About this Position
SportSpired Games is looking for a Senior Cinematic Animator to create high-quality character performances and cinematic animation for our next-generation AAA sports simulator.
In this role, you will work with both keyframe animation and Motion Capture, bringing realistic and dynamic character performances to life in Unreal Engine 5. You will collaborate closely with Cinematic Artists, Animators, Designers, and Engineers throughout production, from capture and animation polish to final in-engine implementation.
SportSpired Games is an international game studio developing next-generation sports simulators. Our team includes professionals with experience at Wargaming, MY.GAMES, Ubisoft, 343 Industries, Starbreeze, Sperasoft, and EA Sports. We are currently working on a large-scale AAA title planned for release in 2028–2029.
Responsibilities
- Create high-quality cinematic animations with a strong focus on realistic, dynamic, and believable character performance
- Develop animations that support gameplay requirements and integrate naturally with game mechanics
- Implement, test, and refine animation content in Unreal Engine 5
- Process, clean up, enhance, and integrate Motion Capture data
- Work with the Lead Animator to develop and maintain Motion Capture recording and integration workflows
- Polish captured performances through keyframe animation to achieve the required quality and realism
- Collaborate with Motion Capture Directors, Cinematic Artists, Designers, Engineers, and other disciplines
- Participate in animation reviews and contribute ideas to improve character performance, cinematics, and overall player experience
Requirements
- 4+ years of professional animation experience in the game industry
- Strong experience creating cinematic animation for action-oriented games
- Strong understanding of realistic humanoid and facial animation, including body mechanics, weight, timing, posing, and expression
- Hands-on experience with Motion Capture workflows, including cleanup, editing, enhancement, and in-engine implementation
- Strong understanding of dynamic movement and physicality in action, fighting, or sports games
- Proficiency with Unreal Engine 5 and a solid understanding of its animation systems
- Experience working with MetaHuman
- Proficiency with Maya, MotionBuilder, Blender, or similar animation tools
- Experience working with character rigs and a solid understanding of rigging principles
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to estimate animation tasks accurately and deliver high-quality work within production deadlines
