Senior Animator

Azra Games

2h•$115,000 - $195,000•Remote

About The Position

Azra Games is looking for a Senior Animator to join our team and serve as the senior-most world animator and key point person for animation leadership. The Senior Animator will be responsible for creating high-quality character and world animations that bring our mobile action RPG to life. This role requires someone who can work independently, take initiative, and maintain a consistent quality bar while collaborating closely with narrative, design, and technical teams. You will be the primary animation contact for leadership, crafting everything from expressive cutscenes to systematic character behaviors, and helping establish best practices for the animation team. As the senior animator on the team, you will set the standard for animation quality, create compelling narrative moments through cutscenes and vignettes, and partner with designers and technical animators to ensure seamless implementation in Unity. This role demands both creative excellence and technical proficiency, with an expectation of proactive problem-solving and continuous quality improvement.

Requirements

Deep proficiency in Unity (strongly preferred) or Unreal Engine, with hands-on experience implementing animations in a real-time game engine
Complete mastery of Autodesk Maya (this is non-negotiable and absolutely required)
Strong demo reel demonstrating both combat and/or world animation skills
Proven expertise with both keyframe animation and motion capture workflows – we use both heavily and need someone comfortable with the full spectrum
Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative without constant direction
Strong quality sensibility with the ability to self-assess work and iterate to meet high standards
Excellent communication skills and ability to be a reliable point person for leadership
Proactive mindset with a track record of identifying problems and implementing solutions
Portfolio showing consistent quality and attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Mobile game development experience
Live service game experience
Cutscene, cinematic, or narrative animation experience with expressive, character-driven performances
Experience with staging and layout for cutscenes (blocking characters and cameras)
Previous mentorship or leadership experience with junior animators
Python scripting experience for animation tooling and pipeline development
Experience with realistic, grounded animation styles (though we're open to anime-style animators who demonstrate strong fundamentals)

Responsibilities

Create high-quality world ambient animations that support narrative and environmental storytelling
Animate main characters, NPCs, and environment interactions with a focus on quality and consistency
Craft scripted cutscenes and narrative vignettes that are efficient for mobile while maintaining strong visual impact (we don't need full AAA production, but we do need compelling moments)
Work within Unity's animation systems, specifically using Animancer (our state machine plugin) to implement and manage animation workflows
Partner closely with narrative and quest designers to bring scripted moments and story beats to life
Collaborate with designers to support systematic behaviors including locomotion, interactions, and gameplay animations
Work with technical animators to ensure proper implementation, optimization, and performance across animations
Help define animation best practices and mentor more junior animators on the team
Take ownership of animation quality, proactively identifying areas for improvement and implementing solutions without waiting to be tasked
Communicate effectively with leadership (reporting to Hannah) and serve as the go-to person for animation direction and feedback
Balance both keyframe and motion capture animation techniques to deliver on project needs
Maintain consistent quality standards and demonstrate continuous improvement in your work