Logo
Azra Games

Senior Animator

Azra Games, California, Missouri, United States, 65018

Save Job

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.

What You’ll Do

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

Work within Unity's animation systems, specifically using Animancer 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

What We’re Looking For Required

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

Preferred

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)

Within Your First Year at Azra Games

Establish yourself as the animation quality benchmark, delivering consistently excellent work across characters, NPCs, and world interactions

Ship multiple high‑quality cutscenes and narrative vignettes that elevate the player experience

Become proficient in Animancer and contribute to improving our Unity animation workflows

Build strong collaborative relationships with narrative, quest design, and technical animation teams

Demonstrate proactive ownership by identifying quality gaps and implementing improvements without prompting

Help mentor and guide junior animators, establishing best practices that raise the team's overall output

Prove yourself as a reliable, communicative partner for leadership and a trusted point person for all animation matters

Compensation Range: $106,000 - $159,000 + Equity

As set forth in Azra Games’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

#J-18808-Ljbffr