Senior Animator

• Job Title
• Senior Animator
• Team & Reporting
• Art and Animation team, reporting to Stephen Norgate
• Location

Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, E15 2GW (Hybrid: 2 3 days onsite, remote by exception)

Position Overview

Sports Interactive is a studio that has evolved from its founding in 1994 to now operating under SEGA Europe, with a focus on high quality game animation.

After transitioning to Unity, we aim to raise the bar for animation across our games.

As a Senior Animator, you will drive quality and performance in animation, create immersive character experiences, and help shape future animation workflows and pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Produce polished animations for characters, gameplay systems, and cinematics.
• Own complex animation tasks, including full body, facial, and interactive animations.
• Direct and support motion capture shoots and refine captured data for in game use.
• Collaborate with designers and programmers to meet gameplay needs and technical constraints.
• Support our Principal animator to define and maintain animation standards, benchmarks, and style guides.
• Identify and drive improvements to animation workflows, pipelines, and tools.
• Ensure animation work is optimised for real time performance without compromising quality.
• Support development and integration of animation systems within the game engine.
• Provide clear, constructive feedback to peers and mentor junior and mid level animators.
• Contribute to team discussions, planning, and cross discipline problem solving.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in game animation with a focus on character, gameplay, and/or cinematic animation.
• Shipped at least one game of comparable scale to Sports Interactive titles in a similar role.
• Experience with Unity.
• Advanced skills in creating realistic, expressive, and responsive animation.
• Experience working with motion capture pipelines, including directing shoots and cleanup.
• Solid understanding of how animation supports gameplay, systems, and player experience.
• Ability to balance visual quality with technical constraints and performance requirements.
• Experience owning large, complex animation features or tasks.
• Proactive approach to identifying problems and improving workflows.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across multiple disciplines.
• Experience mentoring or supporting other animators.
• Organised and self motivated, able to manage work independently.
• Passion for animation and drive to continually improve quality and process.

Benefits

• Private Healthcare and Dental Plans.
• Gym Membership options.
• Travel Insurance for yourself and your family.
• Subsidised mental health, therapy, and coaching sessions available.
• On site physical and massage therapist services.
• Free access to games released under the SEGA Europe umbrella.
• Contributory Pension Scheme (up to 7% of annual salary).
• Regular events in collaboration with partnered football clubs.
• Free onsite evening bar in London HQ.
• Well stocked breakfast bar with cereals, fruits, teas, and coffees.
• Multiple clubs and societies to join (e. g., book club and art workshops).
• Your club's shirt personalised upon passing probation.
• Trophies & gift cards for length of service milestones.
• Cupcakes delivered on your birthday.
• Equal Opportunity Statement

Sports Interactive is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from any relevant candidate irrespective of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief.

SI is a Disability Confident Committed employer and is dedicated to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible.

Our studio has disabled access and facilities; please advise us if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.