Job Summary:
We are looking for a skilled Lead Spine2D Animator to create high-quality 2.5D animations & VFX for slot/casino games, while also leading and guiding the animation team. This role focuses on bringing static game art to life using Spine2D through smooth, polished, and performance-optimized animations that enhance gameplay experience.
In addition to hands-on animation, the Lead Animator will be responsible for mentoring and guiding the team, reviewing work, and planning and managing the animation pipeline to ensure timely and high-quality deliveries. You will work closely with Concept Artists, Game Artists, and Developers to align animation & VFX execution with both creative vision and technical requirements.
Key Responsibilities:1. Concept Development & Final Animation Production
- Lead the creation of high-quality 2D and 2.5D animations using Spine2D for slot/casino games.
- Design and execute complex feature, win, transition, and loop animations.
- Animate slot-game assets including symbols, Wilds, Scatters, reels, UI elements, and special features.
- Create parallax-style 2.5D motion using layered artwork.
- Work with layered PSD files prepared for Spine workflows.
- Ensure animations align with gameplay feel, UX timing, and visual consistency.
2. Leadership & Mentorship
- Lead, mentor, and guide Senior Animator and Junior Animators.
- Provide constructive feedback and hands-on support to improve animation quality.
- Foster a collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.
- Support skill development and best-practice adoption within the team.
3. Cross-Department Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with Art Directors, Concept Artists, Game Artists, VFX Artists, and Developers.
- Ensure animations meet both creative vision and technical requirements.
- Work with development teams to ensure smooth engine integration.
4. Review & Quality Control
- Review, refine, and approve animation assets before final delivery.
- Maintain high visual and technical quality standards across all animations.
- Ensure consistency in animation style, execution, and polish.
- Identify and resolve quality issues proactively.
5. Production Management & Delivery
- Define and manage animation pipelines, workflows, and best practices.
- Plan and organize animation tasks to meet project timelines and milestones.
- Optimize animations for performance, memory usage, and runtime efficiency.
- Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of animation assets.
6. Communication
- Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of animation assets.
- Act as the primary point of contact for animation-related discussions.
- Provide regular updates on animation progress, risks, and dependencies.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in Animation, Fine Arts, Game Design, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
- 10+ years of professional experience in 2D / 2.5D game animation & VFX, with a strong focus on Spine2D.
- Expert-level proficiency in Spine2D, including rigging, skinning, bones, meshes, constraints, and animation states.
- Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, easing, secondary motion, and visual polish.
- Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring, and guiding animation teams.
- Hands-on experience collaborating with Art and Development teams.
- Solid understanding of game pipelines, engine integration (Unity or similar), and performance optimization.
- Ability to plan and manage animation workflows to meet production timelines and quality standards.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear direction and constructive feedback.
Required Skills & Experience:Animation & Technical Skills
- 10+ years of industry experience in game animation, VFX, or real-time interactive entertainment.
- Expert-level proficiency in Spine2D for 2D and 2.5D animation, including rigging, skinning, bones, meshes, and constraints.
- Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, easing, secondary motion, and visual polish.
- Hands-on experience creating high-quality animations and VFX for slot/casino games or similar real-time game environments.
- Ability to create and integrate parallax-based 2.5D motion using layered artwork.
- Experience optimizing animations and VFX for performance, memory usage, and runtime efficiency.
- Familiarity with game engines (PIXIJS, HTML5, Unity or similar) and asset integration workflows.
- Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Spine2D, After Effects, Photoshop, and related animation/VFX software.
Leadership & Communication
- Proven experience leading, mentoring, and guiding animation and/or VFX teams.
- Ability to provide clear, structured, and actionable feedback to improve quality and consistency.
- Experience defining animation/VFX pipelines, standards, and best practices.
- Strong communication skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.
- Ability to work closely with Art Direction, Game Design, Development, and Technical teams to align creative vision with technical constraints.
Soft Skills
- Strong ownership mindset
- Attention to detail
- Ability to meet deadlines and adapt to shifting priorities
- Team-first mentality and creative problem solving
Bonus Skills (Good to Have)
- Experience in slot game animation or casual/mobile game animation.
- Knowledge of PIXIJS/HTML5 animation integration pipelines.
- Understanding of motion graphics for popups and win animations.
- Experience leading small teams or specialized pods.
- Experience leading small teams or specialized pods.
Success Metrics (First 12 Months)
- Delivery of consistent, high-quality animation & VFX across all assigned projects, validated by client satisfaction and internal reviews.
- Clear improvements in animation & VFX workflow efficiency and quality assurance processes.
- Positive team engagement scores, reflecting improved clarity, feedback, and motivation.
- Delivered high-quality pitch and animation decks that strengthened client engagement and contributed to new project opportunities.
- Establishment of PIXIJS/HTML5-driven prototyping workflows and animation enhancements to improve visual fidelity.
