Big Huge Games

Big Huge Games, developer of the award-winning real-time strategy games Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends, is expanding into a multi-team, multi-genre, next-gen company. We're looking for an experienced, exceptionally knowledgeable, talented, and motivated Technical Rigger/Animator to participate in the creation of our upcoming RPG.

We're looking for people interested in:

Developing cutting-edge new IP across multiple next-gen platforms and genres, which will include work on our unannounced console RPG title led by Ken Rolston, Lead Designer of Oblivion and Morrowind
Pushing the development of RTS games through our Rise of Nations® franchise and beyond
Continuing to develop downloadable games like our acclaimed version of Settlers of Catan for XBLA

Job Purpose and Responsibilities:

The Character Animator will work closely with the Art Director and Animation Lead from project inception to completion and will play a major role in establishing and maintaining the animation style. Major responsibilities include:

The Technical Rigger/Animator will work closely with animators, programmers, and other technical artists in order to solve advanced rigging problems and develop animator/game friendly rigs.
Work with programmers to implement new animation and rigging technologies into a cutting edge game engine.
Support for the development of facial animation techniques using the relevant software package
Participate in defining tools and art production pipeline.
Maintain awareness of latest animation technologies and tools.
Learn proprietary tools quickly and work within a complex asset development pipeline.

Qualifications:

Games industry experience rigging a broad range of creatures and characters in 3ds Max and/or Maya (We're open to hearing from a wide selection of candidates, from entry-level all the way up to a Senior industry veteran.)
In-depth knowledge of character kinematics, deformation, and dynamics
Strong leadership and interpersonal abilities
Actively accepts and provides direction, works well under deadline pressure
Knowledge of cutting-edge character pipeline and workflow techniques
Extensive experience in Max Script and/or MEL
Highly proficienct in technical problem solving
In-depth knowledge of Character Studio
Experience with Xbox 360, PS3, PC game development

Plusses:

Strong animation skills
Knowledge of setting up dynamics, clothes, fur, etc...
Has an enormous passion for games
Additional technical art experience (modeling, lighting, FX, etc...)
Knowledge of C/C++ or other programming languages
Leadership and management experience
Experience dealing with motion capture as part of the production pipeline

In addition to competitive salaries, Big Huge Games offers an extremely attractive benefits package, including:

401(k) plan
Paid vacation, sick leave, personal days and holidays
Comprehensive health insurance plan for you and your dependents
Employer funded life insurance and disability coverage

Contact Info:

Big Huge's preferred method of viewing your artwork and resume is by email submission of your portfolio website link to greatartjob@bighugegames.com. Links to professional blogs are also of interest. We encourage applicants to attach 3 samples of their strongest character work (small MPG, AVI, or WMV animation clips). Limit total of attachments to 3mb or less. Note in the subject line "Technical Rigger". Please do not send items via US Mail.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

About Big Huge Games:

We're a team of over 100 game developers - including a 28 person art department. Team skills are as important to us as technical skills and by sticking to this "core value," we've created a fun and energetic workplace with a passion for AAA game development. Some of our most successful games include Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends, of which the latter received Gamespy's 2006 Special Achievement in Art Direction Award and has been lauded by the press as "A playable piece of art..." (Game Revolution) and "...the best-looking RTS I've ever played" (PC Gamer). Another recent success has been the acquisition of Big Huge Games by the videogame publisher THQ in 2008 - a natural step in the evolution of the business, bringing in even more resources and allowing us to make even better (and better looking!) videogames. We're now hard at work on several new and as-yet-unannounced titles for the Xbox360, Playstation 3, Wii, and PC.

We're proud of our creative environment which includes fun office perks such as...

Pool table
Ping pong table
Full-size bar (modeled after a local Irish Pub)
Arcade machine (100's of classics installed)
Free drinks (sodas, tea, and freshly ground coffee via two fancy latte machines)
Biometric hand-scanner (Physical office keys? That's so twentieth century.)
Console gaming area (PS3, 360, and Wii)
Continuously updated Game Library stocked with 100's of titles available for borrow anytime
150 gallon saltwater aquarium