Senior Gameplay Animator at Velan Studios

About Velan Studios

Velan Studios is a creative force in the gaming industry, known for titles like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit and Knockout City. We foster a culture of curiosity, diversity, and an adventurous spirit, dedicated to pioneering groundbreaking gaming experiences and reimagining play. Our mission is to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, revolutionizing the industry one game at a time.

About the Role

We are looking for a Senior Gameplay Animator with the experience and passion to elevate our gameplay mechanics. You will be pivotal in defining character movement, response, and feel, crafting animation that is both expressive and tightly integrated with gameplay. This role requires comfort in both fast-paced prototyping and polished production animation. You will collaborate closely with artists, engineers, and designers to achieve exceptional gameplay feel, bringing characters to life through engine integration.

Senior Gameplay Animator Responsibilities

• 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, focusing on clarity, responsiveness, and bringing characters to life.
• Project Lead role based on project*

What is expected of an Art Lead at Velan Studios?

• Project-specific Lead roles focus on championing best practices within their expertise and representing them in interdisciplinary discussions.
• May involve hiring and mentoring additional artists as projects mature.
• Assessing performance and aiding in career development of team members.

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional experience animating for games, with a focus on gameplay.
• A standout demo reel showcasing clear body mechanics, timing, and personality.
• Expertise in Maya or equivalent 3D animation software.
• Hands-on experience working in-engine, with a focus on general state machine structures.
• Proactive and self-directed, with strong time management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical needs and issues to Engineering, Tech Art, and Design teams.
• Deep curiosity and passion for creating responsive, character-forward animation that enhances gameplay feel.

Big Pluses

• Experience leading small animation teams or driving animation direction.
• Demo reel including game or engine captures of 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).

Work Environment & Compensation

• Location: Hybrid or Onsite position. Hybrid requires 3 days a week in studio.
• Studio Locations: Troy, NY and Toronto, ON.
• Salary Range (CAD):
• Senior: $85,000 - $120,000 per year
• Specialist: $110,000 - $150,000 per year
• Compensation Package: Includes potential annual bonuses (not guaranteed), health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays, and flexible time-off benefits.

Velan Studios is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We encourage candidates whose experience doesn't perfectly align but are excited about the role to apply. We are an equal opportunity employer.