Principal Technical Rigger - Housemarque Oy - Helsinki, Suomi

At Housemarque, we believe gameplay always comes first. With technical excellence and compelling narrative, spiced with our trademark neon flair and top-notch audiovisual feedback, we want our players to always feel actively engaged with the worlds we have created for them. Our latest Award-Winning game Returnal, released on PS5 in 2021, embraces all these qualities. THIS is our DNA! We value Nordic work-life balance by growing sustainably and ensuring our employees have the time and means to develop personally and professionally during work time. We were established in 1995 with strong roots in the Finnish demoscene. In June 2021 we joined the PlayStation Studios, after years of partnership. If you wish to join us for our next journey, apply today!We are looking for a Principal Technical Rigger to join us for our next big game at Housemarque. The Job As a Principal Technical Rigger, you will define the vision and technical direction for rigging, deformation, and technical animation pipelines at Housemarque. You will work closely with Technical Directors and Engineering leadership to build scalable systems that support both current production and future projects. You will maintain a holistic view across systems and workflows, ensuring that rigging solutions are robust, efficient, and aligned with the studio’s long-term technical strategy. What will your day-to-day look like? A typical day begins as you arrive at our downtown Helsinki studio. Maybe you start with a workout in the in-house gym and grab a healthy breakfast before settling in with a good coffee. You may begin by aligning with technical leadership on long-term priorities for rigging systems and pipeline evolution. Throughout the day, you might review complex implementations, guide teams through technical challenges, or collaborate with engineers on architectural decisions. After the team’s daily sync and lunch nearby, you may engage with multiple disciplines to ensure alignment, prototype new approaches, or evaluate emerging techniques that could improve production. You wrap up your day by documenting standards, mentoring team members, or shaping the next phase of development. What will you do? Define long-term vision for rigging, deformation, and technical animation pipelines Architect scalable systems and workflows across projects Partner with Technical Directors and Engineering on technical strategy Lead complex, cross-disciplinary problem solving Drive innovation through research and development of new techniques Mentor and guide teams, setting standards and best practices Implement and maintain character setup within Unreal Engine, including cloth simulation, physics assets, and destruction systems. What qualities will contribute to your success? 8+ years of experience in AAA game development or equivalent Proven track record delivering complex rigging systems at scale Expert-level scripting and tool development skills Deep understanding of engine integration and runtime performance Strong communication skills in spoken and written English Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into execution Ability to influence across teams and disciplines Leadership through mentoring and collaboration What do we offer to you? Competitive salary, benefits, healthcare & Nordic work-life balance Tailored immigration and relocation package to help you get settled into Finland State-of-the-art studio facilities in the heart of Helsinki Freedom, flexibility and openness in a collaborative culture Brilliant, diverse and empathetic colleagues to work with Exciting and ambitious projects executed with the best tools Access to PlayStation Studios collaboration, games and more This is a permanent, full-time position based in Helsinki, Finland. We will start interviewing promising candidates immediately so please apply as soon as possible.Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks. Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights. Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks. Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights. Equal Opportunity Statement Housemarque is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race and ethnicity, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships. We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity.