Lightfox Games is seeking a talented, technically savvy Senior 3D Animator to join our tight-knit development team. In this role, you will take complete ownership of the 3D animation pipeline—from initial blocking through final polish—crafting high-quality asset packages for iconic characters, creative creatures, and dynamic combat interactions.
The ideal candidate (Senior 3D Animator) is a blend of an elite visual storyteller and a collaborative pipeline engineer. You must possess a comprehensive command over character timing, physical weight, and stylistic appeal, balanced with hands-on technical proficiency inside the Unity engine. Working hand-in-hand with design and engineering, you will ensure our combat, locomotion, and cinematic sequences feel incredibly responsive and operate flawlessly within mobile performance parameters.Overview
Job Overview : Senior 3D Animator
| Job Details | Specification |
| Job Title | Senior 3D Animator |
| Studio / Employer | Lightfox Games |
| Location | Seattle, WA (Pioneer Square Hub) |
| Working Pattern | Hybrid (Approx. 50% Onsite / 50% Remote) |
| Core Software Stack | Maya, Unity (State Machines, Blend Trees) |
| Target Platforms | Mobile (Unannounced Global IP & Publisher) |
| Target Range | $120,000 – $145,000 Base + Equity + 401(k) Match |
Company Overview: High Ownership, Elite Teams
At Lightfox Games, we believe in building an organization of elite, passionate industry veterans who thrive in small, highly autonomous teams with a deep sense of project ownership. We are currently scaling up to develop an ambitious, unannounced mobile game tied to a world-class, globally recognized IP and tier-one publisher.
Operating from our studio in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square, Lightfox Games embrace a hybrid work model (roughly 50% in-person, 50% remote). When working remotely, we cultivate a highly collaborative, “quick-to-videocall, video-on” environment to keep communication seamless, ideas flowing rapidly, and studio bonds tight. If you excel in a fast-paced, high-impact environment where your creative voice directly shapes the final product, Lightfox is your next home.
Key Responsibilities as Senior 3D Animator
As a Senior 3D Animator, your day-to-day operations will bridge creative keyframe artistry with technical engine integration and cross-discipline collaboration:
1. High-Fidelity Animation Production & Pipelines
- Dynamic Asset Creation: Design and animate high-fidelity 3D assets for a diverse cast of characters and creatures, spanning fluid locomotion, snappy combat sequences, spectacular special abilities, and cinematic vignettes.
- End-to-End Pipeline Ownership: Oversee the full lifecycle of animation development from initial conceptual blocking to final aesthetic polish, delivering clean, game-ready assets straight into the engine.
- Technical Integration: Drive hands-on implementation within Unity, leveraging a deep understanding of animation state machines, complex blend trees, and structural runtime integration.
2. Standard Setting & Cross-Discipline Collaboration
- Establishing Visual Quality: Architect and uphold premium animation style guides, workflow standards, and pipeline best practices to elevate the visual benchmark of the entire studio.
- Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner closely with game designers, software engineers, and technical artists to verify that all animations integrate seamlessly into underlying gameplay systems and feel tactically responsive to player input.
- Rapid Iteration: Process constructive feedback from internal playtests and stakeholder reviews, pivoting quickly to optimize animations for feel, readability, and engagement.
Requirements & Qualifications
Lightfox Games is looking for a seasoned games animator with strong mechanical foundations and real-time engine experience:
Core Technical Profile
- Industry Tenure: 5+ years of professional 3D game animation experience.
- Shipped Titles: A minimum of 1 successfully shipped game title under your belt.
- Software Mastery: Expert-level proficiency utilizing Autodesk Maya for high-end keyframe animation.
- Engine Expertise: Direct, hands-on production experience animating for real-time game engines, with a strong preference for Unity.
- Mobile & Tech Literacy: A solid foundational understanding of technical mobile game constraints, including memory budgets, performance limits, rendering overhead, and skeletal optimization.
Design & Team Competencies
- Elite Demo Reel: A strong portfolio or demo reel demonstrating an exceptional command over comedic/dramatic timing, physical weight distribution, silhouette, and character appeal across gameplay and cinematic loops.
- Cross-Discipline Communication: Proven experience collaborating intimately within cross-disciplinary teams, possessing the ability to translate design requirements into visual systems.
- Technical Animation Foundations: Hands-on experience or a strong understanding of 3D rigging mechanics and technical character setups.
Highly Desirable Assets (Nice to Have)
- Direct studio experience shipping titles on mobile platforms with tight performance budgets.
- Familiarity handling, editing, and cleaning up optical motion capture data.
- A portfolio highlighting combat-heavy or ability-driven gameplay interactions.
- Experience exploring or utilizing emerging AI tools to accelerate creative prototyping and enhance standard workflows.
- A high comfort level working within smaller, agile team environments where roles overlap and broad ownership is encouraged.
Compensation, Benefits & Perks
Lightfox Games offers a highly competitive total rewards package designed to support your health, financial future, and lifestyle balance:
- Competitive Base Salary: $120,000 – $145,000 per annum (commensurate with portfolio depth and industry experience).
- Financial & Ownership: Lucrative company equity opportunities alongside a structured 401(k) retirement plan featuring an employer match.
- Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage options for you and your family.
- Commuter Subsidies: Robust commuter benefits to streamline your travel to and from our Pioneer Square studio space.
- Collaborative Culture: A supportive, low-ego studio environment centered around small, high-impact teams with massive autonomy.
