Animator

Frontier is seeking an experienced Animator to join their team in Cambridge, UK. The role involves crafting high-quality, expressive character and creature animations using Maya, implementing them into the proprietary Cobra engine, and collaborating across disciplines. The Animator will take direction from the Lead Animator and Game Director, contribute to feedback, solve production challenges, maintain task tracking, and support junior team members. This position is offered on a full in-studio or hybrid basis.

Must Have

• Create high-quality, expressive character and creature animations using Maya.
• Implement animations into our proprietary Cobra engine.
• Collaborate across disciplines including Character Art, Code, Design, and VFX.
• Take direction from the Lead Animator and Game Director to realise the creative vision.
• Contribute to a culture of feedback and continuous improvement.
• Solve production challenges with creativity and technical know-how.
• Maintain accurate task tracking and validate assets to minimise bugs.
• Provide feedback to external development partners when needed.
• Support junior team members and contribute to team knowledge sharing.
• Proven experience producing high-quality animation assets.
• Strong proficiency in Maya’s character animation tools.
• Excellent understanding of body mechanics, posing, timing, and acting choices.
• Experience with creature animation and believable movement.
• Familiarity with animation state machines.
• Understanding of versioning software (SVN, Perforce).
• Strong time management and communication skills.
• Basic knowledge of rigging pipelines.

Good to Have

• Experience with external animation behaviour tree software (e.g. Havok, Unity, Unreal)
• Scripting knowledge (Python, MEL)
• Experience mentoring or training junior animators

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Success-based annual bonus
• Share option schemes
• Life assurance
• Private family healthcare
• Flexitime working hours
• Enhanced maternity/paternity leave
• In-house subsidised catering
• Support with relocation
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free bike servicing
• Social activities and events

Frontier is an independent video game developer and publisher, crafting immersive gaming experiences with fun gameplay and unparalleled artistic quality. Renowned for its iconic creative management simulation games, Frontier captivates players worldwide with immersive and authentic game worlds. The modern studio is located in the vibrant technology hub of Cambridge (UK). The talented team at Frontier are dedicated to nurturing our existing portfolio and delivering our exciting future roadmap.

This role is offered on a full in-studio basis or a hybrid basis (minimum 3 days per week in the studio). We can provide a comprehensive relocation support package as part of any offer, should you need to relocate.

WHAT’S THE ROLE

Are you passionate about crafting compelling character and creature animation that elevates gameplay? At Frontier, animation is at the heart of our storytelling. We’re looking for an experienced Animator to join our talented team and help bring our worlds to life.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Create high-quality, expressive character and creature animations using Maya.
• Implement animations into our proprietary Cobra engine.
• Collaborate across disciplines including Character Art, Code, Design, and VFX.
• Take direction from the Lead Animator and Game Director to realise the creative vision.
• Contribute to a culture of feedback and continuous improvement.
• Solve production challenges with creativity and technical know-how.
• Maintain accurate task tracking and validate assets to minimise bugs.
• Provide feedback to external development partners when needed.
• Support junior team members and contribute to team knowledge sharing.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Proven experience producing high-quality animation assets.
• Strong proficiency in Maya’s character animation tools.
• Excellent understanding of body mechanics, posing, timing, and acting choices.
• Experience with creature animation and believable movement.
• Familiarity with animation state machines.
• Understanding of versioning software (SVN, Perforce).
• Strong time management and communication skills.
• Basic knowledge of rigging pipelines.

BONUS IF YOU HAVE

• Experience with external animation behaviour tree software (e.g. Havok, Unity, Unreal)
• Scripting knowledge (Python, MEL)
• Experience mentoring or training junior animators

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

You will work with talented and passionate people to support, develop or publish our sophisticated and enduring games, in a creative, collaborative and inclusive environment. We love what we do, and we work hard to provide outstanding experiences for our players.

Wellbeing is a big focus at Frontier, and we are continually evolving how we can support our people. We encourage a healthy work/life balance and provide a range of wellbeing activities, initiatives and sessions to support both mental and physical health.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a success-based annual bonus, share option schemes, life assurance, private family healthcare, flexitime working hours, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, in-house subsidised catering, support with relocation, a Cycle to Work scheme, free bike servicing, and social activities and events.

We strive to create an environment where everyone can fully demonstrate their capability and potential. If you therefore need any reasonable adjustments to support you during the recruitment process, please speak to your Talent Acquisition representative.

For queries, please email: recruitment@frontier.co.uk

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Top Tips

• Quality over quantity! We would rather see a clean, polished and finished portfolio over large numbers of nearly finished animation.
• We have a diverse range of games, so we like to see a mix of animation styles in a portfolio. We love to see strong creature work, but what we care about most is solid body mechanics and appealing character.
• A successful application will demonstrate not just the applicant’s high level of skill but also their willingness to learn, plus their ability to work in a team and solve problems. Beyond this, we also want to see people who show a passion for making games. Don’t be afraid to tell us why you want to work at Frontier, or what games of ours you like. Passion is a key part of our Frontier culture!