Remote Senior Animator - Game Development

Our client, a cutting-edge game development studio, is seeking a highly talented and experienced Remote Senior Animator to contribute to their exciting new projects. This is a fully remote position, allowing you to work from anywhere in the US, bringing your creative vision to life. You will be responsible for creating high-quality character and environmental animations that drive player engagement and bring our virtual worlds to life. This role demands exceptional artistic skill, a deep understanding of animation principles, and proficiency in industry-standard animation software. You will work closely with the art director, game designers, and other members of the development team to translate concepts and character designs into compelling animated sequences. As a senior member of the team, you will also be expected to mentor junior animators, contribute to establishing animation pipelines and best practices, and provide creative leadership. Your portfolio should showcase a strong ability to convey emotion, weight, and personality through animation, across various genres. Key responsibilities include:

• Creating exceptional character, creature, and environmental animations for video games.
• Working with game designers and concept artists to understand animation requirements and objectives.
• Developing and refining animation cycles for locomotion, combat, and expressive performances.
• Implementing animations within the game engine, ensuring proper timing, pacing, and responsiveness.
• Collaborating with technical artists to optimize animation performance and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Mentoring and providing feedback to junior animators to foster skill development and maintain quality standards.
• Contributing to the development and refinement of animation tools, pipelines, and workflows.
• Maintaining a high level of artistic quality and attention to detail in all animation work.
• Staying current with industry trends, techniques, and technologies in game animation.

A Bachelor's degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience, is required. A minimum of 5 years of professional animation experience in the game industry is essential, with a strong focus on character animation. A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating exceptional animation skills is mandatory. Proficiency in Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, or similar 3D animation software is required. Experience with motion capture editing and integration is a plus. Understanding of game engine pipelines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) and real-time animation challenges is beneficial. Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills are necessary for this remote role.