Animation Director [March of Giants]

Job Description

As an Animation Director at Ubisoft Montreal, you will define how characters, environments, and objects move and interact within a cohesive and believable world. The Animation Director plays a key role in shaping the player experience by supporting gameplay, storytelling, and emotional impact through movement. You will set the overall animation vision for the game and bring the animation team together around that vision, providing clear direction while encouraging experimentation and iteration.

What you’ll do:

• Define and champion the overall animation vision in partnership with the leadership team.
• Research, explore, and propose animation styles that support the game’s universe and goals.
• Align the animation team with the animation vision through clear references, guidance, and mentorship.
• Partner with Technical Directors to establish workflows, production processes, and appropriate tools.
• Play the game frequently to assess responsiveness , flow, and the overall feel of animations from a player perspective.
• Collaborate closely with Game Design , Art, and Narrative teams to ensure cross-discipline cohesion.
• Review and validate integrated animation work, providing constructive feedback and mentorship.
• Support team growth , professional development, and recruitment initiatives.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in game animation , character movement, and performance.
• Strong understanding of keyframe animation principles, Unreal Engine , production pipelines and technical constraints;
• Proficiency with animation software such as Maya , 3ds Max , and MotionBuilder .
• Awareness of cross-discipline dependencies and the impact of animation decisions.
• A player-focused mindset with sensitivity to gameplay , storytelling, and immersion.
• The ability to communicate a clear vision and make it accessible to diverse teams.
• Collaborative leadership skills with strengths in mentoring and communication.
• A creative, adaptable, and solution-oriented approach to production challenges.