Velan Studios, Inc.

Senior Gameplay Animator

Velan Studios, Inc.

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: TorontoCanada

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Salary

💰 CA$85,000 - CA$120,000 per year

Job Level

Tech Stack

About the role

  • Help define and drive the game’s animation style with expressive, solid body mechanics that makes gameplay feel amazing.
  • Take ownership of the full gameplay animation process, from rough prototypes to polished game performances.
  • Drive in-engine development with excellent engine competency, including animation systems, state machines and other procedural animation techniques.
  • Collaborate with designers and engineers to explore new ideas, solve tricky gameplay challenges, and push what’s possible through animation.
  • Document tools and workflows.
  • Mentor other animators, offering feedback, guidance, and support.
  • Champion animation across the studio — always pushing for clarity, responsiveness, and that breath of life within every press of a button.

Requirements

  • 7+ years of professional experience animating for games, with a focus on gameplay.
  • A standout demo reel that shows clear body mechanics, timing, and personality.
  • Expert in Maya or equivalent 3D animation software.
  • Hands-on experience working in-engine, with focus on general state machine structures.
  • Proactive and self-directed, with a good sense of when to explore and when to get things done.
  • Able to effectively communicate technical needs and issues to Engineering/Tech Art/Design.
  • Above all, deeply curious and passionate about creating responsive, character forward animation that makes gameplay feel amazing.
  • Experience leading small animation teams or driving animation direction
  • Reel should include game or engine captures of your animations in gameplay context.
  • Familiarity with motion matching, procedural animation, or other modern runtime techniques.
  • Generalist skills in modeling, rigging, or related areas.
  • A passion for game design and how animation supports player feedback, pacing, and readability
  • Experience with motion capture.
  • Basic scripting or tool-building experience (Python, MEL, or similar) to streamline workflows or prototype ideas.

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard skills
3D animationgameplay animationbody mechanicsstate machinesmotion matchingprocedural animationmodelingriggingscriptingtool-building
Soft skills
proactiveself-directedeffective communicationmentoringcollaborationcuriositypassion for game designleadershipproblem-solvingfeedback