Senior Technical Animator

<p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Eleventh Hour Games is a fast growing studio, focused on a passion for top-down action RPGs.</strong> We value open communication, close-knit teamwork, and opportunity for ownership and growth! Our mission is to gather and empower the next generation of creators to forge extraordinary games. Extraordinary games build passionate communities, which create passionate people. Passionate people turn into next year's creators. <strong>With our breakout title<a href="https://lastepoch.com/">&nbsp;Last Epoch,</a> we are moving fast into the next round of adventure!</strong></span></p> <hr> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>THE OPPORTUNITY:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As <strong>Senior Technical Animator</strong>, you will own the pipelines, rigs, tools, and runtime systems that enable high-quality character animation from DCC through engine. This is a deeply hands-on role focused on building scalable animation workflows, supporting efficient production, and ensuring animation systems are responsive, performant, and reliable in game.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You will work closely with animation, engineering, design, and art to solve technical challenges, improve workflows, and raise the overall quality bar for character animation for our studio.</span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>RESPONSIBILITIES:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Design, build, and maintain animation pipelines and workflows from DCC tools through in engine implementation</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Develop tools and systems that improve animator efficiency, iteration speed, and consistency</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Create and maintain high quality character rigs, including deformation systems and control rigs</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Implement and own animation systems in engine, including state machines, blending systems, and runtime behaviors</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Build and support automation systems for NPC animation, including scalable and reusable solutions</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Collaborate with engineering to develop performant animation systems and tools</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Optimize animation systems for runtime performance, memory usage, and scalability across large numbers of characters</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Support motion capture pipelines, including ingestion, cleanup workflows, and integration into the game</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Research and implement modern animation techniques such as motion matching, procedural animation, and runtime IK systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Debug and troubleshoot animation issues across the pipeline, from rigging to runtime</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Define and enforce best practices for animation setup, naming conventions, data structures, and workflows</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Partner closely with animators, designers, and engineers to ensure animation systems meet gameplay and visual goals</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Identify risks in animation systems and pipelines, and proactively propose solutions</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Contribute to pushing the visual and technical boundaries of character animation within the project</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>QUALIFICATIONS:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">5+ years of experience as a Technical Animator or similar role in game development</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strong experience building and maintaining animation pipelines and tools</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Deep understanding of rigging, skinning, and deformation systems for characters</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Proven experience implementing animation systems in real time game engines</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strong understanding of runtime animation systems such as state machines, blending, IK, and procedural techniques</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Experience optimizing animation for performance and scalability</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Proficiency in scripting or programming (Python or similar) for tool and pipeline development</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Experience working with motion capture pipelines and data integration</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strong debugging and problem solving skills across both DCC tools and engine environments</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, animation, and design teams</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Self driven with strong ownership over systems and long term pipeline health</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>PREFERRENCES:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Experience with advanced animation techniques such as motion matching or machine learning-driven animation systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Experience building tools for large teams or live projects</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Familiarity with facial rigging and animation systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Experience supporting large numbers of NPCs or crowd systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Understanding of physics driven animation or simulation systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ARPG game development experience</span></li> </ul> <hr> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Reasonable Accommodation</strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em>KRAFTON Americas is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the Company will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to apply for an open position, perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the HR Talent team at KRAFTON Americas, to begin the interactive process.</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em><strong>EEOC statement</strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em>KRAFTON Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Due to recent scams, our recruiters will only reach out to you via @eleventhhour.games, @sds.com, @krafton.com, @unknownworlds.com or @pubg.com. If you received an email and are unsure you can always email recruiting_ka@krafton.com.&nbsp;</strong></em></span></p>