What Jobs are available for Lead Animator in the United Kingdom?

Our client, a dynamic force in the entertainment sector, is looking for an experienced Lead Animator to join their talented team in **Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK**. This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, blending the benefits of in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. As a Lead Animator, you will be instrumental in guiding a team of animators, ensuring the highest standards of quality and consistency across all animated assets for our ambitious projects. You will oversee the animation pipeline, provide artistic direction, and contribute hands-on to key animation sequences. This position requires a deep understanding of character performance, movement, and storytelling through animation, coupled with strong leadership skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor a team of animators, providing clear direction and feedback.
• Oversee the animation process from blocking to final polish, ensuring adherence to project style and quality.
• Collaborate with directors, art leads, and other department heads to define animation quality and execution.
• Develop and implement animation pipelines and workflows.
• Create high-quality character and environmental animations for key sequences.
• Review animation work from the team, providing constructive criticism and technical guidance.
• Solve complex animation challenges and drive innovative solutions.
• Contribute to character rigging and technical setup as needed.
• Maintain communication between the animation team and other departments, ensuring smooth project progression.
• Stay current with industry trends, tools, and techniques in animation and visual effects.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional animation experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership or lead role.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional character animation skills and a proven ability to direct others.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Solid understanding of animation principles, anatomy, cinematography, and storytelling.
• Experience with motion capture cleanup and integration is a plus.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working within a hybrid or remote team structure.
• A degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field is preferred.

The successful candidate will contribute significantly to the artistic vision of our projects while enjoying a flexible hybrid working arrangement. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in **Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK**, and beyond.

Our client, a renowned creative studio, is seeking a talented and experienced Lead Animator (3D) to join their globally distributed team. This is a fully remote, contract position, offering the unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge projects from the comfort of your home studio, anywhere within the UK. You will be responsible for leading the animation team, overseeing the creation of high-quality 3D character and environmental animations, and ensuring artistic vision and technical execution align perfectly. The ideal candidate will have a strong portfolio showcasing exceptional animation skills, a deep understanding of animation principles, and proven experience in leading and mentoring animators. You will be instrumental in driving the animation pipeline, maintaining quality standards, and collaborating effectively with directors and other creative leads.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor a team of 3D animators, providing artistic direction and technical guidance.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality character and environmental animations that meet project requirements and artistic vision.
• Develop and implement animation pipelines and workflows, ensuring efficiency and consistency.
• Collaborate closely with directors, art leads, and technical directors to define animation style and execution.
• Review and provide constructive feedback on animation assets to ensure quality and adherence to standards.
• Problem-solve complex animation challenges and develop innovative solutions.
• Ensure animation is delivered on time and within budget, managing team resources effectively.
• Contribute to the rigging and technical setup for animation where required.
• Maintain consistent quality and style across all animated sequences.
• Stay current with industry trends, tools, and techniques in 3D animation.
• Participate in dailies and review sessions, offering insightful feedback.
• Contribute to the overall creative direction and storytelling of projects.

Qualifications:

• Significant professional experience as a 3D Animator, with a substantial portion in a lead or senior role.
• A strong, compelling demo reel showcasing exceptional character animation, performance, and technical skill.
• Expertise in industry-standard 3D animation software (e.g., Maya, Blender, 3ds Max).
• Deep understanding of animation principles, timing, weight, and performance.
• Proven experience in leading and managing creative teams.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and feedback skills.
• Ability to problem-solve technical and artistic challenges effectively.
• Experience with motion capture data cleanup and integration is a plus.
• Familiarity with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) is an advantage.
• Self-motivated, organized, and able to work effectively in a remote, collaborative environment.
• Strong understanding of storytelling and visual narrative.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative leader to shape the look and feel of impactful projects within a supportive and innovative remote studio environment.

