UI Animator

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Animator

Company: Aristocrat Gaming

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Game Development / Art & Design

Date Posted: March 24, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site (Barcelona)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the creation of engaging and responsive user interface (UI) animations for innovative game titles within Aristocrat Gaming's Innovation Lab.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including UI/UX designers, game artists, and developers, to translate static designs into dynamic, in-game animations that enhance player experience and visual appeal.

• Implement and optimize 2D character and environment animations directly within the Unity game engine, ensuring seamless integration and high performance.

• Explore and leverage emerging technologies, such as generative AI, to accelerate animation concepting and expand creative possibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a UI Animator within the gaming industry, focusing on the intersection of art, design, and game development. The "Innovation Lab" context suggests a focus on cutting-edge features and potentially experimental game mechanics, requiring a proactive and adaptable animator. The emphasis on Unity implementation points to a need for practical, hands-on engine experience.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Animate UI elements and transitions to convey clarity, responsiveness, and user delight, directly impacting the player's interaction with the game.

• Translate static design mockups and motion comps into fully functional, polished in-game animations, ensuring fidelity to the original vision.

• Foster strong collaboration with UX, UI, and development teams to maintain design consistency, enhance usability, and ensure optimal performance across all game assets.

• Create captivating animations for 2D characters and environments that support narrative elements and key gameplay moments, enriching the player's immersion.

• Develop rapid prototypes for UI animations and motion concepts using industry-standard tools such as After Effects, Adobe Animate, or Spine.

• Implement and fine-tune animated assets directly within Unity's 2D animation system, ensuring smooth integration and visual coherence.

• Partner closely with technical artists to optimize animation assets for performance, memory usage, and specific platform requirements (e.g., mobile).

• Maintain comprehensive documentation for animation libraries, motion guidelines, and best practices to ensure consistency and knowledge sharing within the team.

• Actively explore and prototype with generative AI tools to support animation concepting, ideation, and creative acceleration.

• Contribute to a performance-driven culture that prioritizes polish, constructive feedback, and iterative refinement of animated assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative animation work and technical implementation within a game engine. The emphasis on "performance-focused culture" and "optimization" is critical for roles in mobile gaming, where resource constraints are paramount. The inclusion of generative AI indicates a forward-thinking approach to creative workflows.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a background in Animation, Game Design, Digital Art, or a related field is typically expected. A strong portfolio demonstrating practical skills will often supersede formal education requirements.

Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of dedicated experience in animating UI elements and 2D assets within a game development environment.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to animate UI elements and transitions with a focus on clarity, responsiveness, and user delight.

• Strong command of animation principles, including timing, easing, flow, anticipation, and visual feedback.

• Solid understanding of UI animation best practices and their implementation within the Unity game engine.

• Artistic eye for motion design, layout, composition, and visual hierarchy.

• Proficiency in animation prototyping tools such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate, or Spine.

• Understanding of mobile performance constraints and asset optimization techniques for gaming platforms.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Unity's Timeline system for sequencing and orchestrating animations.

• Familiarity with Unity shaders or basic scripting (e.g., C#) to enhance animation capabilities.

• Experience working with technical artists on asset optimization and implementation pipelines.

• Demonstrated experience or strong interest in exploring and utilizing generative AI tools for animation concepting and creative acceleration.

• Experience in the social casino or casual mobile gaming genre.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical, engine-specific skills (Unity) and a strong foundation in core animation principles. The preference for technical art and generative AI skills indicates a desire for candidates who can not only animate but also contribute to the technical and innovative aspects of the animation pipeline.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of UI animation examples, demonstrating principles like timing, easing, and visual feedback in action.

• Include case studies of 2D character or environment animations that highlight narrative support or gameplay enhancement.

• Provide examples of animations implemented within a game engine context (Unity preferred), illustrating technical proficiency.

• Demonstrate understanding of performance optimization through examples or explanations of how assets were streamlined for mobile platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Prepare to discuss your personal animation workflow from concept to implementation, detailing your process for iterating on feedback.

