Senior Animator - Shape the Movement and Feel of RuneScape: Dragonwilds

Location: Cambridge, UK – with remote options available within the UK and occasional onsite team days (approx. 4 times per year)

Join our team of talented artists and designers as a Senior Animator on RuneScape: Dragonwilds, our new open-world survival crafting game built in Unreal Engine 5. As a key player in our animation team, you will bring characters and creatures to life, delivering high-quality animations that enhance gameplay and narrative storytelling.

In this hands-on, creative role, you will work on a broad range of creature and humanoid animations, leveraging both hand-keyed and motion capture workflows. Your expertise will help define the benchmark for in-game animation quality, and you will play a crucial part in refining animation systems, pipelines, and cross-discipline collaboration.

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced games animator who is passionate about solving complex animation challenges, mentoring others, and delivering impactful performances that elevate the player experience. If you're ready to shape the movement and feel of an ambitious new title within a beloved IP universe, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and implement benchmark-quality in-game animations using both motion data and hand-key techniques
• Collaborate with the Lead Animator to uphold and review quality standards, providing mentorship and feedback to junior team members
• Work with Tech Art and Engineering to maintain efficient animation pipelines and tools
• Independently prototype, iterate, and R&D animation features that support gameplay and narrative moments
• Contribute to motion capture planning and session execution
• Communicate with other departments to ensure animations meet technical and design requirements
• Develop reusable and shared animation systems where appropriate for efficiency
• Support external partners or freelancers with feedback and guidance
• Contribute to recruitment and team development alongside the Lead Animator
• Promote a positive and open creative culture within the team and studio

Requirements

• A strong portfolio showcasing both professional and personal animation work, including realistic and stylised examples
• Advanced understanding of animation principles and pipelines, with clear examples of timing, weight, posing, and motion
• Experience animating a wide variety of characters and creatures in both stylised and realistic styles
• Proven ability to create animations that enhance gameplay while aligning with design and technical constraints
• Experience working with game engines (e.g. Unreal Engine) and implementing and fine-tuning in-game animation assets
• Strong storytelling sensibilities and a talent for visual communication (diagrams, motion studies, etc.)
• At least one shipped title in a senior or above animation role

What We Offer

When you join Jagex, you can look forward to a generous Perks & Benefits package, including:

• Private Healthcare, including Dental Plan
• Minimum 6% Pension contributions
• Employee Assistance Programme & onsite Counselling
• Life Insurance
• Discretionary annual performance bonus
• Enhanced family leave policies from day 1
• Flexible working hours
• 25 days annual leave + Bank holidays & the option to buy/sell holidays + so much more!

About Jagex

Jagex is a leader in developing and publishing deep, engaging online games that connect millions of players worldwide. We strive to foster an inclusive workplace built on trust, autonomy, and a shared passion for creating forever games. Our values guide everything we do: We Embrace Fellowship, We Hone our Craft, We Honour our Vows, We are our Customers’ Heroes, and We Seize The Day.

With over two decades of experience and a diverse team of over 400 people, we continue to innovate in live game development, leveraging data-driven insights and a commitment to player-first game design. As part of Jagex, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a globally successful franchise, contribute to exciting new projects, and be part of a company that hugely values both our employees and our players.

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