Senior 3D Gameplay Technical Animator

Ubisoft’s 19,000 team members, working across more than 30 countries around the world, are bound by a common mission to enrich players’ lives with original and memorable gaming experiences. Their commitment and talent have brought to life many acclaimed franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, Just Dance, Rainbow Six, and many more to come. Ubisoft is an equal opportunity employer that believes diverse backgrounds and perspectives are key to creating worlds where both players and teams can thrive and express themselves. If you are excited about solving game-changing challenges, cutting edge technologies and pushing the boundaries of entertainment, we invite you to join our journey and help us create the unknown.

Reporting to the Animation Lead, you will work closely with the Animation, Design and Gameplay Programming teams to design, integrate and optimise animation systems.

You'll be actively involved in the development of animation systems, using the tools at your disposal, as well as producing animations for prototyping when required, to a level of quality that allows animation systems to be validated, while ensuring their reliability and performance for AAA projects.

Main responsibilities

• Design and management of animation systems in collaboration with the technical and artistic teams. (animation blend tree, replacement and procedural systems)
• Integrate and validate animations in the systems (animation, markers, data).
• Organisation and structuring of animation data in the engine.
• Identify and solve technical problems related to the animation systems.
• Produce animations, particularly during the prototyping phase, and make corrections or updates where necessary.
• Helping to improve the quality of the animation tools and systems and the results produced.

Skills required

• Technical & Artistic: Mastery of keyframe animation and motion capture
• Animation Systems: Experience in setting up and managing animation systems, in particular animation blend tree systems (Unreal, Unity or proprietary game engine)
• Tools: Good knowledge of 3D animation tools: MotionBuilder is a plus.
• Ability to work as part of a team, with good communication skills and an awareness of technical constraints.
• Understanding of AAA expectations and standards.
• Ability to combine artistic flair with advanced technical skills.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in 3D animation, with projects in video games.
• In-depth knowledge of animation principles and real-time systems.
• Knowledge of the limitations and possibilities of animation technologies.
• Personal qualities: organised, curious, persistent, resilient in the face of technological change.

Soft skills:

• Ability to adapt quickly to new tools and technologies
• Perseverance and ability to maintain a positive attitude in the face of technical challenges.
• Willingness to learn, explore new approaches and propose creative solutions
• Rigour in data management, concern for quality

Additional assets

• Console and/or high-end PC development experience.
• Knowledge of motion capture and real-time animation workflows.
• Participation in high quality projects (AAA or similar).
• Interest in creating animation behaviours.

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