Animator

Would you like to work on some of the greatest franchises in gaming history? Certain Affinity brings an exceptionally talented group together to form the largest independent developer in Austin, Texas and opened a second studio in Toronto, Canada, in 2019. Our company culture reflects the vibrant nature of the cities we call home. This includes a commitment to our evolution, excellence, and work-life balance. Our Toronto studio will collaborate with our Austin location, and together we’ll be co-developing AAA FPS games and creating our compelling new IP.

As an Animator at Certain Affinity, you’ll be part of a creative team generating highly polished in-game animations. You will assist in the design of the project by providing pre-visualization animations for gameplay elements as well as evolving and refining motion for characters, weapons, vehicles, and environmental objects.

Responsibilities

• Work with senior and lead animators & design team to visualize and integrate motion into a highly immersive world
• Create animations in a variety of styles, from ultra-realistic mocap-based movement to highly stylized hand-keyed motion depending on the needs of the project

Requirements

• 2+ years’ experience in the game industry, specifically associated with character and object animation
• Understanding and application of both keyframe and performance capture animation in a real-time environment
• Strong foundational knowledge in traditional arts, including but not limited to graphic design or illustration, life drawing, acting, and cinematography.
• Working-level understanding of the principles of motion as applied to characters, cameras, objects, and vehicles
• Solid grasp of performance requirements and constraints of the current-generation console and PC development
• Understanding of animation pipelines and workflow
• Collaboration and communication skills that bridge the gap between art, design, and tech
• Ability to work within predefined styles from realistic to stylized, and effectively communicate this style to the rest of a team
• Solid understanding of how animation by way of performance, staging, dynamics, timing, and pacing influences player response and feedback to help make a game fun and engaging
• Team player with the drive and initiative to deliver highly high-quality work within performance and time restrictions
• Must be adept at time constraints and multiple priorities
• Must be able to initiate visual direction without a specific concept or design
• Experience using proprietary editors, software, and tools, or other similar experience with Unreal 4, Radiant, Source Engine, etc.
• A desire to work in a diverse and inclusive environment
• Working-level knowledge of Maya and/or Max, MotionBuilder, or other 3D animation packages

• Experience in the application of motion as related to the physical simulation of particles, fluids, and other related fields
• Shipped 1+ AAA title in last three years
• Experience with technical animation scripting or rigging

Certain Affinity or its partners or affiliates run background checks on candidates or employees with written authorization from the candidates or employees. These may be done to offer employment or determine eligibility to work on a specific project. Multiple searches may be required.

Certain Affinity is authorized to do business in many, but not all, of the states in the US and the Canadian provinces. If you are not located in or able to work from a state where Certain Affinity is registered, you may not be eligible for employment as a fully remote employee. Please speak with your recruiter to learn more about where we are registered.