Senior Advanced Technical Animator at Game Studio
Company: Game Studio
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Job Type: Contract (6 Months)
Salary: Not Disclosed
About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Advanced Technical Animator to lead the development of scalable, high-performance character systems for Unreal Engine productions. This role bridges animation, rigging, engineering, and pipeline development to enable teams to deliver AAA-quality real-time experiences efficiently.
Job Overview
In this contract role, you will architect runtime animation systems, optimize pipelines, and build tools that enhance production workflows. You will collaborate across internal teams and external partners to ensure consistent, high-quality character systems across projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and implement scalable runtime animation systems in Unreal Engine.
- Develop Animation Blueprint architectures that are performant and thread-safe.
- Create modular, data-driven animation frameworks for gameplay systems.
- Build and optimize character systems including IK setups, secondary motion, cloth, and hair simulations.
- Profile, debug, and optimize animation systems for multiplayer and large-scale environments.
- Own and support the facial animation pipeline, including rigging and integration.
- Develop and maintain cross-DCC and engine pipelines.
- Create custom tools using Python, MEL, C#, or C++ in Maya and Unreal.
- Identify production bottlenecks and implement scalable solutions.
- Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to scale outsourcing pipelines.
- Establish best practices, documentation, and onboarding resources.
- Support version control, asset management, and pipeline standards.
- Mentor team members and contribute to technical strategy.
Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in technical animation, technical art, or related fields.
- Strong expertise in Unreal Engine animation systems and performance optimization.
- Proficiency in Python scripting; experience with MEL, C#, or C++ is a plus.
- Experience building production-ready tools and pipelines.
- Deep understanding of real-time character systems and animation workflows.
- Hands-on experience with Maya or similar DCC tools.
- Strong problem-solving skills for complex technical challenges.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Experience optimizing systems for multiplayer or live-service environments.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Computer Science, Game Development, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Benefits
- Opportunity to work on AAA-quality game productions.
- Collaborative and innovative team environment.
- Exposure to cutting-edge real-time animation technologies.
- Flexible contract-based engagement.
How to Apply
Please send your application to our HR department:
Required: Attach your portfolio and mention your availability to start.