Playground Games is seeking a Lead Animator to join our Forza Horizon team who will help realise our games vision and work alongside award-winning technical and creative talent.

As Lead Animator you'll oversee the Animation team, working in conjunction with the Art Director and Art Manager to plan work for the team and ensure our high quality bar is realised. You'll be working with characters, animals, vehicles and props and as such we require a motivated professional with a strong eye for detail, a fundamental understanding of game development processes and a passion for video games that matches our own.

Your expertise in the creation of animation will cover a broad range of key areas, including facial, motion capture and keyframe and your developed eye will aid in the breakdown and design of animation focused mechanics. You're required to be a creative animator and a problem solver, with good knowledge of the technical aspects of your craft, including practical experience with current 3D software such as Maya, 3DsMax and Motionbuilder. As an animator at Playground you'll also have the opportunity to collaborate with the team on improving the animation and art pipelines.

SKILLS SUMMARY

Experience in a variety of animation styles.
Creative skillset that can adapt to technical requirements.
Strong understanding of human anatomy.
Practical knowledge of current 3D softwares (Maya, 3DS Max and Motionbuilder).
Strong interest in self-development of managerial skills, overseeing the work of other team members and mentoring and developing junior staff.
Ability to communicate with artists, technical team members and studio leadership.
Experience of creating animation networks.
A strong and diverse portfolio of different animation styles.
A self-motivated team player with good communication skills.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join one of the world's most exciting games studios, using cutting edge technology to create world class games, within an established, highly talented and collaborative team.