• Be ready to explain how you collaborate with designers and developers to ensure animation quality and technical integration.

• Showcase examples of how you maintain animation libraries or contribute to motion guidelines for consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Animator role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to clearly demonstrate not just artistic skill but also technical implementation within Unity, understanding of performance, and an ability to translate design into functional game assets. Experience with newer technologies like generative AI should also be highlighted.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Mid-Level UI Animator with 2-5 years of experience in a major European tech hub like Barcelona, the estimated annual salary range is €40,000 - €55,000. This can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage, including medical, dental, and vision.

• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation days, public holidays, and sick leave.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, workshops, and conference attendance.

• Access to Aristocrat Gaming's global network and resources.

• Employee assistance programs and wellness initiatives.

• Potential for stock options or other long-term incentives as part of the Aristocrat family.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site in Barcelona, there may be some flexibility offered, especially given the company's global presence and modern work policies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specific benefits are not detailed in the raw listing. This estimation is based on common offerings for full-time roles in the tech and gaming sector in Spain, particularly for established companies like Aristocrat. The "People First" principle mentioned in the company description suggests a strong benefits package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Gaming (Social Casino, Mobile Games) - Aristocrat Gaming is a global leader in gaming content and technology, with Product Madness focusing specifically on top-grossing social casino mobile titles. This industry is characterized by rapid innovation, a focus on player engagement, and a blend of creative artistry with technical development.

Company Size: Aristocrat Gaming is a large, publicly traded company with a global workforce. Product Madness, as a subsidiary, operates with a significant number of employees (800+ across global offices) but maintains a culture that encourages innovation and agility within its specific game studios. This means access to the resources of a large corporation with the dynamic environment of a game studio.

Founded: Aristocrat was founded in 1953, giving it a long history and established presence in the gaming industry. Product Madness was acquired by Aristocrat, bringing its expertise in the social casino mobile market. This blend of heritage and modern digital focus shapes the company's culture.

Team Structure: The UI Animator will likely be part of a larger Game Development or Art team within Product Madness's Barcelona studio. This team will consist of UI/UX Designers, Game Artists (2D and potentially 3D), Technical Artists, and Gameplay Developers. The animator will report into an Art Lead or Animation Lead, working closely with a Product Manager or Game Director.

Methodology: Aristocrat/Product Madness likely employs agile development methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) for game development. This involves iterative development cycles, continuous feedback, and close collaboration between departments. The "People First" principle suggests a culture that values employee well-being, growth, and inclusive practices.

Company Website: https://aristocratgaming.com/ and https://www.productmadness.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights Aristocrat's established position and Product Madness's expertise in the lucrative social casino mobile market. The "People First" principle and awards emphasize a positive and supportive work environment, which is attractive to candidates seeking growth and inclusion.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Level (2-5 years of experience). It requires a solid foundation in UI animation principles and practical implementation skills, but also offers opportunities for growth into Senior Animator or Technical Animator roles.

Reporting Structure: The UI Animator will report to an Animation Lead or Art Director. They will work closely with UI/UX Designers, Game Artists, and Unity Developers, indicating a collaborative, matrixed reporting environment common in game development.

Operations Impact: The UI Animator's work directly influences the player experience, game usability, and overall visual polish. High-quality animations contribute significantly to player engagement, retention, and the perceived quality of the game, thereby impacting revenue and brand perception. The role is crucial for delivering the "joy to life through the power of play" mission.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in Unity animation systems, explore advanced shaders, and potentially gain light scripting experience.

• Technical Art & AI Exploration: Develop technical art skills for optimization and gain hands-on experience with generative AI tools, positioning for future roles in these areas.

• Specialization: Grow into a Senior UI Animator, Technical Animator, or specialized character animator within the Product Madness studios.

• Leadership: Potential to mentor junior animators, contribute to animation pipeline development, or move into an Art Lead role over time.

