Principal 2D Animator

RubyPlay is a place where passion meets competence. Since 2017, we've created 250+ innovative games and built 100+ strong partnerships worldwide.

Proud to be:

• The Winner at BFTH Arena Awards - Best Online Casino Game
• Shortlisted for SBC Awards 2024 - Casino/Slots Developer of the Year
• A strong player across 10+ global markets
• A trusted workplace for hundreds of specialists from 34 countries

As RubyPlay's slot portfolio keeps growing across multiple studios, animation plays an increasingly central role in how our games come to life. We're investing in scaling animation quality and speed alongside the rest of our production pipeline, and building a new kind of role to help lead that effort.

We're now looking for a Principal 2D Animator - a highly autonomous, senior specialist who'll work directly with art directors across different studios and projects, take full ownership of animation delivery from start to finish, and help shape how animation is done across all of RubyPlay.

Here’s How You’ll Make an Impact:

• Act as a high-level bridge between Art and Tech, resolving cross-team dependencies and bottlenecks to keep animation implementation seamless
• Mentor and coach other animators, raising the team's overall skill level and fostering continuous technical and artistic growth
• Set the studio-wide benchmark for animation quality, driving long-term animation strategy and pipeline efficiency
• Study competitors' feel and timing to raise our own bar and push the industry forward
• Bring experience with VFX for mobile devices - creating effects and working with particle systems
• Deliver top-tier, complex animations - symbols, backgrounds, characters, UI elements, pop-up banners - quickly and to a high standard
• Work across and establish best practices for a wide range of animation styles, from cartoon to realistic to stylised

What Makes You A Strong Candidate:

• Spine is our primary animation tool, and we're looking for expert-level proficiency in it - strong command of other animation/VFX tools is a plus, so tell us what else you bring to the table
• Strong professional English
• 6+ years in the games industry (gambling or non-gambling) with a proven track record of high-level individual contribution
• Proactive and resourceful - able to analyze workflows, spot risks, and independently drive improvements that speed up animation without sacrificing quality
• Strong cross-department collaboration skills - able to communicate complex animation concepts to developers and artists and land on efficient technical solutions together
• An outstanding portfolio showcasing exceptional game animations, technical rigs, and complex problem-solving
• Mastery of animation principles and advanced mobile optimisation techniques
• Outstanding teamwork, communication, and self-development skills

Nice to have

• The ability to draw
• Gaming background as a user and a deep passion for making and playing video games
• Previous experience in a lead or senior-level position - tell us what being a lead means to you

Why You’ll Love It Here:

• Remote-first, work from anywhere with a setup built for focus and work-life balance
• Learning & development budgets, plus dedicated days to upskill
• Medical coverage and a well-being budget
• Yearly bonus tied to company and individual impact
• Vertical and horizontal career growth opportunities
• A talented, diverse global team

If you want a role with real cross-studio impact and the autonomy to shape how animation gets done - hit us with your CV and Portfolio and let's make it happen!