Animation Director

Skills :     Animation Director

Job Description:

At Wizards of the Coast, we connect people around the world through play and imagination. From our genre defining games like Magic: The Gathering® and Dungeons & Dragons® to our growing multiverse, we continue to innovate and build new ways to foster friendship and connection. That’s where you come in!

Atomic Arcade is a video game development studio founded in 2021 in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area, led by industry veterans from both AAA game and film studios. We are in the process of staffing up our development team with top tier talent to build our first multi-platform, AAA game - a bold and contemporary new take on the GI JOE IP starring the legendary ninja/commando character Snake Eyes! This is an excellent opportunity to not only build an outstanding AAA experience but to also help form the core foundations for the studio and team to build upon. We are proud to be part of Wizards of the Coast which is a division Hasbro.

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Animation Director to join us to continue to build and manage a team of animators that are shaping and executing on a high-quality gameplay and cinematic experience.

Reporting to the Studio GM you will play a meaningful leadership role on the team as we continue development in pre-production. You'll help guide the studio with all areas of animation, both with our internal team as well as our external partners.

You'll collaborate with art, creative, design, production and engineering leaders to ensure the game vision comes to life visually and at the highest level of quality.

What You’ll Do:

• Collaborate with team leaders to continue to develop the overall animation vision as well as establishing technical feasibility and requirements.
• Work closely with engineering and tech art to evaluate and develop animation tools and pipelines for both gameplay and cinematic animation (as well as facial and performance capture requirements).
• Support creative and technical development across all animation driven systems (gameplay, cinematics, in-game events, etc.)
• Identify risks and mitigation plans for gameplay animation and cinematics.
• Assess overall animation resource needs and providing time estimates for production planning.
• Build up and maintain detailed documentation for all owned features, leaving no pathways unexplored.
• Responsible for animation performance metrics.
• Train team members on animation tools and techniques and raise awareness of new processes.
• Regularly play the game, providing constructive feedback and suggestions to members of the team.
• Anticipate animation advancements and stay up to date on industry trends to define our best practices and share them with our studio.

Requirements:

• 8+ years’ overall professional experience with 3+ years as a Lead Animator on a AAA ‘3rd Person’ title.
• Highly proficient with Maya, animation workflows, and Unreal Engine 5.
• Strong communication skills with an understanding of various art disciplines (animation, character, environment, VFX, etc.)
• Strong analytical skills and a love for efficient problem solving.
• Passion for playing and making games.
• Positive, direct, collaborative communication to help improve our shared vision and studio culture.
• Flexible, adaptable approach with a constant appetite for new knowledge and experiences.
• Self-sufficient and self-motivated, able to manage a feature from start to finish but also know when to ask for mentorship or help.

Nice To have:

• Direct professional experience with both gameplay and cinematics animation.
• Familiarity with directing and editing motion and performance capture.
• Experience with rigging requirements and tools.

Compensation Range, Currency USD:

• Starting Pay Range: $145,680
• Pay Range End: $263,160

We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

The above is intended to describe the general content of and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or requirements of the position.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. If you are selected to move forward in our application process and need to request an accommodation, please let your recruiter or coordinator know.

Wizards is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment. We are committed to making all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation range for this role. The range listed is just one component of Wizards of the Coast’s total compensation package for employees. Employees may also be eligible for annual and long-term incentives. In addition, Wizards of the Coast provides a variety of benefits to employees. Here’s a look at what your benefits package may include: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Paid Vacation Time & Holidays, Generous 401(k) match, Paid Parental Leave, Volunteer Program, Employee Giving & Matching Gifts Programs, Tuition Reimbursement, Product Discounts, and more.