Cliffhanger Games is a newly formed Seattle Studio focusing on blockbuster action-adventure games and pioneering next-generation emergent storytelling beginning with Marvel’s Black Panther. Join us to pursue your passion to build unique, groundbreaking, and inclusive games that empower players to create incredible stories of heroic adventure. Become a foundational part of an ambitious, respectful and diverse team as we are looking for a Senior Animator to join our team.

The Senior Animator will work with a team of designers, writers, artists, animators, and engineers in the creation of compelling player and NPC movement and combat animation content for our next 3rd person action-adventure title.  The Senior Animator is an individual contributor role reporting to the Senior Animation Director.   

You have a passion for studying the mechanics of human behavior and movement. You are knowledgeable of several forms of martial arts with an ability to apply that knowledge in creation of a compelling combat experience.   You will collaborate with artists, designers, and engineers to achieve a seamless integration of animated content into a compelling gameplay experience. The Senior Animator will combine foundational animation skills, technical knowledge, cross discipline collaboration to breathe life into the characters on screen.

Responsibilities

•            Author high-quality player and NPC animation using a combination of motion editing and keyframe.

•            Create pre-visualizations and prototypes to assist in communication and development. 

•            Collaborate with design and engineering to implement, iterate and polish character motions within the Epic Unreal Engine.

•            Partner with Senior Animation Director and partners in the development of mocap shot list and provide mocap direction when applicable.  

•             Provide feedback, mentorship and inspiration to junior animators and promote the animation direction and philosophy across the entire team.

•             Work with technical animators to establish our character rig needs and push our tools and workflows to improve.

•             In game review of your personal work to ensure it hits animation, gameplay and technical quality targets, tracking it through completion.

Qualifications

•             6+ years' applicable experience in the games industry.

•             Proficiency in Maya

•             Familiarity with advanced game engines like Unreal, Unity and others

•             A demo reel that showcases examples of high-quality character animation, high-action and body mechanics.

We encourage you to apply, even if you don't match every qualification listed above. Let us know why this role appeals to you, why you will be great, what unique perspectives you will bring, and which requirements will challenge you to grow.