About the role
Location & Logistics
- Type: Full-Time Contractor
- Work Model: UK Remote or West Midlands-based
- Visa Sponsorship: Not available
Role Overview
This is a hands-on hybrid role for a highly experienced Gameplay Animator/Combat Designer to own the creation, implementation, and feel of character combat. The candidate will take combat mechanics from concept to final playable feel, managing the intersection of animation, design, and technical implementation.
Responsibilities
- Work alongside the Lead Gameplay Designer to realize project gameplay feel through animation and implementation.
- Design, prototype, and iterate player and enemy combat mechanics.
- Create and manipulate high-quality combat animation in Maya and fully implement it in Unreal Engine.
- Own combat feel: responsiveness, weight, impact, timing, anticipation, recovery, readability, and player control.
- Build and modify Animation Blueprints, Montages, state logic, blends, notifies, root motion, and Motion Warping.
- Tune gameplay values including attack timings, movement, rotation, recovery, interrupts, hit reactions, and combo behavior.
- Rapidly playtest and iterate across animation, Blueprint, and gameplay parameters.
- Assist with gameplay cameras for regular combat and special in-game moments such as executions.
- Diagnose and solve animation and gameplay implementation problems independently, collaborating with engineers for deep code changes.
Essential Qualifications
- Significant professional experience in gameplay animation and combat design on PC or console titles.
- Expert, technical hands-on Unreal Engine (5.6/5.8) implementation experience.
- Strong Maya character animation skills.
- Proven ability to take animation from Maya through to fully playable implementation.
- Deep understanding of action/melee combat: attacks, combos, hit reactions, dodges, blocks, parries, targeting, and enemy interactions.
- Strong subjective judgment regarding combat feel rather than just animation quality.
- Technically confident with UE5+ Animation Blueprints, Montages, Blueprints, root motion, Motion Warping, IK, and related animation systems.
- Comfortable changing both animation and gameplay values to achieve desired results.
- Highly self-sufficient, iterative, and able to identify/solve technical problems across disciplinary boundaries.
Company Culture & Environment
- Based near Birmingham.
- Team consists of welcoming, passionate, and active gamers.
- Provides a friendly, nurturing work environment.
- Opportunities to build games as part of an ambitious studio.
- Work on market-leading AAA titles and IP with globally reputable studio and publisher partners.
- Focus on sustainable growth and learning across a wide range of projects.
- Equal opportunities employer committed to inclusion and diversity.
Application Instructions
- Submit a portfolio and cover letter.
- Online portfolio links are preferred; showreels accepted via Dropbox or secure sharing platforms.
- If samples are from previous studio work, ensure they are cleared for release by copyright owners.
- Contact Email: info@flixinteractive.com
- Recruitment Phone: 01527 958 177
Compliance
- GDPR: Application information is stored on a private cloud-based system and distributed to senior team members for eligibility review.
- Applications are used for recruitment purposes only.
- Applicants may request updates, deletion, or refinement of stored data via email; requests are processed within 30 days.