Technical Animator

Job role:
You're the bridge between our animators and the engine. You'll build the rigs, tools and pipelines that let our animation team bring iconic characters to life in Unreal Engine 5, and make sure what looks great in Maya looks just as great in-game.
This is a hands-on role for someone who loves both the art and the problem-solving. You'll work closely with animators, character artists, designers and engineers, and you'll own a real piece of how our games feel to play.

Responsibilities:
Build and maintain production-ready character and creature rigs in Maya, including body, facial and prop rigs
Skin and weight characters for clean deformation across a wide range of motion
Own the Maya-to-Unreal animation export and import pipeline, keeping it reliable and fast
Set up and maintain Animation Blueprints, state machines, blend spaces, montages and retargeting in UE5
Implement and tune runtime systems like IK, Control Rig, physics/cloth and procedural animation
Write Python and MEL tools that speed up animators and kill repetitive work
Profile and optimize animation performance: bone counts, LODs, compression and memory budgets
Troubleshoot animation bugs in-engine and partner with engineering on fixes
Document rigs, tools and pipeline standards so the whole team can move faster

Requirements:
3–5 years as a Technical Animator or Rigger, with at least one shipped game
Strong rigging and skinning skills in Maya, with a portfolio that shows clean deformation
Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine's animation systems: Animation Blueprints, Control Rig, retargeting and Sequencer
Solid Python scripting in Maya; MEL is a plus
A good eye for motion, and you understand what animators need from a rig
Comfort working remotely and asynchronously, with clear written communication
A demo reel or portfolio with a breakdown of your rigging and tools work