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3D Character Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

William Paterson University

$2.1K/wk

Storyboarding & Production Design, Cell Animation I, 3D Character Animation, Advanced Cell Animation, Projects Drawing for Animators, and other Animation Courses. Department overview: The Department ...

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100 - $125/hr

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 ...

jobr.pro

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$80 - $100/hr

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 ...

Human Computer Lab

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 ...

SCALIS

Character Designer

Berkeley, CA · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

... 3D drone performances viewed by audiences around the world ... Working closely with Creative Directors, artists, animators, and technical teams, you'll transform ...

Swaybox Studios

Lead 3D Tracking Artist

New Orleans, LA · On-site

Lead 3D Tracking / Matchmove Artist Location: New Orleans, LA - Onsite Studio: Swaybox Studios ... Experience producing high-quality rotomation for character animation pipelines. * Working knowledge ...

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3d Character Animator information

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$63.9K

$132.5K

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

As of Sep 9, 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 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 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.

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.

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3d Character Animator jobs near you
Infographic showing various 3D Character Animator job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 57% Full Time, 29% Part Time, 7% Temporary, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 79% In-person, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,866 per year, or $30.7 per hour.

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Anatomage Inc.
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing • 51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Anatomage Inc.external

$100 - $125/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 25 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.

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.

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!
Compensation

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.

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