2D Spine Animator

Job Description

The Spine Animator / 2D Animator is responsible for creating high-quality 2D character, asset, and gameplay animations, with Spine as the primary animation tool . The role also supports other 2D animation, creative production, asset preparation, and related production requirements based on project needs. The position requires both creative and technical animation skills, attention to detail, adaptability, and the ability to work across different production workflows and tools. The Spine Animator / 2D Animator works closely with Game Designers, Developers, Artists, QA, and Project Leads to deliver visually engaging, technically correct, and game-ready assets. Key Responsibilities 1. Spine Rigging & Setup Create and maintain 2D character and asset rigs using Spine. Set up bones, slots, skins, meshes, weights, and constraints. Build clean and efficient bone hierarchies. Apply IK and other Spine constraints appropriately. Troubleshoot and correct deformation, weighting, and rigging issues. Maintain organized and reusable rigs where applicable. 2. 2D Character & Asset Animation Create character and asset animations using Spine and other appropriate animation tools. Animate actions such as idle, walk, run, jump, attack, hit, death, and other gameplay actions. Apply fundamental animation principles including timing, spacing, anticipation, squash and stretch, follow-through, arcs, and easing. Create smooth animation loops and transitions. Produce expressive and visually engaging character movement. Animate props, environmental elements, UI elements, and other 2D assets when required. 3. Other 2D Animation & Creative Production Support animation and creative production requirements beyond Spine when assigned. Perform 2D motion, asset animation, cleanup, and modification using other appropriate tools or workflows. Assist with the preparation and optimization of 2D game assets. Support the creation, modification, resizing, cleanup, and technical preparation of visual assets. Assist Game Artists and Designers with production tasks related to characters, props, UI, effects, and other visual assets. Adapt existing assets or animations to meet project-specific requirements. Learn and use new animation, creative, and AI-assisted tools as required by project needs. 4. Animation Cleanup & Quality Review and refine animations to ensure smooth movement and consistent visual quality. Identify and correct jitter, unwanted deformation, excessive keyframes, and other animation issues. Ensure characters maintain proper proportions and visual consistency throughout animations. Polish animations based on internal and client feedback. Optimize animations and assets for game implementation and performance. 5. Game-Ready Asset Preparation Prepare and export Spine and other animation assets according to project and technical specifications. Maintain proper naming conventions, file organization, skins, animation structures, and texture atlases. Ensure exported assets are ready for integration into the applicable game engine or production pipeline. Coordinate with developers when technical issues arise during implementation. Perform basic troubleshooting of animation-related implementation issues. 6. Collaboration & Production Support Work closely with Game Designers, Developers, Artists, QA, and Project Leads. Understand animation and asset requirements based on gameplay specifications, references, and project briefs. Incorporate feedback efficiently and make necessary revisions. Communicate technical limitations, production risks, or animation-related issues promptly. Provide support to other production teams when animation or related creative expertise is required. 7. Production Standards & Delivery Deliver assigned work within agreed timelines and production requirements. Follow established production workflows, technical standards, and file-management practices. Maintain consistency across characters, assets, and animation sets. Ensure submitted work meets quality standards before final submission. Manage multiple assignments based on project priorities. Maintain productivity and quality while adapting to changing project requirements. 8. Other Related Assignments Perform other reasonable creative, animation, asset-production, and related responsibilities as assigned by the immediate supervisor. Support different projects, teams, or production requirements when business needs require. Take on new responsibilities and workflows that are reasonably related to the employee's skills and the company's game development and creative production requirements. Minimum Qualifications Experience using Spine 2D for character or asset animation. Understanding of fundamental 2D animation principles. Basic knowledge of character rigging and skeletal animation. Ability to work with bones, slots, skins, meshes, weights, and constraints. Ability to create basic character animation cycles and gameplay animations. Understanding of animation loops and transitions. Basic understanding of game-ready asset preparation and export. Ability to work with other 2D animation or creative production tools as required. Strong attention to detail and visual quality. Ability to receive and apply creative and technical feedback. Ability to meet production deadlines and adapt to changing priorities. Preferred Qualifications Experience working on mobile games, casual games, playable ads, or other interactive content. Experience integrating Spine assets into Unity, Phaser, or other game engines . Experience with other 2D animation or motion design tools. Knowledge of advanced Spine constraints and deformation techniques. Experience with facial animation and secondary motion. Basic understanding of game animation states and implementation. Experience working with texture atlases and animation optimization. Familiarity with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, or comparable creative tools. Familiarity with AI-assisted creative and animation tools. Core CompetenciesTechnical Spine 2D Character Rigging Skeletal Animation Mesh & Weighting IK & Constraints 2D Animation Animation Export Game-Ready Asset Preparation Asset Optimization Creative Timing & Spacing Movement & Weight Character Acting Visual Consistency Animation Polish Visual Problem Solving Professional Adaptability Attention to Detail Quality Orientation Time Management Collaboration Receptiveness to Feedback Problem Solving Willingness to Learn Performance Expectations The Spine Animator / 2D Animator is expected to: Produce clean, smooth, visually appealing, and technically correct animations. Deliver assigned work within agreed turnaround times. Minimize avoidable revisions and technical errors. Follow established Spine, animation, and production standards. Properly prepare assets for game implementation. Respond effectively to feedback and required revisions. Maintain consistent quality across assigned projects. Successfully perform both Spine-specific and other related animation/creative production tasks when required. Adapt to new tools, workflows, projects, and production requirements. Support overall team productivity rather than being limited exclusively to Spine-related assignments. Success in the Role Success is measured by the employee's ability to consistently deliver high-quality, technically correct, game-ready animation and creative assets on time , while demonstrating the flexibility to support other related production requirements. The role is not limited exclusively to Spine animation. Spine is the primary specialization, while the employee is expected to contribute to other reasonable 2D animation, creative, asset-production, and related production activities based on project and business requirements. Work Location: Remote