Location: Berlin, GermanyContract type: On-Payroll, Full-time (40h/week), fixed-term contract (with a strong possibility of extension or conversion to permanent employment based on performance and project requirements)Expected Start Date: ASAPPlease note we cannot support relocation for this role.
The Animator/Rigger will bring the characters and environments of The Conformist to life, owning the full character animation pipeline from rigging to in-engine implementation. The role works closely with the 3D artists on character models and rig handoff, and with programmers on animation systems, and reports to the Lead Artist.
Essential qualifications
- Proven professional experience as an Animator, Rigger, or similar role in the games industry.
- Strong portfolio showing both character rigs and animation, ideally with semi-realistic characters.
- Strong eye for body language, timing, weight, and performance, especially in dialogue-driven scenes.
- Experience building character rigs for real-time projects, including clothing.
- Solid understanding of the full character pipeline: rigging, skinning, animation, retargeting, and engine implementation.
- Some experience animating non-character elements, such as props, vehicles, and doors.
- Professional experience implementing characters and animation in Unity.
- Proficiency with Blender.
- Strong ownership and follow-through; comfortable being the sole owner of a discipline and working proactively.
- Strong organizational skills and comfort working with documentation and task-tracking tools such as Miro, Notion, Codecks, or similar.
- Strong communication and documentation skills in cross-disciplinary teams, including giving and receiving feedback professionally.
Responsibilities
- Build body rigs for all player and NPC characters, including clothing.
- Create all character animation: dialogue gestures, idles, reactions, cutscenes, interactions, and ambient NPC and crowd behavior.
- Animate non-character elements in the scene, such as props, vehicles, and doors.
- Integrate characters and animations into Unity, including Animator controllers, state machines, blend trees, Timeline sequences, and optimization.
- Work closely with the 3D artists on character models and rig handoff, and with programmers on animation systems such as IK, look-at, and dialogue-driven animation.
- Establish and own the animation and rigging pipeline, including skeleton standards, naming conventions, folder structures, and export presets.
- Document processes, best practices, and workflow guidance for the wider team.
- Report to the Lead Artist, flag production risks early, and help plan scope and tasks.
Requirements
- At least one shipped game or comparable real-time interactive project.
- Real-time VFX experience in Unity (VFX Graph, Particle System, Shader Graph).
- 3D modeling skills.
- Scripting skills for rigging or pipeline tools.
- Experience with crowd or ambient NPC animations.
- Interest in narrative-driven RPGs and/or political games.
Benefits
- Health & Wellbeing: Free Urban Sports Club membership (Berlin employees).
- Transport: Fully covered Deutschland-Ticket (Berlin employees).
- Flexible Hours: Start your day between 8:00 and 10:00 CET, with core working hours from 10:00 to 15:00 CET.
- Hybrid Work: Work 3 days in the office and 2 days remotely (Berlin employees).
- Work from Abroad: Up to 10 remote working days per year outside Germany (employees).
- Team Events: Regular team events and access to the NLND community network.
- Feedback & Growth: Regular feedback and development sessions.
- Annual Bonus: Performance-based bonus.
- Vacation: 24 paid vacation days per year (full-time employees).
The expected annual gross salary range for this role is approximately 40.000 - 45.000 EUR, depending on experience and qualifications.
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