Lead Technical Animator

Lead Technical Animator

The Gearbox Entertainment Company is an award-winning creator and distributor of entertainment for people around the world. Gearbox Entertainment develops and publishes products through its subsidiaries Gearbox Software and Gearbox Publishing. Gearbox Entertainment has become widely known for successful game franchises including Brothers in Arms and Borderlands as well as acquired properties Duke Nukem and Homeworld. Gearbox’s ambition is to entertain the world and its key driving objectives include the pursuit of happiness for our talent partners and customers the prioritization of entertainment and creativity and a measured respect for profitability. For more information visit www.Gearbox.com. 

Gearbox Software is looking for a technically minded Lead Technical Animator with a passion for pushing character animation fidelity in games to new levels. This role primarily focuses on managing a team in charge of developing new animation features in engine and providing ongoing support for current tech and working to create improved pipeline and planning practices with animation to improve overall content efficiency.

Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of Technical Animators setting goals for the team  providing feedback and support their career development.

• Work with code and design department leads to establish specific technical parameters for each project to ensure the highest level of productivity for animation

• Mentor mid-level and junior animators in improving their technical animation skills through providing classes and workshops

• Create & maintain animation blueprints / state machines / character data

• Tune blending for gameplay animations.

• Break-down and document design features into easy to animate content.

• Work with Designers and Animators to maintain/monitor best practices and optimal workflows.

• Support animation content implementation with other departments including Missions Systems and Gameplay teams.

• Research & prototype new animation systems for use by Animation and Design teams.

• Communicate and work closely with Gameplay and Engine Programmers to develop new features needed to deliver highly polished sophisticated presentations.

• Document system functionality and breakdowns for use by future employees or other teams.

• Identify potential pipeline improvements and act to improve them.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience as a manager

• Familiarity with animation systems including blending warping layering synched choreography and state machines.

• A strong understanding of logic technical architecture and experience with one or more scripting languages.

• Needs to be familiar with animation pipelines from mesh to implementation of final assets.

• Able to collaborate and work well with teams from various disciplines.

• Ability to own a feature from pitch and documentation to prototype and final implementation.

• Should be comfortable working in documentation and production platforms such as Jira or Confluence.

• A positive attitude and an ability to receive and provide objective feedback on areas of game feel and presentation.

• 5+ Years as a Game Designer Animator or Programmer with at least 3 years previous experience working in a relevant area that pertains to character animation. 

Bonus Points For:

• Experience in Unreal 5 Animation Systems

• Programming Capability in Python MEL or C++

• Experience in Maya and Motion Builder Animation Systems

• Experience with mocap systems and software such as Vicon Blade

• Strong balance of creative/visual aesthetics and technical skills.

• An avid fan of fast-paced action games with an eye towards what other studios are doing to elevate the presentation and feel of their games.

• Experience with advanced animation systems such as Motion Matching or Distance Matching.

Gearbox Entertainment believes that all team members should be able to enjoy a work environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. We are committed to reflecting the diversity of the world we strive to entertain. As an Equal Opportunity Employer we provide fair and equal treatment to all team members and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity or expression national origin disability genetic information pregnancy or maternity veteran status or any other status protected by applicable national federal state or local law.

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing only use 2K.com accounts.

#LI-Remote

What We Do

2K is headquartered in Novato California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005 2K Games is a global video game company publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms include Visual Concepts Firaxis Hangar 13 CatDaddy Cloud Chamber 31st Union and HB Studios. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres including sports shooters action role-playing strategy casual and family entertainment. Our team of engineers marketers artists writers data scientists producers thinkers and doers are the professional publishing stewards of our growing library of critically-acclaimed franchises such as NBA 2K 2K PGA Battleborn BioShock Borderlands The Quarry The Darkness Mafia Sid Meier’s Civilization Marvel’s Midnight Suns WWE 2K and XCOM. At 2K we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K we encourage you to apply!

Why Work With Us

We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We push ourselves creatively to do the best work of our careers. We’re direct open and you’ll probably meet some new best friends – along with their dogs – sitting nearby. In short it’s kinda awesome.

Gallery