Animation Lead (Unannounced Project)

At ArenaNet, we’ve always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’re proud to share our passion for the online worlds we’ve created with over 11 million players worldwide.

ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.

We are looking for a passionate Animation Lead with proven experience in the full AAA production pipeline, from rapid prototyping to delivering polished, optimized final animations. In this role, you’ll be instrumental in shaping the game's look and feel by creating a variety of character and creature animations that set both visual and technical benchmarks. As the Lead, you'll guide, mentor, and support the Animation team by reviewing work and providing feedback on both technical and artistic aspects. Your positive, adaptable mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and proactive approach will help foster a supportive and inspiring team culture, empowering artists to deliver their best work.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Create AAA animations for gameplay, locomotion, and combat for a variety of characters and creatures
• Collaborate with Design to achieve clear and expressive action gameplay animations that feel responsive to player input
• Work closely with Art Director, Design, and other disciplines to develop an eye-catching animation style
• Work closely with Designers, Animators, and Tech Artists to establish highly iterative workflows and scalable pipelines
• Work closely with Tech Art to iterate on character and creature rigs and refine animation workflows
• Manage, mentor and support the animation team through sharing knowledge, process, and constructive feedback
• Maintain the Animation team’s scope of work by prioritizing and delegating tasks, planning estimates, and updating as needed to ensure individuals’ workloads are manageable and the team’s deliverables can be completed at a healthy cadence
• Participate in teamwide playtests and contribute your ideas and feedback to group discussions

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• 8+ years of professional experience in the game industry, including experience as a Senior Animator or higher
• Ability to keyframe strong gameplay animation and execute at a very high level, as shown by examples of professional or personal work
• Deep understanding of kinetics, action gameplay animation, and animation systems
• Experience implementing animation content into existing runtime systems
• Expert knowledge of Maya character and creature animation workflows
• Strong understanding of UE4+ animation systems and workflows
• Outstanding ability to problem-solve and explore creative solutions in an ambiguous space
• Experience directing, enhancing, and implementing motion capture data
• Passion for working collaboratively and the ability to communicate feedback in a positive and healthy way
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Unwavering commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work environment

PLUSES 

• Technical Skills: Scripting
• Technical Skills: Rigging
• Experience animating in different styles
• Experience with runtime procedural animation

Priority consideration will be given to candidates local to the Bellevue, WA area or those open to relocating and occasionally working onsite.

Don’t meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.