1

3D Character Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Santa Clara, CA

$80K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Anatomage offers 3D software for anatomy and physiology education including a life-sized virtual ... You will also handle character rigging and animation for MetaHumans. While you may have a stronger ...

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Anatomage offers 3D software for anatomy and physiology education including a life-sized virtual ... You will also handle character rigging and animation for MetaHumans. While you may have a stronger ...

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

Are pursuing a degree in screen-writing, animation, character design, industrial design, or a ... Have a portfolio that shows character design or expressive design work, in 2D or 3D. * Document ...

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Anatomage offers 3D software for anatomy and physiology education including a life-sized virtual ... You will also handle character rigging and animation for MetaHumans. While you may have a stronger ...

Bachelor's Degree in 3D animation or 3D art/ game design (with animation skills) Training and ... surface/ character modeling Rigging hard surface models Rigging soft surface models 2D/ 3D FX ...

Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to ... and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal ...

Animation & CGI Coach

$108K - $123K/yr

This role includes helping students develop core animation techniques and 3D modeling skills, along with more specialized areas like character design, storyboarding, motion graphics, rendering, and ...

... 3D rendering capabilities. You should be comfortable translating product features into engaging visual narratives and bringing ideas to life through animation-including character-based storytelling ...

Showing results 41-60

3D Character Animator information

See salary details

$31K

$63.9K

$132.5K

How much do 3d character animator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for 3d character animator in the United States is $63,866.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,500.00 and $62,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What jobs can you get with 3D character animation?

A 3D character animator can work in industries such as video game development, film and television production, advertising, and virtual reality. Common roles include character animator, motion designer, visual effects artist, and game artist, often requiring proficiency in tools like Maya, Blender, or Cinema 4D. These positions typically involve creating realistic or stylized character movements and may require a portfolio or demo reel to demonstrate skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a 3D character animator?

To thrive as a 3D Character Animator, you need a strong background in animation principles, anatomy, and computer graphics, often supported by a degree in animation or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard tools like Autodesk Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max is essential, and having a demo reel or certification can enhance your qualifications. Creativity, strong communication skills, and teamwork are crucial soft skills for working effectively on collaborative projects. These skills ensure you can bring characters to life convincingly while meeting project goals and deadlines in dynamic production environments.

Is there a demand for 3D character animators?

The demand for 3D character animators remains strong across industries such as gaming, film, and advertising, driven by the growth of digital media and entertainment. Skilled animators proficient in software like Maya, Blender, or Cinema 4D are sought after, especially those with a strong portfolio and understanding of storytelling and rigging. Job opportunities are available in both freelance and full-time roles, often requiring a portfolio review and technical proficiency.

What are some common challenges faced by 3D character animators in a production environment?

3D Character Animators often face challenges such as meeting tight deadlines, ensuring consistency with a project’s artistic vision, and adapting to feedback from directors or clients. Balancing creativity with technical constraints, like optimizing animations for real-time engines or specific platforms, can also be demanding. Additionally, collaborating closely with modelers, riggers, and other team members means strong communication and adaptability are essential. Overcoming these challenges helps animators deliver high-quality work and maintain efficient production workflows.

How much does a 3D character animator make?

The average salary for a 3D character animator varies by experience and location but typically ranges from $50,000 to $80,000 annually. Entry-level animators may earn around $40,000, while experienced professionals with advanced skills in software like Maya or Blender can earn over $100,000 per year.

What is a 3D character animator?

A 3D Character Animator is responsible for creating fluid and expressive character movements in films, video games, and other digital media. They use specialized software, such as Autodesk Maya or Blender, to bring characters to life through motion, expressions, and body language. Their work involves understanding animation principles, character rigging, and storytelling techniques to create believable performances. 3D Character Animators collaborate with modelers, riggers, and directors to ensure animations meet artistic and technical requirements.

What cities are hiring for 3D Character Animator jobs?

Cities with the most 3D Character Animator job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of 3D Character Animator jobs?

The most popular types of 3D Character Animator jobs are:

What states have the most 3D Character Animator jobs?

States with the most job openings for 3D Character Animator jobs include:

Infographic showing various 3D Character Animator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 8% Internship, 61% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 8% Temporary, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 54% In-person, and 46% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,866 per year, or $30.7 per hour.

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Anatomage, Inc.

Santa Clara, CA

$80K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 2 days ago


Job description

Who is Anatomage?

Founded in 2004, Anatomage is a world-leading health care technology company. Anatomage offers 3D software for anatomy and physiology education including a life-sized virtual dissection platform.

About the Role:

As a VFX and Animation Artist at Anatomage, you will be the driving creative force

behind our real-time simulations and visual effects. While this role requires a

well-rounded 3D generalist skillset including modeling, texturing, and lighting, your

primary focus will be crafting stunning visual effects and lifelike animations.

What You'll Do:

You will utilize your 3D generalist skills - spanning modeling, texturing, and lighting - to

create a variety of digital environments. Your main emphasis will be bringing these

environments to life by executing workflows across both real-time simulation and

character animation within Unreal Engine. You will utilize the Niagara system and

Houdini to create scientifically accurate special effects. You will also handle character

rigging and animation for MetaHumans. While you may have a stronger background or

personal specialization in one of these areas, you will be expected to actively deliver

results across both disciplines, ensuring all assets are technically optimized for our

interactive platforms.

Requirements

Skills and Abilities Required:

Candidates should have a strong 3D generalist foundation in industry-standard software such as Maya, Blender, or Substance Painter for modeling, texturing, and lighting environments. Alongside these generalist skills, candidates must possess deep, hands-on experience in either real-time VFX such as Niagara, Blueprints, Houdini simulation pipelines or advanced character rigging and animation fundamentals including experience with MetaHumans or a strong combination of both. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong organizational skills, artistic talent, and exceptional attention to detail.

* Resume and Portfolio required in order to be considered*

Minimum Education and Experience Required:

Formal education in Art, Digital Arts, 3D Modeling, Animation, Medical Illustration, or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant skills will also be considered. Minimum 3 years of professional realtime VFX or Animation experience.

Benefits

What We Offer

  • Health, Dental, and Vision care for you and your family
  • 401K savings plan with employer matching
  • Generous PTO leave and paid holidays
  • Casual work culture
  • Commuter benefits
  • On site gym facility
  • Team bonding activities, catered lunches, and free snacks in the office!

About Anatomage

Anatomage has been financially robust and growing for 20 consecutive years.

Anatomage offers the world's first and only life-sized virtual dissection table. Students can learn anatomy and physiology using highly interactive and accurate real human-based digital data. Institutions can offer high quality education without worrying about chemicals, facility costs, and regulatory issues. Hundreds of schools have adopted the Anatomage Table as the main teaching tool for students.

At Anatomage, there is an opportunity to work alongside the best in the field. With a diverse group of people from various technical, clinical, and artistic backgrounds, Anatomage provides a culture where distinguished individuals can work and collaborate in an organic manner. Our team members all bring unique strengths and talents to their group and embrace each other's diverse perspectives. Anatomage offers a distinct work experience with an exceptional opportunity to develop careers. Our philosophy is to foster a dynamic work environment, and we are proud to let our employees' knowledge and responsibilities grow with the company.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $80,000.00- $120,000.00 Annually. This base pay range is for the U.S. and is not applicable to locations outside of the U.S.. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed.

Anatomage is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not offer H1B Sponsorship at this time. Local candidates preferred.