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Character Rigging Blender Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Technical Animator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Create State Machine and Blend Trees in Unity. * Augment and maintain the animation pipeline ... Skilled in 3D character animation for bipedal humanoids, creatures, and organic forms. * Expertly ...

Technical Animator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Create State Machine and Blend Trees in Unity. * Augment and maintain the animation pipeline ... Skilled in 3D character animation for bipedal humanoids, creatures, and organic forms. * Expertly ...

Create State Machine and Blend Trees in Unity. * Augment and maintain the animation pipeline ... Skilled in 3D character animation for bipedal humanoids, creatures, and organic forms. * Expertly ...

Technical Animator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Create State Machine and Blend Trees in Unity. * Augment and maintain the animation pipeline ... Skilled in 3D character animation for bipedal humanoids, creatures, and organic forms. * Expertly ...

Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine and standard DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance, ZBrush, etc.) * Solid understanding of rigging, character setup, lighting workflows, and environment ...

Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine and standard DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance, ZBrush, etc.) * Solid understanding of rigging, character setup, lighting workflows, and environment ...

Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine and standard DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance, ZBrush, etc.) * Solid understanding of rigging, character setup, lighting workflows, and environment ...

Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine and standard DCC tools (Maya, Blender, Houdini, Substance, ZBrush, etc.) * Solid understanding of rigging, character setup, lighting workflows, and environment ...

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Character Rigging Blender information

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How much do character rigging blender jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for character rigging blender in the United States is $18.58, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.59 and $20.67 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is character rigging in Blender?

Character rigging in Blender is the process of creating a digital skeleton (rig) for a 3D model, which allows animators to move and pose the character in a realistic way. This involves setting up bones, joints, and control systems so the model can be manipulated easily for animation. Rigging is essential for bringing characters to life in films, games, and other media. Blender provides powerful rigging tools like Armature, Constraints, and Weight Painting to streamline this process. Good rigging ensures smooth, believable motion and makes animation more efficient.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a character rigging artist using Blender?

To thrive as a Character Rigging Artist in Blender, you need a solid understanding of 3D modeling, anatomy, and rigging principles, usually supported by a portfolio demonstrating rigged characters. Proficiency in Blender's rigging tools, weight painting, scripting (Python), and familiarity with industry-standard pipelines is essential. Attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective communication help you collaborate smoothly with animators and other team members. These skills ensure characters are technically sound, behave realistically in animation, and streamline production workflows.

What are some common challenges faced when rigging characters in Blender, and how can they be addressed?

One of the primary challenges in character rigging with Blender is ensuring that the rig is both flexible and stable for a wide range of animations, especially with complex characters. Dealing with deformation issues, such as unwanted mesh stretching or joint collapsing, often requires careful weight painting and the use of corrective shape keys. Collaboration with animators is crucial, as feedback helps identify problem areas early on. Staying organized by using naming conventions, proper hierarchy, and custom bone shapes can greatly improve workflow efficiency and minimize errors throughout a production pipeline.

What is the difference between Character Rigging Blender vs Character Animator?

AspectCharacter Rigging BlenderCharacter Animator
Primary FocusCreating and setting up character rigs for animationAnimating characters using rigs
Skills Required3D modeling, rigging, Blender proficiencyAnimation, timing, character performance
Tools UsedBlender, rigging add-onsAdobe Character Animator, After Effects
Work Environment3D animation studios, freelance2D/3D animation studios, online platforms

Character Rigging Blender specialists focus on creating and setting up character rigs within Blender, enabling smooth animation. In contrast, Character Animators use these rigs to bring characters to life through movement and performance. Both roles often collaborate but require different skill sets and tools. Understanding these differences helps employers find the right talent for each stage of the animation process.

Infographic showing various Character Rigging Blender job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 11% Internship, 45% Full Time, 33% Part Time, and 11% Temporary. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $38,646 per year, or $18.6 per hour.

Intern - Animator and Rigging Artist

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Other

Posted 27 days ago


Job description

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.

Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered. We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.

What to expect

We're looking for a technical animator to rig LeLamp, our first robot, and own the animation pipeline that brings it to life on physical hardware people will actually live with. This role sits at an unusual intersection: the technical depth to build a rig that maps onto real joint constraints and actuator limits, and the creative sensibility to design motion that feels intentional and warm, shaping whether the robot comes across as alive or mechanical. You'll work closely with the CEO and engineers to translate design intent into motion that runs on the robot itself, not just in a viewport.

In this role, you will:
  • Build and maintain the robot rig, defining joint hierarchies, constraints, and control structures aligned with hardware limits

  • Design and animate behaviors including idle motion, reactions, transitions, gestures, and interaction sequences

  • Work with controls and firmware engineers to translate animation intent into real robot motion

  • Stay aligned with mechanical updates and maintain the rig as the platform evolves

  • Maintain a URDF-compatible or simulation-ready representation of the robot

  • Help define the robot’s motion language and expressive vocabulary

  • Build internal tools, workflows, and documentation for the animation pipeline

  • Evaluate animations on physical hardware and iterate until intent translates reliably

You may be a good fit if you:
  • Have professional experience as a technical animator or rigger with a strong rigging and animation portfolio

  • Are fluent in Maya, Blender, or similar DCC tools and can build production-quality rigs from scratch

  • Understand animation principles such as timing, weight, anticipation, and follow-through

  • Have experience rigging mechanical or non-organic subjects with real-world constraints

  • Have strong intuition for what makes motion feel alive rather than mechanical

  • Are comfortable building pipelines in environments where they don't yet exist

  • Have experience animating robots, mechanical characters, or non-humanoid subjects

  • Have exposure to procedural animation, motion graphs, or behavior trees

  • Are familiar with URDF, ROS, or simulators such as Gazebo, MuJoCo, or Isaac Sim

  • Have experience working in Unity, Unreal, or other real-time animation environments

  • Have experience collaborating with engineering teams on hardware or robotics projects

You will be a strong fit, if you:
  • Care deeply about motion as a form of communication

  • See constraints like joint limits and actuator bandwidth as part of the creative process

  • Take ownership of the robot’s motion language from keyframe to hardware execution

  • Work well in small, collaborative teams across animation, engineering, and design

  • Want to create motion for a physical object that lives in someone’s home, not just on a screen

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.
We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don't want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.

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