Super Spline Studios hiring Junior 3D Games Animator in Royal Leamington Spa

Super Spline Studios is seeking a creative and driven Junior 3D Games Animator to join our growing team. This is a rare entry-level opportunity designed for a passionate artist who is eager to make a significant impact within a tight-knit, collaborative environment. We value the “creative spark”—that unique ability to breathe life and personality into characters through high-quality hand-keyed animation. Whether you are working from our vibrant office in Leamington Spa or joining us remotely from across Europe, you will be an integral part of our production pipeline, contributing to a diverse range of projects spanning various styles and technical requirements.

As a Junior 3D Games Animator at Super Spline Studios, your primary focus will be the creation of high-quality character animations that resonate with players. We are looking for an individual who doesn’t just “move” characters from point A to point B, but someone who understands the weight, timing, and soul behind every movement. You will be tasked with adding character and personality to every rig you touch, ensuring that our games feel alive and responsive. This role is specifically tailored for growth. We don’t expect you to know everything on day one, but we do expect a foundational mastery of animation principles and an insatiable hunger to learn. You will be supported by senior talent and given the creative freedom to explore different animation styles, from hyper-realistic mechanics to exaggerated, cartoony performances.

• Character Animation: Create compelling, hand-keyed animations for a variety of in-game assets, including gameplay cycles (locomotion, combat) and cinematic sequences.
• Technical Implementation: Work within established workflows to export and test animations, ensuring they function correctly within the game engine environment.
• Collaboration: Participate in dailies and creative reviews. You will be expected to both receive and provide constructive feedback to maintain the high visual standard of the studio.
• Problem Solving: Address technical hurdles within the animation pipeline and communicate effectively with the rigging and dev teams to ensure smooth integration.
• Project Management: Manage your own tasks and timelines effectively, ensuring that briefs are understood and deadlines are met without compromising quality.

Candidate Requirements

• Technical Skills & Experience

• Foundational Mastery: A deep and demonstrable understanding of the 12 principles of animation (Squash and Stretch, Anticipation, Staging, etc.).
• Software Proficiency: A high level of comfort working within Autodesk Maya.
• Portfolio: A strong demo reel consisting of hand-keyed character animations. We are specifically looking for acting, weight, and personality rather than motion capture cleanup.
• Engine Awareness: While not mandatory, experience with game engines (such as Unreal Engine or Unity) and an understanding of how animation interacts with game logic is highly advantageous.

• Communication: You must be a clear and concise communicator, capable of articulating creative ideas and technical issues.
• Self-Motivation: As a small team, we value “self-starters” who can manage their own workflow and take accountability for their output.
• Adaptability: The gaming industry moves fast. You should be excited by new technologies and willing to adapt your workflow as tools and techniques evolve.
• Interpersonal Skills: We pride ourselves on a positive studio culture. Being “pleasant to work with” isn’t just a bonus; it’s a requirement.

What We Offer

We believe that creative work flourishes when artists are well-rested and inspired. To support our team, we offer a modern benefits package designed for the contemporary developer:

• The 4-Day Work Week: We operate on a four-day schedule, allowing you more time for personal projects, rest, and a healthier work-life balance without sacrificing a full-time salary.
• Creative Variety: You won’t be pigeonholed. One week you might be working on realistic combat mechanics, and the next, you could be animating a whimsical cinematic for a cartoony IP.
• Flexible Environment: Choose between the energy of a relaxed, central office in Leamington Spa—the heart of the UK’s “Silicon Spa”—or the comfort of your own home anywhere in Europe.
• Growth Trajectory: We are a small team where your voice is heard. This is a path toward seniority, with mentorship focused on honing your core craft and learning advanced technical processes.