Senior Animator (Unreal Engine)

At Gardens Interactive, we aim to connect the world through the universal power of play. We’re seeking a talented Senior Animator to join our vibrant and collaborative team, helping us bring our characters and worlds to life with unforgettable animations. If you're passionate about crafting beautiful, high-quality animations and thrive in a fast-paced, inclusive environment, we’d love to hear from you!

What You’ll Do:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Tech Art, Design, and Production to create animations that elevate gameplay and ensure peak performance in the game engine.

• Set and maintain high standards for animation quality by partnering with craft experts and key stakeholders, pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity.

• Create keyframed animations using industry-leading tools, from ambient creatures to complex bosses and heroes, ensuring they contribute meaningfully to the overall player experience.

• Mentor and inspire your fellow animators, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and shared learning.

• Engage in review and feedback sessions, offering constructive insights and contributing to continuous improvement across the team.

What You’ll Bring:

• Proven experience as a Senior or Principal Animator on a launched AAA title.

• 10+ years of experience in animation with a demonstrated ability to bring complex characters and worlds to life.

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with a collaborative mindset.

• Excellent time management and organizational abilities to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Problem-solving skills, with the ability to articulate and demonstrate solutions across interdisciplinary teams.

• Experience with feedback processes and tools, contributing positively to the team’s growth and development.

Bonus Points:

• Extensive experience in character creation and design within game development.

• Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine 5.

• A passion for gaming and animation, along with a drive to push the boundaries of what’s possible in interactive entertainment.

Who We Are

We're a forward-thinking, distributed game studio founded by the creators behind titles like Journey, What Remains of Edith Finch, Blaseball, Dustforce, Ashen, Guild Wars 2, Firewatch, and more! Our name reflects our mission: to cultivate rich, immersive worlds that foster meaningful connections and lasting friendships. We believe in creating lush, living environments where players can engage in surprising multiplayer experiences and grow together with the support of their communities.

Our commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and transparency drives us to create a work environment where every voice is heard and valued. As a fully-distributed studio, we support our team in living and working from wherever they choose, offering competitive pay, stock options, flexible non-accrual paid time off, 35-hour work weeks, and comprehensive benefits, including full medical, vision, dental, and 401k contributions.

We're excited to be developing our flagship project — a shared 3D fantasy adventure inspired by our favorite online gaming memories. This is the world we’re passionate about building and the world we want to experience every day.

Gardens Offers:

• Competitive Salaries and Pay Transparency

• Stock Options

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage (100% for Individuals and 90% for Dependents)

• Life Insurance, Short Term & Long Term Disability, and other numerous benefits

• 401k contributions (USA) / RRSP plan + DPSP contributions (Canada)

• Paid Parental Leave

• Biannual Company Retreats

• Continued Education Allowance

• A fully-distributed studio. We aspire to support employees living and working where they want.

Benefits and perks listed may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Gardens and the country in which you work.

Encouragement:

We believe that diverse perspectives make our team stronger and our games better. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. Studies show that marginalized groups, especially those of women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every criterion. At Gardens Interactive, we value potential, passion, and a willingness to grow. We hope you will join us in shaping the future of gaming.

Note:

Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that people have been contacted by scammers impersonating Gardens Interactive. Said individuals are offering opportunities with the intent of stealing financial information. Please be advised that our team's correspondence regarding positions (including tests, offers, and interviews) is associated with a gardens.dev email. Don't hesitate to reach out via direct message on LinkedIn or careers@gardens.dev . We will never ask you for your financial information.

Compensation Range: $145K - $178K