Senior Animator

Mob Entertainment

2h•$83,000 - $139,000•Remote

About The Position

Mob Entertainment is a startup multimedia studio known for the indie horror game Poppy Playtime. The studio is seeking a Senior Animator to create character and creature animations for gameplay and cinematic experiences. The role calls for a self-directed animator with strong animation fundamentals, creative storytelling skills, and knowledge of game-development technical requirements. The animator will work independently and across disciplines, contributing to the artistic vision, animation pipelines, and workflows of a project in early development. The Senior Animator owns animation tasks from initial blocking through final polish and engine implementation, balancing creative quality with technical constraints, scope, and production priorities. The role includes coordinating with animation leadership, art direction, design, technical animation, production, and other departments; helping develop pipelines and prototyping workflows; and providing feedback and mentorship to other animators. The position is associated with the #LI-Remote tag. Compensation varies by U.S. location, with annual salary ranges listed from $83,000 to $139,000.

Requirements

At least 6 years of professional experience in game animation, or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent senior-level expertise.
Exceptional understanding of 3D animation fundamentals, including body mechanics, weight, timing, posing, locomotion, and character performance.
Demonstrated ability to create high-quality character animation across different character types and performance styles.
Strong proficiency in Autodesk Maya and experience with Unreal Engine animation systems and workflows.
Experience creating gameplay and/or cinematic animations, with an understanding of their distinct creative and technical requirements.
Understanding of animation pipelines, including character rigs, animation blending, state machines, and engine implementation.
Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities, and own assignments with minimal supervision.
Ability to independently evaluate animation quality, identify areas for improvement, and iterate without relying exclusively on external feedback.
Strong communication skills, including coordinating proactively with other departments, communicating progress and blockers, and seeking clarification when needed.
Creative problem-solving skills and ability to balance artistic goals with technical limitations and production constraints.
Ability to give and receive constructive feedback, collaborate effectively, and support the growth of other animators.
Adaptability and a proactive approach to changing priorities, creative direction, and development needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience working on projects during pre-production or early development, including establishing animation workflows and supporting rapid prototyping.
Experience animating creatures, quadrupeds, or characters with unconventional anatomy.
Experience with stylized animation and exaggerated or expressive performances.
Familiarity with rigging principles and troubleshooting common rigging or animation pipeline issues.
Experience with Unreal Engine's Animation Blueprints, Control Rig, and Sequencer.
Experience with 2D or traditional animation.
Familiarity with Perforce and Jira.

Responsibilities

Create high-quality character and creature animations for gameplay and cinematic sequences, consistent with the project's visual style and artistic direction.
Own animation tasks from initial blocking through final polish and engine implementation, meeting creative and technical requirements.
Organize and prioritize assigned work, communicate progress, and proactively identify risks, dependencies, and scheduling concerns.
Collaborate with Animation Leadership, Art Directors, Designers, Technical Animators, Production, and other departments to align animation with gameplay, narrative, and technical needs.
Participate in creative and technical discussions, contributing animation expertise and practical solutions to development challenges.
Collaborate with Technical Animation and other disciplines to establish and refine animation pipelines, workflows, and best practices during early project development.
Develop efficient prototyping and iteration workflows that support gameplay experimentation, evolving design requirements, and production-quality implementation.
Identify animation requirements, technical dependencies, and pipeline challenges early, and propose scalable solutions balancing quality and efficiency.
Apply animation fundamentals including posing, timing, spacing, weight, body mechanics, and acting to create believable, engaging performances.
Provide constructive feedback, mentorship, and guidance to other animators to maintain and elevate team animation quality.
Balance artistic quality with technical limitations, project scope, and production priorities; communicate tradeoffs when necessary.
Respond constructively to feedback and adapt to changing creative direction and project requirements.