Studio: Cloud Chamber
Job Opening: Lead Animator (Gameplay)
Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Type: Full-Time
Responsibilities:
- Manage and mentor a team of animators in the development of high-end gameplay and AI animations.
- Develop the animation pipeline and workflows, with a continuous eye for improvement.
- Work with other department leads and animation leadership to plan for mocap sessions.
- Review dailies and lead review sessions with the animation team, giving constructive, actionable feedback.
- Actively collaborate with other disciplines to ensure animation goals are set, met, and completed in a timely manner.
- Work closely with Production to identify blocking issues, develop milestone roadmaps, participate in sprint planning and tasking, and delegate animation work.
- Share your own experience, best practices, and animation know-how to help the less experienced members of the team.
- Take on a small animation workload when time permits.
- Take an active role in the animation leadership circle, by sharing your voice and best practices to help guide the culture of the animation team. As well as updating the group on any new or outstanding issues.
- Participate in the hiring process for the department, including the creation of job roles and responsibilities.
- Establish on-boarding and team training for the animation team regarding animation related tools and processes, as well as Unreal Engine 5.
- Embrace and evangelize the Cloud Chamber values: Act with Kindness, Lead With Courage, Dare To Be Original and Creative, Stand For Unity, and Embrace Diversity.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Previous Lead, Team Lead, or coaching experience, managing an animation department.
- Shipped multiple AAA titles, ideally using Unreal or a comparable engine.
- Exceptional knowledge of how to create and maintain gameplay and AI systems as they pertain to video game animation.
- Animation graph and data integration experience.
- Experience working with Motion Capture data and pipelines.
- Experience with hand key facial animation and tools such as FaceFx.
- Experience structuring & maintaining animation processes such as rigging, or prototyping.
- A very strong understanding of character performance, form, gesture, and silhouette in regard to player character and AI.
- Excellent understanding of anatomy and caricature.
- Exceptional skill in animating the human bipedal figure, organic forms, quadrupedal, and mechanical objects.
- An exemplary understanding of traditional animation principles and how they support and enhance gameplay.
- Strong collaborative and flexible spirit.
