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Character Animator Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

* Develop and maintain the voice of Adventure Ted using cutting-edge technology and AI tools to ensure consistent character portrayal across animations, virtual events, and multimedia projects.

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How much do character animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for character animator in Virginia is $39.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.68 and $63.41 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a character animator?

A Character Animator is a professional who creates animated characters for films, television, video games, and other media. They use specialized software to bring characters to life, designing their movements, expressions, and behaviors to convey emotions and tell stories. Character Animators collaborate with artists, directors, and other animators to ensure the animation fits the project's style and vision. Their work is essential in making characters appear believable and engaging to audiences.

What are some common challenges character animators face when working on collaborative animation projects?

Character Animators often work as part of multidisciplinary teams alongside modelers, riggers, and directors, which can present challenges in maintaining consistency and meeting creative visions. Communication is key, as animators must interpret feedback from multiple stakeholders and quickly adapt to changes in storyboards or character designs. Managing tight deadlines while ensuring smooth, believable character movement also requires strong organizational and time management skills. Collaboration tools and regular team check-ins help address these challenges and keep projects moving forward efficiently.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a character animator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Character Animator, you need strong artistic abilities in drawing and movement, a solid understanding of animation principles, and often a relevant degree in animation or a related field. Expertise in industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya, Adobe After Effects, or Blender is typically required, and a strong portfolio is essential. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective collaboration are standout soft skills in this role. These skills are crucial for bringing characters to life convincingly and ensuring seamless integration into larger creative projects.

How do you become a character animator?

To become a character animator, you typically need a bachelor's degree in animation, fine arts, or a related field, along with strong skills in drawing, storytelling, and motion. Proficiency in animation software such as Adobe Animate, Toon Boom, or Autodesk Maya is essential, and building a portfolio of animated work helps demonstrate your abilities to employers.

What are the most commonly searched types of Character Animator jobs in Virginia?

The most popular types of Character Animator jobs in Virginia are:

What are popular job titles related to Character Animator jobs in Virginia?

For Character Animator jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Character Animator jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Character Animator jobs in Virginia are:

Infographic showing various Character Animator job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,271 per year, or $39.1 per hour.

Assistant Professor of Studio and Digital Arts, 3D Modeling & Animation

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Posted 4 days ago


Liberty University rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 84 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

191st of 631 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Faculty are essential to Liberty University's mission of Training Champions for Christ. It is expected that a faculty member model a personal commitment to the goals and values of Liberty University, engage in an active commitment to, and experience of, personal spiritual formation within a biblically informed Christian worldview. Faculty should view their teaching, engagement with students, and scholarship as a means to a significant educational end. They should strive to employ a variety of techniques for the development of good learning conditions, view each student as a unique individual, and insofar as it is possible, provide for individual differences, abilities, and interests.

The Assistant Professor's primary role is to teach in their areas of expertise, maintain the integrity of course and instructional programs, and to ensure that their delivery is in alignment with the University mission and vision for the student experience. As such, faculty are responsible for creating an academic atmosphere of mutual respect and consideration for individual dignity. Faculty members may be asked to aid in the development of curriculum in the residential and distance education environments, as well as engage in research/scholarship or creative activity that varies depending upon the expectations of their respective college or school and any additional activities involving service to students and their professional discipline.

Faculty attain the rank of Assistant Professor based upon scholarly and professional achievements. An earned doctoral degree or a terminal master's degree at an accredited institution in an area relevant to the faculty member's area of teaching or a professional certificate (e.g., CPA) is preferred but not required.

Assistant Professors are contracted for 10, 11, or 12 months (30, 33, or 36 load hours, respectively). Release from contracted teaching load is determined each semester by the Dean, per Liberty University Faculty Handbook.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in 3D-focused studio art disciplines.
  • Demonstrate a strong commitment to effective instruction in 3D art, animation, and related technologies.
  • Maintain a student-centered teaching philosophy that balances foundational instruction with advanced, career-oriented skill development.
  • Collaborate with faculty and staff on program development and curricular innovation.
  • Engage with emerging technologies-including AI-assisted tools and real-time production workflows-as they relate to contemporary creative practice.
  • Support and advance Liberty University's mission through excellence in teaching, service, and professional engagement.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

Education

  • MFA in Studio Art, 3D Animation, 3D Modeling, Game Design, or a closely related field.

Experience

  • Minimum of three years of teaching experience beyond a Teaching Assistant role and/or significant professional industry experience.

Technical Expertise

  • Proficiency in one or more of the following: 3D modeling, rendering, lighting, texturing, character animation, or digital production workflows.
  • Experience with tools such as Blender, Maya, ZBrush, Unreal Engine, Unity, or 3ds Max.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Specialization in areas related to 3D modeling, animation, environments, texturing, lighting, or rendering.
  • Strong teaching skills with demonstrated communication, collaboration, and creative excellence.

ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTION OF THE JOB

A successful candidate will possess effective communication skills that allow professional representation of Liberty University in a variety of environments with strong organizational skills, computer, and scheduling skills. Applicants must have the ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing to convey clear, well-articulated information and an ability to understand, speak, and write in English to convey messages and correspond articulately and professionally.

Applicants should have excellent problem-solving skills with intuitive reasoning and the ability to analyze information/events while applying accurate judgment to solve problems that are both routine and complex. Candidates must be flexible in a swiftly changing environment.

There may be times this position requires travel to local and campus locations. Candidates are regularly required to sit to perform desk work or type on a keyboard, stand, walk, and climb stairs to move about the campus, hear and speak to effectively communicate, as well as handle materials, reach overhead, kneel, or stoop to conduct business, regularly lifting 10 or fewer pounds.

The working environment in which one will typically perform the essential functions of this position is a climate-controlled setting. It is well-lit, and the noise level is moderate. The working environment also includes the facilitation of events off campus.

The use of one's personal vehicle (or LU vehicles) may be required for travel in the performance of the essential functions of this position. Proof of a valid Virginia driver's license, an acceptable DMV record, and liability insurance are required.

This job description is designed to provide an employee with a basic understanding of the essential functions, duties, and responsibilities entailed in the performance of the job with Liberty University (LU). It is not intended to be all-inclusive. This description does not constitute an employment contract, either expressed or implied. Employment with Liberty University is at-will and may be terminated by either the employee or LU with or without advance notice for any reason or for no reason at all. Only the President is authorized to make changes to any LU policy. Job functions and responsibilities are subject to change at the discretion of management. Efforts will be made to provide advanced notice of such changes whenever possible.

Time Type

Full time

Location

Onsite

Pay Range

Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's rank, contract length, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.


The position may also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition assistance.

$67,700.00 - $85,000.00

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job. All personnel related activities such as compensation, benefits, transfers, job classification, assignments, working conditions, educational assistance, terminations, layoffs, and return from layoffs, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including all applicable state of employment protected classes. The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University's hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the "religion" component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations (including educational institutions), and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.


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