Lead Creature Animator

Guerrilla Games • Amsterdam, NY

129d

About The Position

Guerrilla is looking for a Lead Creature Animator who is passionate about bringing machines to life through expressive, high-quality keyframe animation. In this role, you will lead a team responsible for crafting the iconic movement and combat behaviors of the mechanical creatures that inhabit our world. From agile scout-class machines to massive combat units, your work will be at the heart of our gameplay experience-delivering responsive, believable, and memorable performances that players interact with directly. If you thrive on challenge, love leading teams, and are obsessed with mechanical motion, this role is for you.

Requirements

• Has proven experience in game development as an Animator and Lead (5+ Animation and 2+ as Lead), with a strong focus on gameplay animation for non-humanoid entities
• Has a deep understanding of animation principles, particularly as applied to mechanical characters, quadrupeds, and complex, multi-limbed designs
• Possesses strong keyframe animation skills and a portfolio that demonstrates high-quality machine or creature movement
• Is confident leading teams and providing constructive feedback to other animators
• Is experienced with game engines and runtime animation systems, including blend trees, state machines, and behavior integration
• Thrives in a multidisciplinary environment and communicates effectively with design, engineering, and tech animation
• Is proactive, detail-oriented, and passionate about machine movement and animation-driven gameplay

Nice To Haves

• Experience animating mechanical creatures or robots in a combat-driven game
• Knowledge of AI behavior systems and how animation integrates with them
• Familiarity with Maya and in-engine animation tools such as Unreal's Blueprints, state machine systems, or similar proprietary game engine technologies
• Experience working on multi-player games, open-world or action-adventure games

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of animators focused on machine animation
• Define the animation style and motion language, together with the Animation Director for a variety of machine types, ensuring consistent quality and visual identity across the game
• Create high-quality keyframe animations for gameplay, with a strong emphasis on weight, timing, physicality, and responsiveness
• Collaborate closely with Game Design, AI, and Tech Animation teams to integrate machine animations into behavior trees, animation systems, and gameplay loops
• Drive prototyping and iteration of new machine behaviors, combat patterns, and traversal mechanics
• Ensure animations are not only visually compelling but also clearly communicate gameplay intent and feedback to the player
• Participate in animation planning and reviews, helping the team stay on track and meet production goals
• Contribute to the development and improvement of animation tools and workflows within the engine

Benefits

• Relocation and immigration support for the right candidate

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees