Senior Technical Animator (Unreal Engine ).

Accountabilities

• Create, maintain, and optimize character rigs for bipedal, non-bipedal, and mechanical characters.

• Develop robust rigging, skinning, and deformation solutions that support high-quality character performances in real-time environments.

• Ensure character rigs are efficient, scalable, and compatible with production requirements.

• Collaborate with animators to troubleshoot deformation issues and improve character animation workflows.

• Implement and maintain animation systems directly in Unreal Engine, including Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, and Motion Matching workflows.

• Support animation logic and integration involving Behavior Trees and State Trees, working closely with gameplay programmers to deliver reliable in-game character behavior.

• Diagnose and resolve animation-related issues across engine systems, ensuring smooth integration and consistent performance.

• Optimize animation systems to meet real-time performance requirements and technical constraints.

• Develop and improve pipelines connecting Maya, Blender, and Unreal Engine, covering animation export, import, retargeting, and character integration.

• Build reusable tools, automation solutions, and workflows that improve animator productivity and streamline production.

• Identify pipeline bottlenecks and implement scalable technical improvements.

• Maintain clear technical documentation and share knowledge across distributed teams.

• Collaborate with animation, technical art, and engineering teams to translate creative requirements into practical, production-ready solutions.

• Take ownership of assigned systems, proactively identify technical risks, and communicate progress and challenges clearly.

• Contribute to established technical standards and integrate effectively into existing production pipelines.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of professional experience in game animation or technical animation.

• Proven experience contributing to commercially released game productions.

• Strong hands-on experience with Unreal Engine 5 and real-time character animation systems.

• Excellent technical skills in character rigging, skinning, and deformation.

• Strong understanding of animation principles, character mechanics, and real-time animation workflows.

• Professional proficiency with Maya and Blender, including their integration with Unreal Engine.

• Practical experience with Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, and Motion Matching.

• Understanding of Behavior Trees, State Trees, and how they interact with character animation systems.

• Experience developing and maintaining digital content creation tool-to-engine animation pipelines.

• Ability to diagnose and resolve complex animation integration, rigging, and performance issues.

• Strong understanding of technical constraints, real-time optimization, and scalable production workflows.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with animators, technical artists, and programmers.

• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English.

• Experience with Unreal Engine Control Rig, procedural animation systems, IK Rig, IK Retargeter, Full Body IK, or runtime animation solutions is an advantage.

• Additional skills in Python, MEL, or mGear for rigging and pipeline automation, as well as experience creating custom animation tools and editor utilities, are desirable.

• Familiarity with high-fidelity character systems, complex deformation, physics-driven animation, runtime rigging, and optimization for demanding real-time applications is beneficial.

• Previous experience working in an international co-development environment is a plus.

Benefits

• Fully remote work: Collaborate remotely within an international game development environment.

• Competitive compensation: Compensation based on experience and contract arrangements; no specific salary range is provided.

• Project-based engagement: Contribute to an unannounced game project, with two positions available.

• Technical ownership: Take responsibility for character animation systems, rigging solutions, and production workflows.

• Experienced collaborators: Work directly with animation and engineering professionals in a supportive, collaborative environment.

• Long-term potential: Opportunities for continued collaboration on future projects.

• Professional development: Strengthen your technical animation expertise while tackling complex production challenges.