Lead Animator (Gameplay)

TL;DR

Lead Animator (Gameplay): Supervising a team of animators to create and implement high-quality real-time animations for NPC and player characters with an accent on AAA production standards and pipeline optimization. Focus on mentoring artists, defining animation style guides, and integrating mocap and keyframe data into gameplay systems.

Location: Must be based in Montreal, Canada (at least 4 days per week in office) and legally authorized to work in Canada

Company

hirify.global is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies, producing world-class content across film, television, streaming, and global theme parks.

What you will do

• Supervise a team of animators in creating expressive, polished, and gameplay-ready animations for AAA productions.
• Provide artistic leadership and technical guidance to ensure animation quality, style, and performance meet high standards.
• Design, document, and uphold pipeline procedures to deliver cutting-edge assets.
• Motivate and mentor the animation team, supporting their professional growth and guiding them through production stages.
• Coordinate assignments and communicate with other leads and disciplines to resolve production blockers.
• Create high-quality gameplay content using mocap, keyframe, and facial animation to set the quality bar.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience as a 3D character animator in video game development.
• Proven experience working on at least two AAA titles.
• Expert knowledge of industry-standard tools such as Maya or Motionbuilder.
• Strong understanding of gameplay systems and in-game engine workflows.
• Excellent keyframe and mocap animation skills with deep knowledge of human body mechanics.
• Must be legally authorized to work in Canada.

Nice to have

• Experience with Unreal Engine 5.
• Experience creating scripted events, cutscenes, and cinematic experiences.
• Understanding of 3C concepts (character, controls, camera) and animation-graph techniques.
• Experience with locomotion, occupation, conversation, and traversal systems.
• Experience in creature, animal, and combat animations.

Culture & Benefits

• Inclusive culture that champions diversity and talent development.
• Opportunity to work with powerhouse brands like Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation.
• Rich tradition of community involvement and giving back.
• Commitment to equal employment opportunities for all applicants.