Principal Technical Animator (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Principal Technical Animator (Gamedev): Bridging the gap between art and technology by developing and optimizing animation pipelines and tools for the Blight: Survival project with an accent on procedural animation, character rigging, and engine performance. Focus on diagnosing animation bugs, optimizing complex character rigs, and mentoring technical staff to ensure high-quality, performant gameplay systems.

Location: Montreal, QC (Hybrid)

Company

An independent video game studio headquartered in Montreal with over 1200 employees, focused on creating original games like Dead by Daylight and providing services for industry giants.

What you will do

• Oversee animation and character integration, including procedural animation setups.
• Research new technologies and solve complex animation technical challenges.
• Diagnose and resolve animation bugs across various in-game systems.
• Profile and optimize character rigs and animation assets to meet memory and frame rate budgets.
• Share technical expertise with animators and programmers and document technical processes.

Requirements

• Minimum 12 years of professional experience in animation within the video game industry.
• Expertise in rigging and skinning with a deep understanding of animation principles.
• Strong proficiency in Maya and Unreal Engine.
• Proven experience working on multiplayer game projects.
• Knowledge of MEL and Python is considered a significant asset.

Culture & Benefits

• Work within a large, dynamic, and independent studio environment.
• Exposure to high-profile original titles and major partner collaborations.
• Inclusive workplace that values diversity and equitable hiring practices.
• Collaborative atmosphere bridging artistic creativity and technical engineering.