Lead Character Animator


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Our Animation Team

Guerrilla's Humanoid Gameplay Animation team seeks a Lead Character Animator with extensive expertise in humanoid movement and behavior, focused on crafting stylized, hand-keyed animations. In this pivotal role, you'll become an integral part of a diverse team, engaging in dynamic collaboration with directors, designers, programmers, and production staff. Your role extends beyond the immediate team, involving strategic coordination with leads and directors from other animation departments to drive the aesthetic and animation standards in-game. This position requires a strong spirit of teamwork, aiming to develop animations that enhance the game's features and style, resonate with players, and embody the game's creative vision.

What You Will Do

  • Lead the humanoid animation team, setting a high bar for animation quality, particularly focusing on stylized, hand-keyed animation techniques.
  • Collaborate closely with the Game Design, Visual Design, and Code teams to create engaging and expressive humanoid characters.
  • Mentor, train, and inspire the animation team, fostering their growth and development in stylized animation techniques.
  • Work alongside the Gameplay Animation Manager and Gameplay Animation Director, aligning team efforts with the overall project objectives and maintaining consistency in animation style and quality.
  • Develop and maintain a clear vision and roadmap for humanoid animation, ensuring alignment with the project's artistic direction, animation style and gameplay mechanics.
  • Create dynamic, expressive, and character-driven animations that showcase a strong foundation in traditional animation principles.
  • Participate in recruitment and professional development initiatives, fostering a collaborative and innovative team environment.
  • Review, document feedback, and provide clear direction on animations, ensuring they meet the aesthetic and technical requirements of the project.

Who You Are

  • You have at least 7+ years of industry experience, with a significant focus on character animation in stylized, hand-keyed projects.
  • Demonstrable experience leading animation teams, with a portfolio showcasing expertise in creating expressive, characterful animations.
  • Strong understanding of animation principles, with the ability to apply them to enhance character appeal and gameplay experience.
  • Excellent organizational skills, clear communication, and strong problem-solving abilities.
  • A collaborative mindset, able to work closely with other department leads and contribute constructively to the project's vision.
  • Growth-oriented, motivated towards teaching, enabling, and coaching animators in stylized animation techniques.
  • Proficient in animation software such as Maya, with a keen interest in staying updated on industry developments and pushing creative boundaries.

Assessment

Candidates will be expected to undergo a practical skills challenge as part of the selection process. The details of this challenge will be communicated to selected applicants.

Interested?

If you're excited to be part of a cutting-edge, creative project, and possess the skills and experience we're looking for, we’d love to hear from you! Please apply with your CV, a cover letter, and a link to your reel showcasing your best and most recent relevant work.

Please note: This position is based in our studio, and we offer relocation and immigration support for the right candidate. Join us in our mission to create an unforgettable gaming experience with groundbreaking humanoid animations!

 

At Guerrilla, we believe that our team’s varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives help us create games that resonate with a diverse audience.

As an equal opportunities employer, we strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. 

We encourage everyone to respond as we consider all candidates on the basis of their merit, unique strengths, and perspectives they will bring to the role.

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Frequently asked questions

 

Q: Does Guerrilla offer remote positions?

A: Unless stated otherwise, our vacancies are based on-site, in our studio in Amsterdam. For qualified candidates, we offer visa, permit, relocation and immigration support. Depending on role, we do offer hybrid work models allowing our employees to work from home one or more days per week.

Q: I don't have any work examples. Can I still apply for a job?
A: It's essential that you can prove to us that you have the necessary skills for the job. Rushing into an application without supplying the required materials won't leave a good impression. In general, it's a good idea to put together an excellent portfolio before you start applying for jobs.  

Q: I have no experience in the games industry. Can I still get a job with you?
A: Games industry experience is certainly a bonus, but it's not always necessary. It's important to put together an excellent portfolio that demonstrates your skills and your understanding of the game development process.  

Q: I applied for a job with you, but I haven’t heard back. What happens now?
A: We aim to respond to all applications within three weeks. Due to the volume of requests, this sometimes takes a little longer. If you have not heard from us within three weeks, your application was most likely unsuccessful.  

Q: How can I arrange a job interview with you?
A: We receive so many applications that we are only able to arrange interviews with the most suitable candidates. It's important that your application stands out from the crowd. Go ahead, impress us!  

Q: I'm considering working at Guerrilla in the future. Is it possible for me to come for a tour of the studio?
A: Because of the confidential nature of the projects that we are working on, we cannot allow visitors into the studio. The most impressive job applicants will be invited for an interview, and will have an opportunity to visit some of the development areas.  

 

Q: I'm a university student looking for a company that can help me with a (master) thesis assignment. Can we arrange a meeting to look at the different possibilities?
A:We like to help out with university level assignments when we can! However, due to time constraints and deadlines this isn't always possible. Please send a brief e-mail outlining the aims of your assignment and what input you would need from us. We'll let you know if we are able to help you.  

Q: I'm a high school student and I have to do a school assignment on media and entertainment. Can I make an appointment for an interview with one of your employees to discuss this?
A: Due to the sheer number of requests we receive, we regret that we are unable to participate in interviews with school students.  

Q: I have a great idea for a game. How can I submit it to you?
A: All of our game concepts are developed by our internal designers, in conjunction with our publishers. It is company policy not to accept game concepts from third parties.  

Q: I'm still in school and I want to get a job in games in the future. What kind of education and skills do I need to achieve this goal? Can you provide me with information on the schools that teach this discipline?
A: The skills required to work in the games industry are very broad, as there are many areas in which you can work. In development there are roles in art, animation, programming, design, and project management. Other industry roles include sales, marketing, PR, and testing. The most important thing is to get an education in subjects that you enjoy and that you are good at. Your career adviser should be able to give you guidance as to which careers are suitable for an individual with your particular skills.