Animation Director
About the job
Summary
- Proven leadership in managing animation teams
- Expert knowledge of gameplay animation principles
- Experience with responsive gameplay animation
- In-depth knowledge of animation pipelines and tools
- Excellent communication skills
- Passion for football
- Experience with modern game engines
- Occupational pension
- 30 days PTO
- Flexible work hours
- Stock options
We're making a football game
We are developing a fair game, that is a reflection of football, rather than the football industry. We are creating a game that’s fun right away, driven by gameplay, and where mastery will lead to the most competitive esports scene. We want our game to be accessible from anywhere, on any platform and to anyone, without having to invest a fortune.
We aim to create a global community of players, representative of the world, free of toxicity, and where playing football games is enjoyable and convivial again, whether it’s for fun or at a high competitive level. We want to inspire every kid that plays football or video games and help them feel like they can bring out the best in them, in a respectful and safe league.
GOALS is for everyone, like football can and should be. It’s for the casuals and the pros. For the players, the managers, and the fans. For the creators and the fashionistas - whether you’re into perfecting your team's look, showing off your own style, or just admiring the creativity around you. GOALS is football.
Welcome to the Animation team
We’re looking for an Animation Director to lead our animation team and elevate the experience for GOALS - our gameplay-focused, fast-paced, esports-ready football game. This role is perfect for someone with exceptional leadership skills and a deep understanding of gameplay animation who thrives in a collaborative environment.
A passionate, hands-on Animation Director who can lead by example, inspire their team, and collaborate to bring GOALS' animation to new heights. This is your chance to be a key part of shaping a game that combines ultra-responsive gameplay with groundbreaking animation quality.
At GOALS, you will...
- Lead and inspire: Inspire and manage the animation team, fostering an environment of collaboration, creativity, and growth.
- Define the vision: Establish and champion the animation vision that aligns with GOALS' gameplay-first philosophy.
- Studio leadership: Be an integral part of the studio leadership team, in collaboration with the other directors, help drive GOALS's culture, act as a role model and participate in shaping the overall vision and direction.
- Oversee excellence: Drive animation quality and ensure responsiveness while achieving the grounded, visually stunning look GOALS is striving for.
- Have hands-on participation in the development of the game and collaborate across disciplines: Work closely with gameplay, AI, and technical teams to integrate animations that enhance the player experience.
- Mentor and support: Provide guidance, feedback, and support to animators to help them reach their full potential.
Ideally you have...
- Proven leadership experience in managing animation teams in a game development environment.
- Expert-level knowledge of gameplay animation principles and practices, including both keyframed and motion-capture animation.
- A track record of contributing to responsive gameplay through animation on at least two shipped titles.
- In-depth knowledge of animation pipelines, workflows, and tools like Maya, MotionBuilder, and modern game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine).
- Passion for football and understanding of its gameplay, or a willingness to learn its fundamentals.
- A commitment to pushing boundaries and creating animations that are both fun and visually stunning.
About the Employment
The position is permanent and you can work from our Stockholm office, hybrid or fully remote from anywhere in Europe. It is important that you are able to communicate unhindered in verbal/written English.
For this position we do not offer relocation assistance.
In addition to opportunities for creative impact and professional growth, working at GOALS has many other benefits like occupational pension, 30 days PTO, flexible work hours, stock options and more. Learn more here.
Application
For this role we would like you to include:
- LinkedIn-profile, CV or any other document that showcase your experience
- A link to your portfolio
We strongly encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel that you tick all the boxes. You just might be exactly what we need, even if we haven’t understood it yet. GOALS is still a young company and we change quickly. But one thing that never changes is our conviction that we need a diverse studio environment, filled with different perspectives and skills.
About The Company
GOALS is our attempt to give football the game it deserves. A fair game, that is a reflection of football, rather than the football industry. We wanted to make a game that’s fun right away, without players having to invest a fortune. We are a remote first (within Europe) company with headquarters in Stockholm.
It’s a game about winning, but one where victory comes in more forms than simply winning matches. Focus on trick shots, design awesome t-shirts or create an arena that inspires greatness. No two players will be on the same journey.
GOALS is for everyone, like football can and should be. It’s for the casuals and the pros. For the players, the managers and the fans. It’s for the designers, the audience and the divas. For everyone who loves the game itself or anything surrounding it. GOALS is football.
We are humble in the way we work, always embracing that skilled and passionate people are the heart and core of our studio.
At GOALS we are all about encouraging creativity, curiosity, and innovation. We want a culture where you feel safe to be yourself and can voice your opinion.
We empower flexibility and believe in a balanced workplace. As an inclusive and international company, you decide where to work and when to do the job. We are a remote first (within Europe) company with headquarters in Stockholm.
