Overview
Lead the development and execution of our groundbreaking animation pipeline that generates realistic human animations (humanlike behavior) at scale for cutting-edge Unreal Engine projects. This role bridges creative vision with technical innovation, establishing workflows that combine novel ML-based animation generation with production-ready quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and oversee the entire animation pipeline from generation through final Unreal Engine integration
- Establish quality standards and visual benchmarks for realistic human animation at scale
- Bridge communication between ML engineers, technical artists, animators, and Unreal developers
- Define and optimize workflows that balance automation with artistic control
- Make critical technical and creative decisions that impact the entire production pipeline
- Mentor team members and foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence
- Evaluate emerging technologies and integrate relevant advances into the pipeline
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in technical animation, with at least 3 years in leadership roles
- Deep expertise in animation pipelines for games or real-time applications
- Strong understanding of rigging, animation principles, and character performance
- Experience with procedural animation systems and/or AI/ML-based animation tools
- Proficiency with Unreal Engine animation systems (Animation Blueprints, Control Rig, Sequencer)
- Solid scripting skills (Python, C++, or similar) for pipeline development
- Experience with high-end real-time projects
- Fluent English (written and verbal) for clear communication across technical and creative teams
Essential Soft Skills
- Team player: Ability to collaborate across disciplines and build consensus between technical and creative perspectives
- Proactive mindset: Anticipates pipeline bottlenecks and technical challenges before they become blockers
- Motivation to grow: Enthusiastic about learning novel ML/AI techniques and emerging animation technologies
- Strong communicator: Can translate complex technical concepts for artists and creative requirements for engineers
- Problem solver: Thrives in ambiguous situations where standard solutions don't exist
- Adaptability: Comfortable pivoting approaches as novel technologies evolve
- Office presence: Available for on-site collaboration during critical pipeline development phases