• Cross-Studio Mobility: As part of Aristocrat, there may be opportunities to work on different game titles or even explore roles in other Aristocrat studios globally.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a UI Animator in gaming is typically through specialization and technical deepening. The emphasis on AI and technical art suggests a modern approach to career development, preparing animators for future industry trends.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Aristocrat Gaming/Product Madness operates with a hybrid work model, but this specific role is listed as based in Barcelona, Spain, with the implication of being on-site. The Barcelona office is likely a modern, collaborative workspace designed for creative teams.

Office Location(s): Product Madness has offices in London, Barcelona, Gdańsk, Lviv, and Montreal, with a remote team across the USA. The role is specifically based at the "Product Madness - Barcelona" office.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic studio environment where daily interaction with designers, artists, and developers is standard. This fosters quick feedback loops and shared problem-solving.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard animation software (Adobe Suite, Spine) and the Unity game engine, along with potent workstations and necessary development tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular stand-ups, design reviews, animation critiques, and cross-functional project meetings, fostering a strong sense of team.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (approximately 40 hours/week). While on-site, game studios often offer some degree of flexibility in start/end times, though core hours are usually expected for team collaboration and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role being on-site in Barcelona implies a structured work environment with opportunities for in-person collaboration, which is often beneficial for creative roles requiring direct team interaction and feedback.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on relevant experience and skills.

2. Portfolio Review: A crucial step where your animation portfolio will be thoroughly assessed for quality, technical execution (especially Unity implementation), and understanding of UI animation principles.

3. Technical Interview: This may involve a live coding or technical challenge within Unity, or a discussion about your animation implementation process. You might be asked to walk through specific animation examples from your portfolio.

4. On-site/Video Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager and potentially other team members (e.g., Art Lead, Senior Animator). This assesses your problem-solving skills, communication, cultural fit, and ability to articulate your creative process and technical approach.

5. Final Interview/Offer: May involve a discussion with higher management or a final confirmation of terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase UI Animation: Dedicate a significant portion of your portfolio to UI animations. Highlight transitions, micro-interactions, and elements that improve usability and player feedback.

• Demonstrate Unity Implementation: If possible, include videos or interactive demos showing your animations working within Unity. Clearly state your role and contributions.

• Highlight Technical Skills: Include examples of optimization techniques, especially for mobile. If you have experience with shaders or scripting, showcase it.

• Explain Your Process: For each piece, briefly explain the problem, your approach, the tools used, and the outcome. Discuss how you incorporated feedback.

• Generative AI Examples: If you have them, showcase how you've used AI for concepting, asset generation, or workflow acceleration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Unity Animation Tasks: Be prepared for a small animation challenge within Unity. This might involve animating a given UI element or implementing a simple transition based on provided assets.

• Animation Principles Discussion: Be ready to discuss animation principles (timing, easing, flow) and how they apply to UI animation for games.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would approach animating a complex UI element, optimizing an animation for performance, or resolving a technical animation issue in Unity.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare examples of how you've collaborated with designers and developers to achieve desired animation outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a game art role heavily emphasizes the portfolio. Candidates must be ready to not only show their animation skills but also explain their technical implementation and problem-solving capabilities within the context of a game engine like Unity.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Animation Software: Adobe After Effects (essential for prototyping and motion design), Adobe Animate (for 2D character/asset animation), Spine (popular for 2D skeletal animation in games).

• Game Engine: Unity (critical for direct implementation of UI animations).

• Version Control: Git, Perforce (standard in game development for asset management).

Analytics & Reporting: While not directly involved in creating analytics dashboards, understanding how animations impact player metrics (e.g., engagement, conversion rates) is beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this role. However, familiarity with project management tools like Jira or Asana for task tracking and workflow management is common.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Unity is non-negotiable for this role, as the expectation is to implement animations directly in-game. Familiarity with common animation tools and game development workflows is also essential.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Innovation: A drive to create visually stunning and engaging animations, pushing creative boundaries, especially within the "Innovation Lab" context.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working effectively with designers, artists, and developers to achieve shared goals.

