Senior Technical Animator - Freelance

Team: Design

Location: Spain

Commitment: Contract

Workplace Type: remote

Accountabilities

• Contribute to the technical animation vision, implementation, and maintenance of character pipelines and runtime systems in Unreal Engine.
• Design, develop, and maintain complex animation systems, with a strong focus on Animation Blueprints, State Machines, and Control Rig.
• Implement Physics and Cloth assets for new characters and optimize their Level of Detail (LOD) configurations.
• Research and prototype animation techniques that improve visual quality, production efficiency, and team workflows.
• Create and maintain high-quality character and weapon rigs using Maya and internal rigging tools.
• Skin high-density characters while achieving strong and efficient deformation.
• Modify and adapt Python-based rig definitions to address unique character requirements while maintaining consistency across the codebase.
• Collaborate with engineers to troubleshoot complex technical challenges and maintain the performance and stability of animation systems.
• Provide technical guidance and feedback to junior and mid-level technical animators, supporting their professional development.
• Work closely with technical animation leadership to translate artistic requirements into reliable technical solutions.
• Document technical animation best practices to promote consistency and quality across projects.
• Track progress, contribute to task evaluation and scheduling, and help plan upcoming technical animation work.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of professional technical animation experience, including experience working at a senior level.
• At least one shipped AA+ game title in a technical animation capacity.
• Expert-level Unreal Engine knowledge, particularly Animation Blueprints, State Machines, and Control Rig.
• Strong understanding of dynamic assets, especially Physics and Cloth assets.
• Proven experience with character rigging and skinning in Maya, particularly for realistic characters.
• Strong Python programming skills for tools and rig development.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with both artists and engineers.
• Ability to work autonomously, solve complex technical problems, and translate artistic or gameplay requirements into practical technical solutions.
• C++ proficiency is a plus.
• Experience with procedural animation techniques is a plus.
• Passion for and experience with Action-RPG or Soulslike games is desirable.

Benefits:

• Five-month freelance contract with an immediate start.
• Fully remote work across Europe.
• Flexible working schedule with core hours from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM CET.
• Opportunity to work with advanced animation technologies and contribute to ambitious game projects.
• Collaboration with experienced professionals across animation, art, engineering, and gameplay disciplines.
• Opportunity to influence animation pipelines, systems, and technical workflows.
• Mentoring and knowledge-sharing opportunities within a multidisciplinary team.
• Diverse and inclusive working environment welcoming people from all backgrounds.