Lead Animator

ABOUT ULTIMATE STUDIO 

Ultimate Studio is a Melbourne based games studio on a mission to build remarkable long lasting games. To do this we want to bring passionate and talented people together, and give them the resources, time and space to focus on building games. We are currently looking for driven developers to join our experienced teams to help shape and build two high fidelity action PC games using Unreal Engine. Ultimate Studio is also a remote first workplace built on trust that caters for flexible working hours.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

As the Lead Animator, you will have the opportunity to take ownership of animation for one of our upcoming PC titles. Working closely with the Art Director and the game team, you will contribute to the overall artistic vision and lead the animation production. This full-time role requires a deep understanding of animation techniques, a mastery of the latest animation tools and technologies, and the ability to deliver high-quality and immersive animations. A self-driven and collaborative mindset is essential to champion animation while collaborating with both creative and technical stakeholders to create remarkable character animations that captivate players.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage an animation team, providing guidance, mentorship, and feedback to ensure the delivery of high-quality animations and the teams professional growth.
• Collaborate with the Art Director to establish the overall animation vision and style for the game.
• Produce storyboards, animatics, and keyframe animations to showcase ideas and concepts effectively.
• Create and modify character animations to support rapid prototyping of experimental features.
• Design and create high-quality animations that bring characters and game elements to life.
• Collaborate with the character art team to ensure seamless integration of animations into character models.
• Work with the development team to correctly implement and showcase animations in the game.
• Ensure animations meet technical requirements and performance guidelines.
• Partner with production to define scope, timelines, and deliverables for project milestones.
• Develop and refine best practices and workflows to achieve production goals and maintain high-quality standards in animation production.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• A portfolio demonstrating exceptional animation skills and a strong sense of timing and movement.
• Proficiency in animation software and tools, including industry-standard software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, MotionBuilder).
• Experience working with Unreal Engine or comparable game engines.
• Understanding of technical animation setup including layering, blending, rag dolls and physics based animation.
• Understanding of memory and performance limitations in relation to animation.
• Effective time and workload management skills to meet project deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities and attention to detail to deliver high-quality results.
• Previous experience in a lead or senior animator role is highly desirable.