Technical Animator ; Retro Studios

Overview

THIS IS AN ONSITE CONTRACT POSITION - Austin, TX

Position includes:

• Paid weekly
• Health care benefits available
• Paid time-off provided
• Paid holidays observed
• Access to Nintendo discounts

Founded in 1998, Retro Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd., and a powerhouse in game development. Working hand-in-hand with Nintendo, we craft award-winning titles for the company’s cutting-edge platforms, blending innovation, artistry, and gameplay excellence.

Our home base is Austin, Texas, a vibrant city known for its creative energy, live music, stunning natural scenery, and forward-thinking culture. With year-round sunshine and endless options for outdoor adventures, Austin offers the perfect backdrop for world-class developers to stay inspired, balanced, and at the top of their game.

• Develop rigging solutions that support achieving the visual targets for character, props, and creature performances
• Deliver high quality asset deformation that supports a wide range of motion across a variety of characters
• Collaborate with Animators, Engineers, and Designers to ensure exported assets work as expected at runtime
• Develop workflow tools to help automate repetitive tasks and expand the functionality of our code base
• Debug code and troubleshoot a wide range of technical challenges across the animation pipeline
• Proactively identify and eliminate pipeline inefficiencies to increase productivity of the team
• Educate the team on proper naming conventions and adherence to directory structures

This job description outlines primary duties and requirements and is not intended to identify all tasks that may be performed; individuals occupying the position may be required to perform other duties. The company may modify job duties from time to time, either in practice or in writing.

• Proven technical skills in character rigging for 3D production
• Proficient in Python
• Employs Object Oriented programming techniques
• Ability to solve complex technical problems predictability and reliably
• Adheres to coding standards and writes easy to understand, well commented code
• Demonstrates experience developing animation tools
• Experience with Maya, Motion Builder, and other relevant packages
• Strong understanding and adherence to production process and methodology
• Ability to find creative solutions to strict hardware limitations
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• High comfort level using Confluence, Jira, and Flow
• Friendly demeanor and respect for colleagues and leadership
• Team player that works well in a collaborative environment

Retro Studios is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our products, the diverse consumers we represent, and the communities we call home. We do all of this with kindness, empathy, and respect for each other.