Lead 3D Animator; Remote

Lead 3D Animator (Characters & Props for Games)

A5 Labs

Location: Remote / Hybrid / On-site (Osaka, Japan – optional relocation)
Team: Art & Design — 3D Animation
Reports To: Art Director

Position Summary

A5 Labs is looking for an experienced Lead 3D Animator to drive the creation of stylized character and prop animations for real-time games in the iGaming space. This role focuses on high-quality keyframe animation, technical integration, and leading the 3D animation team. All animation work is done in industry-standard DCC tools (Maya or Blender), with export and integration into Unity.

• Lead and mentor the 3D animation team, providing clear artistic and technical feedback.
• Define quality standards, style guidelines, and animation benchmarks.
• Review and approve character and prop animations for timing, weight, clarity, and expression.

• Create high-quality keyframe animations for humanoids, creatures, props, gameplay actions, and short narrative moments.
• Ensure animations support gameplay readability and align with the project’s stylized look.

• Build functional control rigs in the chosen DCC (Maya or Blender) for characters and props.
• Ensure rigs provide clean deformation, intuitive controls, and meet gameplay/production needs.

• Export and integrate animations into Unity.
• Work with Animator Controller, blend trees, Timeline, animation events, and runtime adjustments.
• Collaborate with tech artists and engineers to ensure correct implementation in the engine.

• Maintain and optimize the animation workflow (blocking → polish → export → integration).
• Define naming conventions, asset structure, and documentation.
• Identify and introduce tools or scripts that improve productivity and consistency.

• 5+ years of experience in 3D animation for games or real-time applications, including 2+ years in a senior or lead role.
• Strong mastery of keyframe animation: posing, timing, arcs, weight, and performance.
• Proficiency in Maya or Blender, including the ability to create your own rigs for animation purposes.
• Solid understanding of Unity’s animation systems and integration workflows.
• Experience working in collaborative, cross-disciplinary production environments.

• Experience with motion capture cleanup.
• Familiarity with Unity’s Animation Rigging package (IK, constraints).
• Understanding of gameplay logic, camera behavior, or simple cinematic techniques.
• Background in stylized, mobile, or casual game animation.

• Creative influence over the 3D animation vision and direction.
• Opportunity to shape and evolve the animation pipeline.
• Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team building stylized real-time experiences.
• Hardware allowance: $2,000 upfront + $1,000 annually.
• Unlimited PTO (typically 22–30 days per year).
• $2,000/year learning & development support.
• Flexible hours and remote work options.
• Optional relocation to Japan; business travel may be required.