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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Create immersive animation systems for a next-gen horror game.
- Company: Join a growing indie game studio in Southampton.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible hours, and health insurance.
- Why this job: Bring terrifying experiences to life with your animation skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in Unity and strong rigging skills required.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with exciting career development opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced Senior Technical Animator who thrives on crafting high-impact, real-time animation systems?
(Hybrid – Full-Time – Southampton, UK)
We’re working with a growing, independent game development studio based in Southampton that’s building a next-generation horror title for PC, console, and VR. They’re now looking for a Senior Technical Animator to join the team and help bring terrifyingly immersive experiences to life with responsive, high-quality animation.
You’ll play a key role in developing robust rigs, building out flexible animation pipelines, and ensuring the studio’s character and environmental animations are both stunning and technically sound across all platforms.
What You’ll Be Doing:
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Design and maintain efficient rigs for characters, creatures, cameras, and environmental objects.
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Implement and maintain animation systems in Unity, using Animator Controllers, State Machines, and Blend Trees.
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Develop tools to streamline and enhance the animation pipeline and workflows.
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Work cross-functionally with artists and programmers to troubleshoot rigging, skinning, and integration challenges.
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Help define and improve runtime animation systems for both gameplay responsiveness and performance.
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Optimise animation assets for VR, console, and PC, ensuring performance benchmarks are met.
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Balance visual quality with real-time performance constraints.
What We’re Looking For:
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Professional experience as a Technical Animator on at least one shipped Unity title.
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Expert in rigging, skinning, and control system development in tools like Maya, Blender, or similar.
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Strong understanding of real-time animation principles, IK systems, retargeting, and constraints.
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Proficient in C#, with experience developing animation tools and pipelines.
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Hands-on experience implementing animation systems within Unity.
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Collaborative, communicative, and capable of solving complex technical challenges.
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A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, highly creative environment.
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Passion for atmospheric and horror-based games.
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Must be eligible to work in the UK.
Nice to Have:
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Experience with VR animation challenges (e.g. hand/body tracking, procedural systems).
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Knowledge of motion matching, physics-based, or procedural animation techniques.
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Experience with Unity DOTS, or animation optimisation for high-performance gameplay.
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Familiarity with facial animation and lip-sync pipelines.
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Experience using version control systems such as Git, Perforce, or Plastic SCM.
Benefits:
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Competitive salary
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5% employer pension contribution
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Hybrid working and flexible hours
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Relocation package available
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Annual performance bonus and employee of the month rewards
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30 days holiday, including birthday and wellbeing day
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Private Vitality Health Insurance (vision, dental, travel)
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Aviva life insurance
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Personal wellbeing allowance and sabbatical leave options
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Regular social events and trips to GDC, Gamescom, TwitchCon, EGX, and Develop:Brighton
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Career development support and structured training
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Referral scheme with bonus incentives
If you\’re a technically minded animator with a strong creative vision and a love for stylised horror, apply now via Joe at Skillsearch: jm@skillsearch.com
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Senior Technical Animator employer: Skillsearch
Contact Detail:
Skillsearch Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Technical Animator
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to fellow animators and industry professionals on LinkedIn or at gaming events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work in rigging and animation systems. We recommend including breakdowns of your projects to showcase your process and problem-solving abilities.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge. Be ready to discuss your experience with Unity, C#, and any animation tools you’ve used. We want you to feel confident when talking about how you can contribute to the team!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and eager to join our community.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Technical Animator
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Skills: Make sure to highlight your experience with rigging, skinning, and animation systems in Unity. We want to see how you've tackled challenges in past projects, so don’t hold back on the details!
Tailor Your Application: Customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Senior Technical Animator role. Use keywords from the job description to show us you’re a perfect fit for our team.
Be Creative: Don’t just list your skills; tell us about your passion for atmospheric and horror-based games. Share any personal projects or experiences that showcase your creativity and technical prowess.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skillsearch
✨Know Your Tools Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the tools mentioned in the job description, like Unity, Maya, and Blender. Brush up on your rigging and skinning techniques, and be ready to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Animation Systems Knowledge
Prepare to talk about your experience with animation systems, especially in Unity. Be ready to explain how you've implemented Animator Controllers, State Machines, and Blend Trees in previous roles, and think of specific examples that highlight your problem-solving skills.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since the role involves working cross-functionally, think of instances where you’ve collaborated with artists and programmers. Be prepared to share how you tackled challenges together and what the outcomes were, showcasing your communication and teamwork abilities.
✨Passion for Horror Games
Express your enthusiasm for atmospheric and horror-based games during the interview. Share any relevant experiences or projects that reflect your passion, and discuss how this influences your approach to animation and design.
