Frontier
Summary
Frontier, an independent developer and publisher of video games, is seeking a technical animator with a focus on rigging and Python scripting to join their animation team. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing components for the procedural rigging pipeline, assisting with technical problem solving and pipeline development, and integrating game assets. The ideal candidate will have strong Python scripting skills, a great understanding of animation rigging principles, and experience using Maya. Frontier offers a competitive salary and benefits package, a creative and collaborative work environment, and a focus on employee well-being. They encourage applications from qualified candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or belief.
Job description
Frontier is an established, market leading independent developer and publisher of videogames for PC and consoles. We have achieved serial successes across a wide variety of titles including Elite Dangerous, Planet Coaster, Jurassic World Evolution, Planet Zoo and F1 Manager. Founded in 1994, we are based in the world-leading technology cluster and historic city of Cambridge, England. With a growing team of over 800 talented people supporting our existing portfolio and ambitious future roadmap, along with our publishing label Frontier Foundry, we are passionate about creating innovative genre-leading games and authentic worlds for our communities of players.
We have an exciting opportunity for a technical animator to work within our highly experienced animation team. We are looking for a technical animator with a focus on rigging and Python scripting. In this role, under the supervision of your lead, you will join our technical animation team, working primarily on developing components for our procedural rigging pipeline, as well as assisting the animation department with technical problem solving and pipeline development.
Our catalogue of games has a wide range of requirements to fit different animation targets and art styles, and our animation pipelines and tools need to reflect that. With such a diverse set of needs, we require lateral thinking and flexibility to be able to get the best out of our animation team.
Responsibilities
- Taking direction from your lead to create scripts, tools and assist in pipeline development
- Assist the rigging team developing rig prototypes and Python components for our procedural rigging pipeline
- Assist the rigging and animation team in integrating game assets, troubleshooting & batch processing
- Author Python scripts and validation tests
- Technical problem solving during production
- Assist during all production stages to ensure that pipelines run smoothly
- Carrying out supporting rigging and technical tasks to ensure your work supports both our animators and our game assets
- Handle day-to-day issues that animation department may run into
About you
- Essential
- Demonstrable Python scripting skills
- Strong understanding of animation rigging principles
- Great communication skills
- An understanding creating scripts and tools for DCC applications such as Maya
- Ability to discuss ideas and processes that will impact the end-users of our work
- An eye for animation
- Great analytical and problem solving skills
- A willingness to confidently take on and provide feedback for your own development and the development of others
- Professional experience using Maya
- Desirable
- A showreel that demonstrates technical animation capabilities such as tools development and clear, technical problem solving
- Experience within Unreal, Unity or other games engines, with regards to technical animation or rigging
- Knowledge of QT & PySide
- Knowledge of MotionBuilder, and other DCC packages
- Knowledge of Unreal’s Control Rig systems
- Knowledge of game development pipelines
- Experience working in games development
What we can offer you
We offer the chance to work with talented and passionate people, developing and publishing sophisticated and enduring games in a creative and collaborative environment. We love what we do, and we work hard to provide outstanding experiences for our player communities. Frontier rewards this passion and determination by sharing in the company’s success and by supporting our teams to keep doing what they love.
Well-being is a big focus at Frontier and we are continually evolving how we can support our staff. We encourage a healthy work/life balance and host a range of well-being activities, initiatives and sessions to support both mental and physical health.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a success-based annual bonus, share option schemes, pension, life assurance, private family healthcare, flexitime working hours, enhanced maternity/paternity package, in-house subsidised catering, support with relocation, a Cycle to Work scheme and free bike servicing, and social events.
We welcome and encourage applications from qualified candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.
Apply for this job
Location: Cambridge Hybrid / Remote /
Country: United States
Date found: 2023-03-21