Animator – Central Art

About Snail Games USA
Snail Games strives to create the new high bar for gameplay experience in online gaming. We have been a global developer and publisher of digital entertainment since 2009 and are committed to pushing the boundaries of the industry.

About the Role
We are seeking a talented and ambitious Animator to join our Central Art team in Bellevue, WA. This role focuses on creating expressive, high-quality character and creature animations for both fantasy and science-fiction projects. You’ll work directly with our Senior Technical Animator to establish and uphold animation standards across multiple teams, produce freehand animations in Unreal Engine 5 and Blender, and review work submitted by overseas partners through written and video feedback. The ideal candidate combines artistic instinct with technical fluency and has the range to animate both grounded, humanoid performances and imaginative alien creatures.

Job Type: Full-Time
Location: Hybrid – Bellevue, WA (on-site as needed for collaboration or mocap reference; typically 1–2 days/month)

Responsibilities

• Create polished gameplay and cinematic animations for human, creature, and alien characters in UE5 and Blender.

• Help define and document animation standards, style guides, and best practices under the direction of the Senior Technical Animator.

• Review partner-submitted animations asynchronously and provide clear, constructive written or visual feedback.

• Maintain stylistic consistency across fantasy and sci-fi projects, ensuring believable motion and expression.

• Collaborate with art and design teams to ensure animations integrate cleanly into gameplay systems.

• Track and manage assigned tasks in Jira, maintaining organized notes and references.

Minimum Requirements

• Strong portfolio demonstrating mastery of animation fundamentals (weight, timing, expression, appeal).

• Proficiency in Blender and Unreal Engine 5 for keyframe animation and polish.

• Ability to convey personality and motion in both realistic and stylized characters.

• Excellent written communication skills for giving feedback to remote teams.

• Organized and proactive, able to manage multiple projects and maintain quality standards.

Nice to Have

• Understanding of mocap workflows and cleanup.

• Mandarin language ability or prior collaboration experience with Chinese-speaking teams.

• Familiarity with Chinese cultural or cultivation themes.

• Experience establishing animation style guides or documentation.

• Knowledge of Control Rig or retargeting in UE5.

Salary Range: $68,000 – $88,000 Annually

Why Join the Snail Games USA Team?

• True focus on work/life balance

• Paid company holidays, vacation, and separate sick leave

• Medical, dental, vision, and Life/LTD

• 401k with company match