Our client, a dynamic and innovative studio based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK , is seeking a highly experienced and creative Senior Lead Animator to join their award-winning team. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the visual storytelling and character performances within our cutting-edge projects. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of delivering high-quality animation across various media, including games, film, or television. You will be responsible for guiding and mentoring a team of animators, ensuring artistic consistency, and maintaining the highest standards of animation quality.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a team of animators, providing clear direction, feedback, and technical support.
• Oversee the animation pipeline, from pre-visualization to final output, ensuring efficiency and quality.
• Collaborate closely with directors, art leads, and other department heads to achieve the creative vision.
• Develop and refine animation styles and techniques to enhance character performance and storytelling.
• Create benchmark animations for key sequences and complex character performances.
• Conduct animation reviews and provide constructive criticism to team members.
• Ensure all animations meet the technical and artistic requirements of the project.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest animation technologies, tools, and industry trends.
• Contribute to the development of new animation methodologies and pipelines.
• Manage project timelines and resource allocation for the animation department.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional animation experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership or senior role.
• Strong portfolio showcasing exceptional animation skills, character acting, and visual storytelling.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.
• Experience with motion capture cleanup and retargeting is a plus.
• Excellent understanding of animation principles, anatomy, and cinematography.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire a team.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate creative ideas effectively.
• Experience with game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) is desirable.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
• A passion for animation and a keen eye for detail.

This hybrid role offers a unique chance to contribute to groundbreaking projects while enjoying the flexibility of a blended work environment. You will be an integral part of a supportive and creative community in the vibrant city of Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK .

Our client, an award-winning independent game development studio located in the vibrant city of Liverpool, Merseyside, UK , is expanding its talented team and seeking a highly skilled and imaginative Remote Lead Animator (3D) to bring characters and creatures to life. This position is fully remote, allowing you to contribute your creative genius from anywhere in the world. You will be responsible for overseeing the animation pipeline, mentoring a team of animators, and delivering high-quality, performance-driven animations for our upcoming projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and inspire a team of 3D animators, providing clear direction, feedback, and technical guidance throughout the animation process.
• Develop and maintain animation quality standards, ensuring consistency and excellence across all characters and assets.
• Create benchmark animations for key characters and complex sequences, setting the bar for the team.
• Collaborate closely with the game design, art, and engineering teams to integrate animations seamlessly into the game engine.
• Define and refine the animation pipeline, tools, and workflows to optimize efficiency and quality.
• Troubleshoot animation-related issues and provide solutions to ensure smooth gameplay.
• Conduct regular animation reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members.
• Stay at the forefront of animation techniques, technologies, and industry trends.
• Contribute to character rigging and technical animation tasks as needed.
• Ensure animations effectively convey emotion, personality, and narrative intent.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in 3D character animation, with at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory role.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional 3D character animation for games or film, demonstrating a deep understanding of weight, timing, and appeal.
• Expert proficiency in industry-standard animation software (e.g., Maya, Blender, 3ds Max) and game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Solid understanding of character rigging, skinning, and deformation principles.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and motivate an animation team.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and meet deadlines in a remote environment.
• Strong artistic eye and a passion for storytelling through animation.
• Experience with motion capture cleanup and implementation is a plus.
• A degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

This is a unique opportunity to join a creative and collaborative studio, shape the visual identity of our games, and enjoy the full benefits of a remote work arrangement.

Our client is looking for a talented and visionary Lead Animator to join their dynamic, fully remote game development studio. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the visual storytelling and character performance of our upcoming titles. You will lead a team of animators, define the animation style and pipeline, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, impactful animations that bring our game worlds to life. As the Lead Animator, you will collaborate closely with art directors, game designers, and engineers to achieve the creative vision.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of animators, providing clear direction, feedback, and fostering a collaborative environment.
• Define and maintain the animation style guide and pipeline for projects, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Create high-quality character and environment animations, including keyframed animation, motion capture cleanup, and procedural animation techniques.
• Collaborate with the art and design teams to define animation requirements and ensure they align with gameplay mechanics and narrative.
• Implement and refine animation systems within the game engine (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Oversee the motion capture process, from planning and shooting to editing and integration.
• Establish and enforce animation best practices and technical standards.
• Review animation assets from the team, providing constructive feedback and ensuring they meet project goals.
• Troubleshoot animation-related issues and develop solutions.
• Stay current with industry trends, tools, and techniques in game animation and provide innovative ideas.
• Contribute to the overall creative direction and vision of the game's visual presentation.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Senior or Lead Animator in the video game industry, with shipped titles under your belt.
• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional animation skills, character performance, and visual storytelling.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, Blender).
• Experience with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, including animation systems and implementation.
• Solid understanding of animation principles, rigging, skinning, and PBR workflows.
• Experience leading and managing animation teams.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to provide clear and constructive feedback.
• Experience with motion capture workflows is highly desirable.
• This is a fully remote position, so candidates must be self-motivated, highly organized, and possess excellent communication skills for remote collaboration. Our client is based near Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK , but this role is open to talent across the UK.

