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France
Remote only
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Technical Animator (Unreal Engine | Remote) based in France.
As a Senior Technical Animator, you’ll develop the technical systems and workflows that bring characters to life in an unannounced game project. You’ll combine advanced rigging expertise with deep Unreal Engine knowledge to build reliable, scalable animation solutions for real-time gameplay. Working closely with animators, technical artists, and gameplay programmers, you’ll solve complex challenges involving character deformation, animation logic, and engine integration. You’ll also improve production pipelines connecting digital content creation tools with Unreal Engine, helping teams work more efficiently and consistently. This hands-on senior role offers meaningful technical ownership, opportunities to influence animation workflows, and the chance to contribute to a collaborative international development environment. The position is fully remote and project-based, with potential opportunities for continued collaboration on future projects.
Create, maintain, and optimize character rigs for bipedal, non-bipedal, and mechanical characters.
Develop robust rigging, skinning, and deformation solutions that support high-quality character performances in real-time environments.
Ensure character rigs are efficient, scalable, and compatible with production requirements.
Collaborate with animators to troubleshoot deformation issues and improve character animation workflows.
Implement and maintain animation systems directly in Unreal Engine, including Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, and Motion Matching workflows.
Support animation logic and integration involving Behavior Trees and State Trees, working closely with gameplay programmers to deliver reliable in-game character behavior.
Diagnose and resolve animation-related issues across engine systems, ensuring smooth integration and consistent performance.
Optimize animation systems to meet real-time performance requirements and technical constraints.
Develop and improve pipelines connecting Maya, Blender, and Unreal Engine, covering animation export, import, retargeting, and character integration.
Build reusable tools, automation solutions, and workflows that improve animator productivity and streamline production.
Identify pipeline bottlenecks and implement scalable technical improvements.
Maintain clear technical documentation and share knowledge across distributed teams.
Collaborate with animation, technical art, and engineering teams to translate creative requirements into practical, production-ready solutions.
Take ownership of assigned systems, proactively identify technical risks, and communicate progress and challenges clearly.
Contribute to established technical standards and integrate effectively into existing production pipelines.
At least 6 years of professional experience in game animation or technical animation.
Proven experience contributing to commercially released game productions.
Strong hands-on experience with Unreal Engine 5 and real-time character animation systems.
Excellent technical skills in character rigging, skinning, and deformation.
Strong understanding of animation principles, character mechanics, and real-time animation workflows.
Professional proficiency with Maya and Blender, including their integration with Unreal Engine.
Practical experience with Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, and Motion Matching.
Understanding of Behavior Trees, State Trees, and how they interact with character animation systems.
Experience developing and maintaining digital content creation tool-to-engine animation pipelines.
Ability to diagnose and resolve complex animation integration, rigging, and performance issues.
Strong understanding of technical constraints, real-time optimization, and scalable production workflows.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with animators, technical artists, and programmers.
Excellent communication skills and fluency in English.
Experience with Unreal Engine Control Rig, procedural animation systems, IK Rig, IK Retargeter, Full Body IK, or runtime animation solutions is an advantage.
Additional skills in Python, MEL, or mGear for rigging and pipeline automation, as well as experience creating custom animation tools and editor utilities, are desirable.
Familiarity with high-fidelity character systems, complex deformation, physics-driven animation, runtime rigging, and optimization for demanding real-time applications is beneficial.
Previous experience working in an international co-development environment is a plus.
Fully remote work: Collaborate remotely within an international game development environment.
Competitive compensation: Compensation based on experience and contract arrangements; no specific salary range is provided.
Project-based engagement: Contribute to an unannounced game project, with two positions available.
Technical ownership: Take responsibility for character animation systems, rigging solutions, and production workflows.
Experienced collaborators: Work directly with animation and engineering professionals in a supportive, collaborative environment.
Long-term potential: Opportunities for continued collaboration on future projects.
Professional development: Strengthen your technical animation expertise while tackling complex production challenges.
