Animator/Rigger

Location: Berlin, Germany
Contract 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: ASAP
Please 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.

Salary

Minimum: 40000
Maximum: 45000
Currency: EUR
Pay period: Annual