Our client, a multi-award-winning animation studio renowned for its visually stunning and emotionally resonant work, is seeking an exceptional Senior Lead Animator to join their talented team. This fully remote position offers the chance to contribute to high-profile projects from anywhere. You will be responsible for leading a team of animators, guiding them through the entire animation pipeline, from initial blocking to final polish. The ideal candidate will possess a strong portfolio showcasing advanced skills in 3D character animation, with a keen eye for performance, timing, weight, and emotion. You will be expected to set the animation quality bar for projects, ensuring consistency and adherence to the director's vision. Key responsibilities include providing clear and constructive feedback to the animation team, troubleshooting animation challenges, and collaborating closely with rigging, art, and technical directors to achieve outstanding results. A deep understanding of character performance, acting principles, and storytelling through movement is essential. Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or equivalent is required. Experience with motion capture cleanup and integrating animation with game engines or rendering pipelines is a plus. We are looking for an inspiring leader with excellent communication and mentoring skills, capable of fostering a collaborative and creative team environment. This role demands a passion for animation, a dedication to quality, and the ability to push creative boundaries. You will play a pivotal role in bringing compelling characters to life, ensuring every performance is memorable and impactful. This is a fantastic opportunity for a seasoned animator to take on a leadership role within a highly respected studio, working on exciting projects remotely.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor a team of 3D character animators.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of character animation across projects.
• Provide clear and constructive feedback to the animation team.
• Collaborate with Directors, Art Directors, and Technical Directors to achieve artistic goals.
• Animate complex character performances, focusing on acting, timing, and weight.
• Troubleshoot and resolve animation-related technical issues.
• Develop and refine animation workflows and best practices.
• Ensure animation meets the highest standards of quality and storytelling.
• Contribute to the creative development of characters and their performances.
• Maintain strong communication and collaboration within the team and across departments.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Senior Animator or Lead Animator in the games or film industry.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional 3D character animation skills and acting ability.
• Proficiency in Maya, Blender, or similar 3D animation software.
• Deep understanding of animation principles, including timing, spacing, weight, and appeal.
• Experience leading and mentoring animation teams.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote team environment.
• Passion for storytelling and character performance.

Our client, a renowned animation studio dedicated to producing captivating animated features, is searching for a talented and inspiring Lead Animator to join their creative hub in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK . This role offers an exciting chance to guide and mentor a team of animators, contributing your artistic vision and technical expertise to the creation of visually stunning characters and sequences for a major upcoming project. The ideal candidate will possess a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional animation skills, a deep understanding of animation principles, and proven leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and inspire a team of animators, providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and technical guidance throughout the animation pipeline.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of animation for assigned characters and sequences, ensuring they meet the project's artistic and narrative goals.
• Collaborate closely with directors, art directors, and supervisors to interpret the creative vision and translate it into compelling animation.
• Set animation benchmarks and establish best practices for character performance, timing, and storytelling.
• Analyse storyboards and animatics, identifying animation challenges and developing creative solutions.
• Review and approve animation shots, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and polish.
• Troubleshoot technical issues and provide solutions to the animation team.
• Mentor and train junior animators, fostering their professional development and artistic growth.
• Maintain effective communication within the animation team and with other departments.
• Contribute to the overall artistic direction and success of the animated feature film.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in animation, with at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory role on animated feature films or high-end episodic content.
• Exceptional portfolio showcasing a strong understanding of animation principles (e.g., timing, spacing, weight, appeal) and advanced character animation skills.
• Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Maya, Blender, or similar.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and manage an animation team effectively.
• Strong understanding of storytelling, performance, and visual grammar in animation.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced production environment.
• A keen eye for detail and a passion for creating memorable characters and performances.
• Experience with performance capture animation is a plus.
• A degree in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field is preferred.

This hybrid role is based in our client's vibrant studio located in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK , offering a collaborative on-site experience with flexibility for remote work.

