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Sr. Animator – External Development (FTE) 

Come join the team that developed the award-winning God of War! Santa Monica Studio is looking for an Animator to partner with the external development group and work on all things animation related. This is a hybrid role utilizing your skills as a traditional animator while actively working with multiple animation companies assisting them in general animation, facial and body cleanup, baking out animations and converting them over to new rigs.

The ideal candidate has experience and knowledge required to create quality animation for games, and has worked in an animation centric role on past professional projects. In this role you’ll be a key point of contact working with external animation companies, helping them to get their work added into the game engine, resolving technical issues, improving existing pipelines and communicating feedback from the Animation Director and Animation Leads back to the external teams. When things are going smoothly with external efforts and as time permits, you’ll be supporting the internal animation team by taking on your own animation tasks to help contribute to the game.

Responsibilities

• Regularly represent the studio in external animation related communication and discussion by mentoring and giving feedback to an external group of animators.
• Create documentation for outsourcing animation pipeline guidelines, tutorials, examples, delivery expectations and assist in the integration of assets from external companies.
• Oversee and be a filter for quality control for all incoming animation related deliveries of content. Provide feedback for adjustments for clear mistakes before reviewing with the Animation Director and Animation Leads.
• Implement delivered content directly into the game.
• Collaborate with the Animation Director, Leads and broader team to reach high quality animation goals as needed.
• Partner with the production team to help track incoming assets and deliveries.
• Work with the external development group to maintain strong relationships with external animation companies and ensure their success in working with our team.
• May serve as an artistic resource for overall product or studio needs. This includes, but is not limited to conducting general research, developing cutting-edge techniques and testing new systems or tools, techniques, providing training, transmitting industry related information and conveying concerns.

Requirements

• Demonstrate strong character animation skills.
• One or more published titles that feature high quality animation.
• High level of expertise with Maya. Motion Builder experience is a plus.
• Good communication, organizational, time management and interpersonal skills.
• Works under minimal direction to develop solutions for existing development or pipeline problems.
• Interest in overcoming various challenges of working with multiple external animation groups.
• Understanding of the Motion Capture pipeline, including facial capture and retargeting.

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, legally protected physical or mental disability, covered veteran status, status in the U.S. uniformed services, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or membership in any other legally protected category. 

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond. 

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