• Player-Centricity: A focus on how animations contribute to an exceptional player experience, prioritizing usability and delight.

• Polish & Quality: A commitment to high-quality execution, attention to detail, and delivering polished, professional assets.

• Continuous Improvement: An openness to feedback, iteration, and learning new tools and techniques, including generative AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with UI/UX designers for initial concepts and feedback, and with Unity developers for seamless implementation.

• Constructive Critique: An environment where feedback is given and received constructively, leading to iterative improvements.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, techniques, and insights, especially regarding animation workflows and optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's "People First" principle and awards suggest a supportive and inclusive culture. The specific values for this role likely revolve around creative excellence, technical execution, and collaborative spirit, all aimed at enhancing the player experience.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Artistry and Performance: Meeting high visual standards while adhering to strict mobile performance constraints requires creative problem-solving.

• Rapid Iteration: The fast-paced nature of game development means quick turnarounds and the ability to iterate rapidly based on feedback.

• Technical Integration: Ensuring animations work flawlessly within the Unity engine, potentially requiring troubleshooting with developers.

• Adapting to New Tools: Staying current with evolving animation software and embracing new technologies like generative AI.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Unity Animation: Deepen expertise in Unity's animation tools, including Timeline, state machines, and potentially shader integration.

• Technical Art Fundamentals: Gain more experience in asset optimization, performance profiling, and pipeline efficiency.

• Generative AI for Animation: Become proficient in using AI tools for concept generation, style transfer, or even procedural animation assistance.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Opportunities to attend game development and animation conferences (e.g., GDC, SIGGRAPH) or specialized workshops.

• Mentorship: Access to senior animators and technical artists for guidance and career development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for game development roles, requiring a balance of creative and technical skills. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with industry trends, preparing animators for future roles in a rapidly evolving field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a UI animation you created that significantly improved user experience. What was the challenge, and how did you approach it?" (Focus on demonstrating problem-solving, understanding of usability, and impact.)

• "How do you balance artistic polish with performance constraints, especially for mobile games?" (Prepare to discuss optimization techniques, asset reduction, and trade-offs.)

• "Walk us through your process for animating a complex UI transition in Unity. What tools do you use, and how do you collaborate with developers?" (Be ready to detail your workflow, from concept to implementation, emphasizing collaboration.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Aristocrat Gaming and Product Madness's games?" (Research their popular titles like Heart of Vegas, Lightning Link, Cashman Casino, and express genuine interest.)

• "How do you approach receiving and giving constructive feedback on your work?" (Highlight your maturity, willingness to iterate, and team-player attitude.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize UI animations and Unity implementations.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the problem, your creative and technical solution, your specific role, and the impact of your work.

• Highlight Technical Aspects: Be prepared to discuss frame rates, polygon counts, texture optimization, and Unity implementation details.

• Showcase AI Work: If you have AI-generated assets or concepts, explain the process and how it accelerated your work.

• Practice Your Walkthrough: Rehearse explaining your portfolio pieces clearly and concisely, anticipating questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role should focus on demonstrating technical proficiency in Unity, a strong understanding of UI animation principles and their impact on player experience, and an eagerness to embrace new technologies.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Animator position:

• Submit your application through the Aristocrat Gaming careers portal using the provided URL.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your experience with UI animation, 2D animation, Unity implementation, and any relevant tools (After Effects, Spine, Animate). Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "contributed to 5+ successful mobile game launches").

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible (e.g., via a link on your resume or a dedicated website), and showcases your best UI animation work, with a strong emphasis on Unity implementation and mobile optimization.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio pieces, focusing on explaining your creative process, technical execution, and the impact of your animations. Be ready to discuss your experience with generative AI.

• Research Aristocrat Gaming & Product Madness: Understand their game portfolio, company values ("People First"), and recent achievements to tailor your responses and express genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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