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Lead Technical Animator - Technical Art and Animation - Dark Horror
1 year ago
Firesprite is a visionary game development studio based in the heart of Liverpool.
Proud to be an integral part of the PlayStation Studios family, we create showcase games that take players on thrilling journeys, with memorable characters, captivating narratives, and shared moments of excitement. Our commitment to the core values of Inclusivity, Bravery, Responsiveness, Entrepreneurial and Professionalism is a key driving force behind our work culture.
Would you enjoy the freedom to create AAA games working from anywhere in the UK, including our Liverpool studio?
We are looking for a Lead Technical Animator to join our team on a story driven horror blockbuster with genre defining goals.
This highly ambitious project 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.
Key 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.
Role Requirements
- Proven experience as a Technical Animator on at least one shipped PC or Console title.
- Proven experience producing high quality rigged and skinned characters, creatures, and props.
- Proven experience working with motion capture data from 3 rd party providers.
- Previous experience managing a team of 4+ 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.
Additional or desired skills
- Experience with Unreal AnimGraph workflow.
- Experience with Unreal Sequencer.
- Experience with Unreal material based procedural animation (via world position offset etc).
- Experience with character set up in Unreal including physics, cloth, materials.
- Experience with Motion Builder.
- Experience with Motion Builder and or Maya API.
- Console development experience.
- Optimisation and debugging of runtime assets.
Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.