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3D Rigging Artist Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Senior Technical Animator

Cary, NC · On-site

$98.20K - $112.10K/yr

... artists to make positive changes to models, movements, and tools. The heart of this role is rigging ... and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal ...

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment ... and runtime rigging workflows in Unreal Engine * Comfort working in ambiguous, exploratory ...

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How much do 3d rigging artist jobs pay per hour?

As of May 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for 3d rigging artist in Raleigh, NC is $38.36, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $26.39 and $47.21 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a 3D Rigging Artist job?

A 3D Rigging Artist is responsible for creating the skeletal frameworks used to animate 3D models in films, games, and other media. They build rigs that define how a character or object moves, ensuring natural and realistic motion. Their work involves setting up bones, controllers, and deformation systems like skinning. Rigging artists collaborate closely with animators and modelers to ensure smooth functionality. Strong knowledge of anatomy, movement, and technical skills in software like Maya or Blender is essential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the 3D Rigging Artist position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a 3D Rigging Artist, you need a strong understanding of human and animal anatomy, kinematics, and a solid grasp of 3D rigging principles, often supported by a degree in animation, computer graphics, or a related field. Mastery of industry-standard tools such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, and knowledge of scripting (Python, MEL) is typically required, and certifications in these tools can be an advantage. Effective communication, problem-solving abilities, and collaboration skills help you work seamlessly within animation and VFX teams. These combined skills ensure that 3D models move realistically and efficiently, which is crucial for high-quality animation production.

What does a typical workday look like for a 3D Rigging Artist?

A typical day for a 3D Rigging Artist involves creating and refining digital skeletons and control systems for 3D characters or objects, collaborating with animators and modelers to ensure proper movement and deformation. You may spend time troubleshooting and adjusting rigs, developing custom scripts for workflow efficiency, and participating in team meetings to review project goals. Rigging Artists often work closely with other departments, such as animation and technical directors, to address feedback and maintain project consistency. Depending on the studio, you might also help document rigging solutions or mentor junior artists. This structured, collaborative environment helps ensure rapid problem-solving and a high-quality final product.
What are the most commonly searched types of 3D Rigging Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC? The most popular types of 3D Rigging Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
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Infographic showing various 3D Rigging Artist job openings in Raleigh, NC as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 77% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,779 per year, or $38.4 per hour.
Senior Technical Animator

Senior Technical Animator

Epic Games

Cary, NC • On-site

$98.20K - $112.10K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 22 days ago


Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic's success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we're always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
ART
What We Do
Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire.
What You'll Do
Epic Games is searching for a Senior Technical Animator with a passion for expressive character movement to work within the Cinematics team. In this talented team of veteran and emerging artists you'll collaborate with an internal team, but also will include work with vendors and specifically contribute directly to high profile trailers related to Fortnite and other IP related projects. Joining this team means you're motivated to seek solutions to problems and work with other artists to make positive changes to models, movements, and tools. The heart of this role is rigging, pipeline and tooling.
In this role, you will
  • Rig characters, props and vehicles
  • Set up assets in Unreal Engine 5; including cloth, physics, blueprints
  • Work closely with modelers and animators to ensure a smooth development pipeline and workflow that delivers high quality assets
  • Assist and build pipeline tools and work with engine and project leads on continuous improvement of those engine tools
  • Direct Technical Animation work for Cinematic trailers, including outsourced and internal trailers
  • Provide support and optimization for Animation Team, including performance/speed optimizations, engine stability, control rig/constraint bug issues, and animation workflows
  • Design UI Pickers for the Animation team
What we're looking for
  • Extensive experience rigging characters in the Unreal Engine
  • A portfolio demonstrating rigging for a range of characters, bipeds, and creatures, both body and faces
  • Attention to aesthetic detail, especially with regards to character deformation and physics movement
  • Familiarity with the Unreal Engine 5 art pipeline
  • Positive individual with strong written communication and teamwork skills
  • Exceptional problem-solver
  • Experience developing character pipelines and tools
EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE
Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.
ABOUT US
Epic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.