[PAID] [REMOTE] Technical Animator | R16 Interactive / Tale's Edge (Unreal Engine 5)
Studio: R16 Interactive
Project: Tale's Edge
Role: Technical Animator
Type: Contract (hourly or day rate) with opportunity for full-time if deemed a good fit for both sides
Location: Fully remote, global applicants accepted
Rate: Competitive based on experience, engine understanding and location. Please share your expectations when applying
OVERVIEW
I'm Rob Heller, founder of R16 Interactive. We're building Tale's Edge – an action-adventure game set in a dark, whimsical fairytale world made in UE5. You play as a 16-year-old Red Riding Hood navigating a dangerous and deeply atmospheric universe pulled from folklore, fables, and nursery rhymes.
We've been searching for a while for our animation partner and keep running into the same problem: most applicants are traditional animators who are great at their craft but don't have the engine-side and pipeline knowledge needed to build proper foundations. If you're the exception, please read on.
THE POSITION
We need someone who is intimately familiar with Unreal's core animation systems (ControlRig, Animation Blueprints, state machines, and blend logic) and can build and own our pipeline from DCC tools all the way into engine implementation. Someone who thinks about reusable systems and how to make things work smarter. You'd be working with a great team on humanoid characters with realistic movement, physics-driven secondary animation (cloth, hair, soft body dynamics), and helping us figure out the best way to streamline processes as we grow.
This is a small team so you won't be a cog executing someone else's pipeline – you'll be the person designing it. I'm a firm believer in trust culture, ownership and autonomy with competent professionals.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
- Real, hands-on Unreal Engine experience, specifically with ControlRig and Animation Blueprints. Not familiar with but having actually built things with them.
- A solid handle on skeletal animation, IK/FK, and procedural animation techniques.
- Experience with physics-based animation systems.
- The ability to communicate and collaborate well with both animators and programmers (we need a technical bridge between these worlds)
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT
- Experience with motion matching, motion warping, or contextual animation systems.
- Motion capture cleanup and retargeting workflows.
- Python or Blueprint scripting for pipeline tools.
- Background in realistic human animation (games or film, either works).
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
R16 is an indie studio with lofty but also grounded aspirations. You don't need AAA budgets anymore or massive teams to make great work anymore, but we do need to keep innovating. We've achieved a ton with a small team already (we're about 20-24 now), attributed to a clear creative vision in making a world worth investing in, and we are self-funded so we can get the resources needed when commitment is right.
The role is contract to start (hourly or day rate) with a genuine path to full-time if we work well together. We're looking for a partner with vision and skill to bring that vision to fruition.
HOW TO APPLY
Send me an email at team@r16.com with:
- Your portfolio or reel (links are fine)
- A note about your experience with Unreal's animation systems specifically – we don't need a full formal cover letter, but telling me what you've built and how is most useful
- Your availability and desired hourly or day rate
I review every submission personally. If there's a fit, you'll hear from me.
– Rob