Lead Animator II

Summary

Join Axon's VR team and help create engaging and effective training simulations using cutting-edge technology. As a Lead Animator, you will lead the animation team, create realistic character animations, direct motion capture shoots, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and contribute to the development of animation pipelines. You will also work with subject matter experts to ensure the training accurately reflects real-world scenarios. The role involves using virtual reality (VR) to enhance officers' empathy, coping, and de-escalation skills. The position offers the flexibility to work from home and collaborate in person at various US R&D hubs. Axon fosters a welcoming team culture with daily check-ins, open meetings, and a weekly VR Happy Hour.

Requirements

• Experience with leading teams of animators and artists
• Keen eye for motion and AAA bar for animation quality
• Storytelling skills with experience developing engaging characters and narratives that support believable, immersive interactions
• Proficient in industry-standard game engines, including Unity and Unreal Engine
• Ability to communicate ideas quickly through storyboard, sketches and rapid prototypes
• Strong foundation in character design and a deep understanding of human anatomy
• Technical expertise in building and optimizing real-time, dynamic animation pipelines in production environments
• Experience designing and integrating AI-driven systems to enhance gameplay and character behavior
• 8+ years of experience as an Animator, Bachelor's degree in Art, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Proven leadership skills, including experience mentoring junior artists, presenting to stakeholders, and leading cross-functional projects
• Proven experience animating for highly engaging VR, games, and or interactive training simulators
• Technical expertise in implementing animations into game engines for validation and review
• Proficiency in using game development tools and software such as Unity or Unreal Engine
• Ability to animate and build prototypes in 3D and VR to test out ideas and concepts with the team
• Deep knowledge of animation technologies, including hardware and AI software solutions
• Great problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically and creatively
• Solid communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work with and across multi-discipline team environments
• Passion for creating impactful and compelling training experiences in VR

Responsibilities

• Cross-functional leader, leading the development of Animation for Axon VR simulator
• Lead our Animation Team to build natural, believable character animation
• Work with Tech Artists and Tech Animators to define and advance the Animation Pipeline
• Create 2D storyboards and pre-visualizations of scenarios to support preproduction development
• Direct motion capture shoots at motion capture stages and at home
• Collaborate with multiple disciplines across the VR Team (Art, Design, Content, Product, Engineering)
• Work with the Art Director to elevate the overall quality and believability of our characters
• Create realistic-natural character animations in Maya / MotionBuilder and ensure proper tech integration into Unity
• Lead the Animation team and help drive the roadmap for improving our animations and animation systems
• Direct and act in project motion capture shoots (in studio on-set and at home)
• Work with Game Designers and Developers
• Help grow the animation discipline and educate the VR team on the complexities of delivering high quality animation for real time
• Work with our subject matter experts to identify new animations that need to be created and added to our library
• Conduct user research, play-tests, and gather feedback to iterate and improve training simulations
• Create detailed documents of our real-time animation workflow, for junior artists and vendors to reference
• Stay up-to-date with the latest VR technologies, trends, and best practices to continuously enhance the quality and efficiency of our training solutions

Benefits

• Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
• Discretionary paid time off
• Paid parental leave for all
• Medical, Dental, Vision plans
• Fitness Programs
• Emotional & Mental Wellness support
• Learning & Development programs