Lead Gameplay Animator - Dauntless

We are looking for an experienced Animator to join our flagship monster-hunting game, Dauntless! Animation is our lifeblood for bringing life and character to our games and is instrumental to the experience, visually and through gameplay.

A Lead Animator at Phoenix Labs has an impact by thoughtfully walking the line between artistic expression and driving gameplay on a game-by-game basis. They have a background and expert knowledge of animation principles and a deep passion for stylized, hand-keyed animation. You will leverage your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to collaborate with engineers and other game developers to ensure your assets feel and behave as intended.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the Art Director, Gameplay Designers, Rigging Artists, Engineers, and the rest of the animation team to help establish and reinforce quality and style throughout the product.
• Proactively share knowledge and mentor up-and-coming Animators.
• Help guide creative execution in reviews or dailies such that the work satisfies project and quality goals.
• Help contribute to animation workflow documentation for the internal team as well as external partners.
• Take animation of both enemy creatures and player characters from the initial blocking through implementation while striving to get the best gameplay feel.
• Heavily influence the development of our animation workflows, tools, and pipelines.
• Demonstrate the ability to anticipate and understand how design, rigging, and other technical aspects will affect the delivery of high-quality results on schedule.
• Set animation standards throughout the studio and regularly share techniques within the animation community internally.

Required Qualifications:

• Several years of experience in game development, including several shipped games.
• An expert understanding of Maya.
• Strong knowledge of the principles of animation and how to apply them to elevate gameplay.
• Experience animating various character types, from bipedal humans to multi-limbed fantasy creatures.
• The ability to balance creative goals with the requirements of production.
• Experience hiring, mentoring, and leading teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience with Unreal Engine.
• Experience contributing to the delivery of a game.
• Familiarity with blueprint and animation blueprints.
• An understanding of animation blend trees and state machines.