Our client, an award-winning independent game studio known for its innovative and immersive experiences, is seeking a talented and experienced Remote Lead Animator to spearhead their animation team. This fully remote position offers the chance to work on exciting, next-generation gaming projects from the convenience of your own home. You will be responsible for defining and driving the animation style and quality across multiple titles, ensuring a cohesive and captivating player experience. Your duties will include creating high-quality character animations, environment animations, and visual effects, as well as overseeing the work of other animators. You will lead by example, demonstrating expertise in character rigging, keyframe animation, motion capture cleanup, and pipeline development. This role demands exceptional artistic vision, strong leadership capabilities, and excellent communication skills to effectively guide and mentor a remote animation team. You will collaborate closely with game designers, art directors, and programmers to bring game worlds and characters to life. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of animation principles, anatomy, and cinematic storytelling within a game development context. Proficiency in industry-standard software such as Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, and animation middleware (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) is essential. A strong portfolio showcasing outstanding animation work in games is a must. A minimum of 6 years of professional animation experience in the game industry, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior role, is required. Experience with character performance animation and the ability to adapt to different artistic styles are highly valued. This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a leadership role in a passionate and creative studio, contributing to games that captivate audiences worldwide.

**_Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery. the stuff dreams are made of._**
**Who We Are.**
When we say, "the stuff dreams are made of," we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the _storytellers_ bringing our characters to life, the _creators_ bringing them to your living rooms and the _dreamers_ creating what's next.
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
Rocksteady Studios is an award-winning, critically acclaimed video game developer. Founded in 2004, we are home to the widely celebrated Batman: Arkham series of games. Our philosophy for game development is all about treating people well to create quality entertainment that stands the test of time. We're a one-project studio that built our success by combining genre-defining gameplay and character-driven cinematic narrative with AAA production values. Born in the heart of London, our multicultural team takes inspiration from the culture and history of our home in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
Rocksteady Studios is a member of the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
family, and the developer of the award-winning Batman: Arkham series of
games. Our philosophy for game development is all about treating people well to create quality entertainment that stands the test of time.
We're a studio that built our success by combining genre-defining gameplay and
character-driven cinematic narrative with AAA production values.
Born in the heart of London, our multicultural team takes inspiration from the
culture and history of our home in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
**Your New Role.**
Rocksteady is looking for a Lead Technical Animator to join our dedicated and
collaborative team working on AAA titles.
The role involves leading, supporting and developing our team of friendly and
passionate technical animators. You'll also be applying your technical expertise
directly by creating rigs, developing pipelines and collaborating with art and
animation teams to solve all kinds of problems.
Working closely with a plethora of leads and directors - you'll be developing
outstanding art assets with brilliant deformation alongside making easy to use
tools for gaining efficiency and quality.
**Your Role Accountabilities.**
+ Supervise/create high quality character, body and facial rigs.
+ Collaborate with the art and animation teams to assist on technical
challenges and improve pipelines and processes.
+ Integrate, research and develop new technologies and tools to advance quality, efficiency and adaptability of animation, rigging and art pipelines.
+ Create schedules/roadmaps alongside the production team.
+ Leading and supporting the technical animation team through hiring, mentoring and running 121s/appraisals.
+ Create and manage documentation for tools and processes within animation and asset processes in the studio.
**Qualifications & Experience.**
+ Applicable understanding of anatomy and body mechanics.
+ Relevant rigging/technical animation experience.
+ Strong working knowledge of Python in Maya and coding standards and practices.
+ Engine animation experience (Unity/Unreal).
**Bonus Points:**
+ Experience with gameplay technical animation - such as state machines, cloth, physics and ragdoll setups - particularly in Unreal.
+ Experience with Jira and/or Shotgrid.
+ Experience with Motionbuilder, motionbuilder API and mocap processes.
+ Experience with facial rigging.
+ Programming knowledge such as C++/Maya API & Plugin Writing.
+ Interest and experience with machine learning.
+ Knowledge of vector maths, linear algebra and matrices.
Hybrid Working - This role is advertised as a Hybrid work model, that combines remote and in-office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your Line Manager. Subject to any applicable laws, WBD / your Line Manager reserves the right to change this working agreement where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.
**How We Get Things Done.**
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
**Championing Inclusion at WBD**
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.
If you're a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page ( for instructions to submit your request.