Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has development studios in 28 countries and sells video games in more than 55 countries around the globe. We are committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to players. In our German offices in Düsseldorf, Mainz and Berlin, we are working on brands like “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege”, "Far Cry", "James Cameron's Avatar", “Beyond Good & Evil 2", "Ubisoft Escape Games", “Assasin's Creed VR”, “Splinter Cell VR” and many more.

Please note:

This position is located in Germany and requires relocation.
No German language skills necessary; only proficiency in English

Job Description

Your Impact

As Lead Technical Animator you will be leading a team of both technical animators and animators breathing life into the world of Pandora. You will also take on the challenge of developing, supporting and documenting our animation systems, rigging, pipelines and techniques used by art, technical art and animation teams.

Your Mission

Closely collaborate with the Animation Director, Art Director and other leads to ensure high quality animations in the game that are in line with the artistic vision.
Assist in the design, integration and validation of animation assets.
Help improving the tools & pipeline that are used for animation, rigging and implementing of animations in collaboration with our internal engine programmers.
Work closely with our internal tech teams to improve UX and UI of in-house tools and develop new solutions to improve animation workflow efficiency;
Developing tools & scripts for Maya, MotionBuilder, 3DMax and in-house tools.
Creation & maintenance of documentation for Technical Art features and tools to provide for the team.
Design, implementation and improvement of our animation state machines and runtime solutions
Develop, test and maintain complex animation systems in conjunction with animators, gameplay programmers and other team members as required
Guide/Coordinate Animation teams on demanding tasks enabling them to achieve tasks in an efficient & consistent manner.

Qualifications

Experience with character action focused games preferred with at least one shipped AAA title as senior or lead
Strong practical understanding of animation logic: node graphs, animation trees and similar engine editors and technologies
Strong understanding of rigging, skinning and technical character creation workflows
Strong character animation skills and understanding of animation principles
Solid Proficiency with scripting languages to easily communicate with the tech teams (C#, Python etc.)
Deep knowledge of Maya and MotionBuilder required, good knowledge of other 3D packages (3DMax and similar) is useful
Strong Knowledge of 3D engines and in game engine implementation of animation features, including ragdoll physics
Strong knowledge of human and creature anatomy
Familiarity with the creation of user-friendly tools/systems.
A great ability to think creatively to overcome technical challenges.
Great communication skills and a positive attitude.
Strong organizational skills.

BONUS

Experience working with high-fidelity motion capture is advantageous

Additional Information

Your Benefits

Relocation Support: We offer financial support in form of a cash allowance and assistance with accommodation search and settle-in support via our relocation partner, for international candidates we offer visa assistance.
26 days paid vacation per year. Additionally, you will get half a day off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and approximately 11 bank holidays in the NRW region.
Flexible Working Hours: We have core working times between 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM and the distribution of the other hours is up to you.
Development Support: Leadership training, workshops, guest speakers from the industry, online Ubisoft learning platform, coaches, paid self-study hours and library.
Free English and German; The business language in the studio is English. No German is required to work with us.
Company Pension Scheme. We offer an attractive scheme through salary sacrificing in which the employer also matches contributions
Up to 350€ childcare support per child per month. In addition, we also offer 5 ‘care for ill children days’ per child per year.
Gym Subsidy
Monthly Travel Budget
Discounted Ubisoft Games
& more

Living in Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is a very international city close to the border of Germany famous for it's Japanese culture. With a Japanese gardens, "Little Tokyo" area for Asian cuisine and celebrating Japan Day along the River Rhine each year Düsseldorf is a lively and multicultural city. Art Galleries and Museums can be found as well as the "Old City" - a lively area of bars and restaurants amongst traditional German architecture. Two hours from Paris, Amsterdam, the UK and Hamburg - an excellent location to explore Europe even on a weekend. A large Deer park offers a natural sanctuary for those needing a break from the city life. More suburban areas surround the city for those looking for a more relaxed pace.

If you are passionate about video games and would like to work with like-minded professionals in an international team, please apply via our career portal.

The application must include your resume, and a cover letter detailing your earliest starting date, salary expectations and motivation.