Lead Animator (Unreal Engine)

Location: United States — remote within the United States; flexible remote, hybrid, or in-office options. Occasional travel to the Denver motion capture studio is required.

Company

hirify.global is an independent video game developer and publisher founded in 2007, with studios in Lakewood, Colorado, and Tacoma, Washington.

What you will do

• Manage, mentor, and inspire internal animators while directing and tasking an overseas co-development animation team.
• Design and optimize responsive Unreal Engine 5 animation systems with the Art & Animation Director and Animation Engineer.
• Drive animation from initial blockouts and keyframing through in-engine AnimGraph tuning and playtesting.
• Identify pipeline bottlenecks, refine workflows, and manage tasking, feedback, and quality control for external animation partners.
• Direct live motion capture sessions at the Denver studio and oversee data cleanup and integration.
• Coordinate with Design, Engineering, Art, and Production to resolve dependencies and align gameplay and animation goals.

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional experience in video game animation production, including 3+ years in Lead Animator roles.
• Multiple shipped console and PC titles as a Lead Animator.
• Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine Control Rig, Sequencer, and Animation Blueprints.
• Proven experience leading character animation teams across keyframe, motion capture, and technical animation disciplines.
• Expert knowledge of Maya, 3ds Max, character keyframing, facial performance capture, motion editing, and real-time animation state machines.
• Strong hands-on experience with Unreal Engine animation workflows, including Animation Blueprints, state machines, blend spaces, animation montages, and in-engine debugging.
• Experience directing gameplay animation feel and responsiveness in third-person or first-person titles.
• Strong animation reel or portfolio demonstrating exceptional keyframing, character mechanics, body language, and motion clarity.
• Excellent communication, mentoring, cross-disciplinary coordination, and hands-on problem-solving skills for complex rigging and animation pipeline challenges.

Nice to have

• Prior experience working with and expanding existing intellectual property.

Culture & Benefits

• 100% employee-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage, with 50% coverage for dependents.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% company match.
• Up to 7 weeks of mandated paid time off annually, including Summer and Winter breaks, 7 holidays, and flexible PTO.
• Quarterly Royalty Bonus Plan and Stock Option Plan.
• Flexible remote, hybrid, or in-office work options.