?

Then you are the perfect fit for our ambitious and driven team. We are looking for an experienced and talented Lead Animator who can bring our games to the next level and push our teams’ animations to the highest quality.

In this role, you will be working with significant ownership in how you grow and lead your animation team. You will own our animation pipeline and processes as well as review cycles to help our team stay at the cutting edge of technology as well as mentor the team to hit the animation quality benchmark you set for them.

You will work with a team of interdisciplinary talent to produce high-quality and engaging animations for our flagship title “The Cycle”.

We believe the best games are made by diverse teams and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of engaging and believable in-game animations, setting the quality bar and following the artistic vision set out by the Art and Creative Directors on the project.
• Communicate goals and values to the team and ensure the team’s work is pulling in the correct direction and foster a culture of team spirit and togetherness.
• Work with tech animators to ensure that the Animation blueprints are efficient, robust, and powerful.
• Own and take responsibility for the product’s final animation quality. Follow up on the engine implementation to ensure they adhere to the requirements set by art and gameplay. (fluidity, timing, weight perception, performance, etc.)
• You will work closely together with the animation dept. as well as many other disciplines of the team where you will need to help them achieve their goals with your guidance and team’s support.
• Provide feedback for animators in review cycles and ensure the animation vision is consistent across different features. Also, be open to feedback from your team to make self-improvements.
• Seek to stay at the cutting edge of tech by improving our software (Maya, Unreal Engine, etc.), tools (Animbot, Control rig, etc.), and processes to make our games great.
• Estimate high-level goals and provide solutions to high-level problems in planning, ensure team members have clear goals and know the deadlines and technical restrictions.
• Ensure the team's health and motivation for self-growth as well as drive to complete their tasks for the project’s success. (regular 1 on 1s, conflict resolution, employee engagement, and retention).
• Understand the game, its artistic vision, and its gameplay, and make sure all animations support that.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in game production with shipped titles.
• Proficient with industry standard tools (e.g., Maya, Unreal Engine 4).
• Excellent understanding of animation principles and keyframe animation.
• Strong knowledge of gameplay animation and its surrounding systems
• Strong leadership skills, experience with a management role.
• A game developer first mentality (passionate about video games and game animation).
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, delegate, and adjust the scope to meet deadlines and to excel under production conditions.
• Approachable with excellent communication skills across multiple disciplines; ability to give direction to achieve great results, and to work collaboratively.
• High degree of self-motivation and initiative.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Knowledge sharing attitude and ability to coach less experienced people.

Desirable skills

• Professional experience with 1st person and creature animation.
• Good knowledge of the Unreal Animation Blueprints.
• Experience with animation trees and state machines in general.
• Good knowledge of Motion Builder and mocap pipelines.
• Basic rigging and skinning knowledge.

Employment details

• Full-time and on-site
• Status: employment
• Start: as soon as possible

Benefits

We support you all the way

Relocation bonus and ongoing support and assistance, occupational pension scheme

We care about your well-being

Flexible working hours, fresh fruit and vegetables every day, hot and cold beverages of your choice, in-house massage, monthly company events, fitness Club membership, Berlin public transportation Jobticket

We encourage continuous learning

Extensive games/books library, dedicated Talent Development Manager, participation at various game conferences

We know how to have fun

A variety of exciting Team Events, regular in-house social events, Summer and Christmas Party, beer and soft drinks for Friday meetings

If this sounds like you, and you love to work in a creative environment with people passionate about their work, we are looking forward to get to know you!

Join our Team!