Lead Animator

Job description

WHAT YOU WILL BE WORKING ON Your main challenge Gameloft Barcelona is looking for a Lead Animator to lead the animation team working on a new action-based, multi-platform IP featuring world-famous characters from a major licensor. Your challenge will be to establish and maintain a high animation quality bar while leading and developing the team behind it. You will combine people leadership with strong animation expertise, working closely with Art, Game Design, Programming and external partners to ensure every animation supports the personality of our characters, gameplay readability and the overall player experience. What it means on a daily basis Lead and develop the animation team , providing regular feedback, mentoring and guidance while supporting the individual growth of animators across different seniority levels. Own the animation quality bar , ensuring character animation delivers the expected level of movement, weight, acting, storytelling and personality while remaining consistent with the project's artistic direction and licensor expectations. Plan and oversee animation production , managing priorities, workload and delivery while keeping stakeholders informed and stepping into hands-on animation work when the team needs additional support. Collaborate closely with Game Design, Programming, Art and Technical Animation to ensure animations work effectively within gameplay, including topics related to rigging, skinning and game-engine animation states. Coordinate animation work with external partners , providing clear briefs, reviews and actionable feedback to ensure outsourced animation integrates consistently with the work produced internally. What success will look like Within your first 3 months , you will have developed a strong understanding of the project's animation direction, characters, production pipeline and team, establishing effective ways of working with the animators and key partner disciplines. Within 6 months , you will be confidently leading animation production and team development, maintaining a consistent quality bar, identifying production or quality risks early and ensuring the team receives the direction and feedback needed to deliver. Within 9 months , you will be a key reference for animation across the project, helping the team operate with increasing autonomy while continuously raising animation quality and strengthening collaboration between Animation, Art, Design, Programming and external partners. Who you would be working with You will report to the Studio Art Development Director and lead a team of 3D Animators and Technical 3D Animators . You will work closely with the Studio Art Director, 3D Art Lead, Game Design, Programming and other production disciplines, while also collaborating with external animation partners and the project's licensor. Your recruitment journey Our recruitment process is designed to give you the opportunity to meet the people you would work with and explore both your animation expertise and leadership experience. Recruiter interview Hiring team interview Animation assessment/test, where applicable Final interview Where this role can take you This role gives you the opportunity to take ownership of animation at project level, developing both your craft and leadership expertise while contributing to a major multi-platform IP. You will have the opportunity to grow as an animation leader, influence animation standards and workflows, develop other artists and collaborate closely with senior creative and technical stakeholders across the project. WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED Strong expertise in 3D character animation for games , with the ability to create and evaluate both realistic and stylized/cartoon animation. Excellent understanding of movement, weight, acting, timing and storytelling , with the ability to preserve the identity and personality of a character through animation. Ability to establish, communicate and maintain animation quality standards , translating animation principles into clear visual, written and verbal feedback. Strong understanding of game animation production and real-time workflows , including effective collaboration with Technical Animators on rigging, skinning and game-engine animation states. Ability to plan and prioritize animation work, manage production constraints and communicate clearly with stakeholders regarding scope, quality and delivery. Professional experience with industry-standard 3D animation tools and workflows , particularly character animation pipelines such as Maya and/or 3ds Max. Fluent English and the ability to communicate effectively within an international and multidisciplinary development environment. A portfolio or showreel demonstrating strong character animation work and relevant game animation experience. WHO YOU ARE A supportive people leader who can mentor and develop animators across different levels of seniority. Comfortable giving clear, constructive and actionable feedback while maintaining a high creative quality bar. Collaborative and able to act as a central point of communication between Animation, Art, Game Design, Programming and external partners. Organized and able to manage changing priorities in a dynamic production environment. Hands-on when needed, with a lead-by-example approach and the ability to balance team leadership with direct creative contribution. Why Join the World of Gameloft? Because you want to be part of an exceptional experience within a company that is constantly growing! Because you want to work with talented people who are industry pioneers! Because you want to be part of an international environment with daily contact with other countries & cultures! Because you want to work in an inclusive equal opportunity workplace! Or, just because you’re looking for a great place to work! Benefits: Permanent contract and full-time position with excellent social benefits. 25 vacation days per year. Private medical health insurance. Flexible compensation with Ticket Restaurant Card. Flexible work-from-home hybrid model. Free language courses. Your birthday off! 1 month of remote work. Merit-based salary progression system and a competitive initial salary package. Career development opportunities. Excellent working conditions, with our office located in the centre of Barcelona. ...and Thursday after-work beers! We can’t wait to find our next great talent! Join our team, recently recognized in Forbes' top 100 companies to work for! We're gamers from all walks of life, united in creating a culture of inclusivity. Partnering with organizations like COGAM, we ensure a safe workplace for everyone, regardless of background or gaming preference. Whether you're a casual or hardcore gamer on any platform (we're cross-platform now!), we want you to feel like you belong. Be part of shaping the gaming industry with us! Please note that only selected candidates will be contacted and your CV will be saved in our files for a period of 6 months. Want to know more? Please visit our Website: If the offer interests you, Join the Game! About Gameloft Here at Gameloft, we create moments of happiness for our players all over the world through exciting gaming experiences. This is our mission, and it has been the same for over 25 years. We are the proud creators of Asphalt, Dungeon Hunter, Modern Combat, and over 200 other great games. There is a game for everyone, and we are now expanding to cross-platform games on PC and consoles, with titles such as Disney Speedstorm and Disney Dreamlight Valley, to provide our players with even more amazing adventures. With more than 3,000 passionate Gamelofters across the globe, we take great pride in our differences and draw on them to create games just as diverse as we are. If you’re looking for a new challenge and want to work with a bold and talented group of people, don’t hesitate to join the game!