Principal Animator

THE JOB

As the Principal Animator of the talented and passionate Animation team behind RETURNAL you will work closely with a team of Designers, Programmers and the Animation Lead to help drive the next evolution of Housemarque games.

It will be your role to ensure technical proficiency and quality across gameplay and cinematics, facilitate professional growth among the animation team, and champion the artistic vision of the project.

What will your day-to-day look like?

• Owning and driving features and initiatives as an animation authority. You will work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary creative team to help bring characters to life within the vision of the game design.

• Actively defining, creating, implementing, and evolving animations for the game’s characters and creatures.

• Working with the lead animator and other team members, to help evolve and improve our tools and pipelines.

• Responsible for bringing in new tech, processing, and industry knowledge.

• Able to instate whole processes and pipelines.

• Troubleshoot tool implementations and spearhead workflow improvements in order to increase the efficiency and creativity of the team.

• Able to organize needs and generate spec sheets.

• Help coordinate work with external partners.

• Acting as an engaged participant in typical development discussions, critiques, reviews, brainstorms, and all other relevant situations.

• Giving practical feedback to colleagues and being an active contributor even outside of your specific subject area.
   

What will help you to be successful in this role?

• 8+ years of experience working on AAA games for major platforms, animating characters using Maya or equivalent software packages.

• Knowledge of Cinematic and Motion Capture Editing and cleanup.

• Excellent problem-solving skills, both technical and cross-department.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with both technical and non-technical clients and audiences.

• Experience in mentoring junior animators and other members of a team in order to promote team growth.

• Significant experience with game engine (Unreal Engine)
  
  

What we offer to you?

• Competitive salary, benefits, healthcare, Nordic work-life balance

• Tailored immigration and relocation package to help you get settled into Finland

• A warm and welcoming atmosphere at our cozy Helsinki office

• Freedom, flexibility and openness in a collaborative culture

• Brilliant, diverse and empathetic colleagues to work with

• Exciting and ambitious projects executed with the best tools

• Access to Playstation Studios collaboration, games and more!
  
  

This is a permanent, full-time position based in Helsinki, Finland.

We will start interviewing promising candidates immediately so please apply as soon as possible.