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Senior Gameplay Animator

Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Animation Director, the Senior Gameplay Animator is responsible for creating high quality animations for gameplay needs, ranging from high intensity combat to world exploration. The Senior Gameplay Animator needs to have excellent animation skills, a firm background in storytelling, an understanding of gameplay mechanics and timing, as well as strong organizational and communication skills. This role involves working with a combination of motion capture data and hand-key animation. The Senior Gameplay Animator will work closely with the Animation Director to own gameplay systems, deliver on design needs, and push for the highest fidelity of animation.

Essential Functions:

• Create dynamic gameplay animation using a combination of motion capture and hand-key animation
• Take ownership of animation content for any given gameplay system, from initial blockout implementation to final polish and refinement
• Work with the Animation Director and the production team to provide reasonable time estimates, and ensure that the quality bar is being hit while still meeting deadlines
• Work closely with the Animation Director on proper workflows, implementation, and establishing visual consistency across all gameplay animation
• Work with tech animation to ensure that all rigs and tools function properly and efficiently, in addition to collaborating on animation blueprint functionality
• Collaborate with gameplay designers and programmers to implement and iterate on animations to create compelling, entertaining, and visually appealing gameplay
• Attend standups and meetings as required
• Know the game’s story and gameplay (game design documents) to better inform the animation work being done
• Act as a mentor to associate/mid-level animators in terms of technical/artistic aspects

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years of animation experience
• Previous experience in a senior role, with thorough knowledge of game animation pipelines from start to finish, a plus
• Extensive experience with Maya and/or MotionBuilder
• Demo reel showcasing solid acting and dynamic body mechanics with both motion capture and hand-keyed work
• Expert understanding of animation principles (timing, staging, follow through, etc.) as they apply to games
• Excellent knowledge of physics and anatomy as it pertains to animation
• Extensive experience working with motion capture and animating realistic humans
• Experience with creating gameplay animation (locomotion, combat, etc.) and working with design for proper implementation and iteration
• Must be able to work across different departments (art, design, engineering, etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and time management skills
• Self-starter with proactive attitude to improve your own qualifications
• Knowledge sharing attitude
• Bonus points if you have experience with:
• Artist mentorship
• Rigging and character art pipeline
• Cinematic animation
• Unreal Engine

Aspyr is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Aspyr are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Aspyr will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Aspyr encourages applicants of all ages.