Senior Technical Animation Designer

That's No Moon is an independent studio of storytellers and game-makers who believe in the power of narrative-driven experiences. With a diverse team of talented developers, our shared vision is to create the future of AAA experiences with a culture of creativity, collaboration, and responsible production practices. Our passionate team of developers helps shape our studio, our projects, and our future.

We are looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer with a passion for creating and maintaining the animation systems, workflow and integration solutions for a AAA title. The Technical Animation Designer will be a member of the Animation Engineering Team and collaborate with other departments such as Animation, Design, Motion Edit, and Tech Art. This role will support gameplay systems, mechanics and contribute to the unified goal of crafting animations that are functional, responsive, fluid and will tie into cinematics and story.

Responsibilities:

• Support the creation and integration of AAA quality gameplay animations that reflect the game design goals and mechanics using Unreal Engine 5
• Create and maintain Unreal Engine Blueprints for animation systems and state machines
• Work closely with animators, engineering and design teams to support innovative animation systems such as motion matching
• Collaborate with the animation team to ensure cinematics and gameplay are a seamless holistic experience
• Use and design debug tools to solve animation issues
• Be proactive, assisting with troubleshooting workflows, rigging and pipeline issues
• Effectively connect with animators, engineers, and design, to give and accept feedback
• Support animation tool and workflow development with documentation

Requirements & Skills:

• Comprehensive understanding of Unreal Engine Blueprints, state machines, blend spaces, Montages, Anim Graphs, and Event Graphs
• Strong understanding of 3Cs to expertly craft systems that attain the design goals of the game
• Experience working with motion capture data in the game industry with an emphasis on technical knowledge of integration practices
• Working knowledge of scripting or C++ a bonus
• Technical working knowledge of Maya
• A passion for making games and the enthusiasm to polish
• Strong technical problem-solving and interpersonal skills

Qualities:

• Flexibility in switching tasks to accommodate production priorities
• Ability to appreciate other departments' perspectives
• Maintains integrity and confidence while working in a fast-paced environment
• Approachable and respected member of the team
• Team oriented with a desire to assist other animators, engineers, and designers
• Promotes inclusivity, diversity and fairness
• Practices patience and is open to giving and receiving feedback
• Leads by example, collaboration, and mentorship
• Works at the highest level, technically and aesthetically

TNM considers a number of factors when determining each role's base pay range, including industry benchmarks, location, experience, and other job specific skills. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for other incentive compensation including equity and profit share. The estimated base pay range for this role is U.S. only and not applicable for locations outside of the U.S.

The estimated base pay range for this role is: $134k-$157k

TNM offers competitive and comprehensive benefits that include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, flexible PTO, supplemental life and disability, and more. Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary based on country of residence and/or part-time or temporary employment status.

That's No Moon is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ancestry, color, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, legally protected physical or mental disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To those interested in submitting for roles at That's No Moon, we have a few reminders to ensure a safe application process.

1. If one of our recruiters reaches out to you, it will be with a "@" email address. We do not email via personal email addresses either.

2. We do not conduct interviews via Discord or WhatsApp.

3. We will not ask you to provide sensitive personal information.

4. We will never request that you buy equipment specifically for your interview/test.

We are saddened that people are being taken advantage of and ask that, if you ever have any doubts about whether you are speaking to an official member of the That's No Moon team, to reach out to our official social handles directly.

#LI-remote