Technical Animator (12-month contract)

Blackbird Interactive is a creative-fueled, future-driven, independent game studio where the best talent in the industry can find long-term careers to help grow their abilities while working on a wide range of projects, which encompass world-class IPs as well as our own creations across multiple genres.

Our studio operates as a remote-first workplace, offering flexible work arrangements.

At this time, we are only able to hire candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada and reside within Canada.

Blackbird Interactive is seeking a passionate Technical Animator to join our team to deliver a large, exciting IP!
Do you have a broad range of creative and technical experience setting up character and mechanical animations in Unreal Engine 5? We’re looking for a technical animator who has the technical proficiency to rig, skin, and export animated meshes into Unreal Engine. On top of that, we are requiring a versatile set of skills to animate humanoid characters as well as machinery within a sci-fi setting. 
We support both remote and hybrid working arrangements across Canada (Vancouver, BC). At BBI, you’ll find a flexible, forward-thinking environment where creative voices are valued and nurtured.
Please include a link to your showreel with your CV.

Responsibilities
Develop and maintain Maya and Unreal-based pipelines that enable animation, rigging, and content export workflows Produce high quality animation in gameplay to fit the overall style and established creative direction Proficient in animating both mechanical and humanoid assets Ability to take direction from the Art Director in order to maintain a coherent aesthetic thread throughout the project Collaborate with technical artists to fill gaps in pipeline and tools where needed Collaborate with 3D artists to create smooth handoffs between asset creation and animation set-up Collaborate with production to provide estimates and timelines to ensure timely delivery of assets

Requirements
4+ years of experience in technical animation and gameplay animation specifically for games Strong knowledge of rigging workflows Well-versed in Maya and Unreal Engine 5 Familiarity with game-ready skeleton design, skinning, and animation scene structure Comfort working in Perforce-integrated pipelines and managing scene referencing/export workflows Comfort with quick iteration and problem-solving Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset

Bonuses
Passion for games Passion for film and cinematography Experience manipulating Unreal camera rigs and setups