Job Description

People make games great. And at Survios, we know we can’t grow from an acclaimed VR studio to the world’s premier game developer and publisher without them. That’s why our most valuable investments aren’t in the next-generation technology we use to make our games or the swanky new HQ we’re building in Marina Del Rey, but in creating a hybrid workplace that seeks out talent across the globe, nurtures its people, and encourages fun. A workplace where every team member knows they’re respected and cared for. If you want to join a passionate team of developers driving toward the future of immersive gaming, we’d love to hear from you! Survios currently has an opening for a talented Lead Gameplay Animator to help push the quality and innovation to the next level with our talented Animation Team! 

Responsibilities:

• Drive the quality of animation at Survios while balancing aesthetics, technology, and scheduling requirements.
• Develop and adapt existing gameplay animation systems in order to support the design of the game, while delivering best-in-class animation.
• Work closely with Design and Programming to devise, implement, and debug new animation systems and core gameplay mechanics that meet AAA quality standards.
• Be an active partner in the integration of gameplay animation with cinematic animation.
• Work closely with External Development Animation teams to ensure that clear communication, timeliness and quality are being met.
• Support the Lead Rigging Artist in the development of character and non-character rigs.
• Review existing animation processes in order to improve team efficiency.
• Guide, manage, and organize the work of our exceptional animation team.
• Provide constructive feedback and direction to the animation team.
• Tackle unique challenges for animating in VR and inventing new solutions that provide immersive and impactful experiences.
• Direct, capture, cleanup, and implement animation through a Motion Capture pipeline.
• Lead and mentor a team to balance creative ambitions with the requirements of production.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve the work of the team and the quality of the animation through the training and development of the animators.
• Keep up to date with the cutting edge of animation trends, tools and technology within the video game and VR industries.
• Establish and maintain all documents for gameplay animation pipelines and workflows.
• Assist in the hiring process of all new animation team members.

 Requirements:

• 2+ years of experience leading an animation team.
• 8+ years in the video game industry with credits on multiple AAA titles.
• 4+ years experience with motion capture pipelines.
• A great eye for animation quality, combined with strong technical acumen.
• Strong understanding of human and animal motion, weight, acting and timing applied to 3D animation.
• Excellent keyframe animation skills with a solid understanding of advanced animation principles and techniques.
• Strong facial animation experience.
• Ability to troubleshoot gameplay problems and collaborate with other departments to find the appropriate solutions.
• Experience in working with Design and Engineering to create new ways of presenting and interacting with animations in VR.
• Ability to review the quality of animations and provide animators with valuable artistic and technical critique, while also keeping tasks on track.
• Proven experience with defining, organizing and managing the animation direction and roadmap for large-scale projects.
• Strong leadership, people and mentoring skills with the ability to elevate the team's animation skills and overall morale.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present feedback and ideas in a clear and professional manner.

 Pluses:

• Working knowledge of Unreal Engine 4 is a plus.
• Knowledge of character rigging.
• Experience with facial motion capture.
• Ability to script.
• A gamer, with a sense for game design.

About Us:

Survios is an award-winning game studio that takes a holistic approach to development, merging our hardware, software, and games expertise to create unbelievable immersive game experiences. As we expand our focus from VR-Only to create games across all PC and Console platforms, we’re dedicated to leveraging our passion, expertise, and creativity to develop and publish the next generation of groundbreaking and immersive video games.