Rebellion Jobs – Junior 3D Animator

Rebellion, one of Europe’s largest and most successful independent game developers, is officially inviting talented artists to #JOINTHEREBELLION. For over 30 years, Rebellion has maintained its status as a creative powerhouse, founded by Jason and Chris Kingsley. Our influence extends far beyond gaming; we operate our own film studios, publish award-winning board games and books, and are the proud custodians of 2000 AD, the home of iconic characters like Judge Dredd.

We are currently seeking a passionate Animator to join our world-class team. This is a pivotal role working on an exciting, yet-to-be-revealed 3rd person tactical shooter. This project represents the next chapter in Rebellion’s legacy of tactical excellence, and we need an animator who can breathe life into characters and creatures alike within our custom-built engine environment.

Executive Summary & Role Metrics: Animator

About Rebellion: A Unique Independent Giant

What makes Rebellion truly unique is our complete creative freedom. As a “Big Indie” developer, we own our IPs and our technology. This independence allows us to foster a culture where innovation isn’t just encouraged—it’s required. Our studios in Oxford and Warwick are hubs of collaboration, where the only limit is your imagination.

We are a stable, people-focused company that recognizes the importance of a healthy work-life balance. We manage our projects sensibly to ensure our teams are supported physically and mentally, avoiding the “crunch” culture prevalent in many other AAA environments.

Detailed Job Description: The Mission

As an Animator, you will be responsible for crafting captivating gameplay animations that serve as the heartbeat of our new tactical shooter. Your work must be technically sound, artistically inspired, and perfectly aligned with the project’s overarching vision.

1. High-Fidelity Character & Creature Animation

The core of this role involves the creation of consistent, high-quality 3D animations. You will apply the fundamental principles of animation to every frame:

• Mechanics: Mastering timing, weighting/scale, ease-in/out, and arcs.

• Flair: Incorporating exaggeration, overlapping actions, anticipation, and secondary motion to add personality and “feel” to the gameplay.

• Perspective: Utilizing framing and squash/stretch to ensure animations read perfectly from a 3rd person camera perspective.

2. Technical Integration & Engine Mastery

Rebellion operates on a custom proprietary engine. While you likely have experience in Unreal or Unity, you will be expected to:

• Adaptability: Develop a deep understanding of our bespoke tools and pipelines.

• Collaboration: Work closely with Technical Animators to ensure rigs and skinning support the intended range of motion.

• Optimization: Ensure all work adheres to technical specifications for memory and performance without sacrificing visual quality.

3. Motion Capture (Mocap) Pipeline

In a realistic tactical shooter, mocap is a vital foundation. You will:

• Cleanup & Polish: Take raw motion capture data and fix, blend, and polish it to a high standard.

• Stylization: Augment mocap data with hand-keyed details to ensure characters feel responsive and heroic.

4. Mentorship & Professionalism

As a member of a growing team, you will:

• Task Management: Use JIRA to track progress and update the production team on your daily tasks.

• Leadership: Show a willingness to provide constructive feedback and mentorship to junior animators, helping to cultivate the next generation of Rebellion talent.

Candidate Requirements: What You’ll Bring

We are looking for a game development enthusiast who lives and breathes animation. The ideal candidate blends technical skill with a deep understanding of performance.

• Software Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of Maya and MotionBuilder (or equivalent 3D animation suites).

• Cinematic Understanding: A strong grasp of acting techniques, cinematography, and visual storytelling. You should know how a camera move can enhance a character’s performance.

• Realistic Motion: The ability to animate realistic human and creature movement, focusing on anatomy and physics.

• Pipeline Knowledge: A solid understanding of modern game production pipelines and how animation interacts with design and code.

• Mocap Experience: Proven experience in capturing and processing motion capture data.

• Right to Work: You must have the permanent right to work in the UK. Rebellion is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this specific role.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Rebellion

At Rebellion, we are actively recruiting for a diverse team. We believe that a representative team makes better products and more immersive worlds. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our workforce demographics and studio culture.

Industry Context & Statistics: The UK games industry is evolving, and Rebellion is proud to be at the forefront of this change.

• Gender Representation: While the industry average for women in games is approximately 30%, Rebellion actively strives for parity through inclusive hiring practices and enhanced family leave policies.

• Neurodiversity: We recognize that many of the best creative minds are neurodivergent. We provide a relaxed, supportive environment that accommodates different ways of thinking and working.

• Ethnicity & Culture: Our Oxford and Warwick studios host a global crew. We encourage applications from all ethnic backgrounds, as diverse perspectives directly lead to more innovative gameplay mechanics.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

We offer one of the most competitive benefits packages in the UK games industry:

• Generous Leave: 22 days holiday + Christmas closure + Bank Holidays. This increases with service up to 31 days.

• Health & Wellbeing: Private Medical Insurance, dental, and vision plans. We also provide a healthcare cash plan and 24/7 Mental Health support via our EAP.

• Security: Life Assurance, Income Protection, and Critical Illness Cover.

• Family Support: Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption leave packages.

• Financial Perks: Enhanced Pension Scheme and interest-free, tax-free loans for travel or equipment.

• Social: Regular social events, free hot drinks, an onsite tuck shop, and local discounts.

Life at the Oxford HQ

Our riverside headquarters in Oxford offers a unique work environment. Just a short walk from the historic city center, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful architecture and green spaces.

• Commute: The studio is near the train station with direct links to London, Birmingham, and Manchester. We also offer free onsite parking.

• Environment: Our open-plan office is designed to promote teamwork and transparency. You’ll have regular interaction with senior management and a seat at the table for creative discussions.

How to Apply

If you are ready to lend your talents to a tactical shooter that will define the next generation of Rebellion games, please submit your application through our careers portal.

Required Materials:

1. Updated CV: Detailing your experience with 3D animation and mocap pipelines.

2. Showreel: A link to your latest work. We specifically want to see high-quality gameplay character animation and realistic motion.

3. Cover Letter: Tell us about your favorite tactical shooter and why you want to work on Rebellion’s proprietary technology.