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Character Rigging Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Experience structuring & maintaining animation processes such as rigging, or prototyping. * Character Performance experience. * Effectively tell the story in a meaningful way through vivid and ...

The Walt Disney Company

Crowds Artist

Burbank, CA

$60.69 - $75.95/hr

Design crowd character behaviors and set ups * Team player, willing to collaborate with peers to ... Understanding of rigging and animation techniques * Strong interest in Particle Systems, AI/Machine ...

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Character Rigging information

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$10

$18

$37

How much do character rigging jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for character rigging in California is $18.83, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.27 and $23.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Are Character Rigging Jobs?

Character rigging is the process of creating an animated person, animal, or other moving object and adding features for movement to make it look more realistic or to match the flow of the storyline. In this role, you develop characters for cartoon shows, animated films, and video games. You create the framework of the character using rigging tools such as Maya or Motionbuilder and manipulate the character to make it jump, run, smile, or do other actions. Once the framework is set, you may add physical features, such as skins and facial shapes, to be used by the animator to develop the movement flow within the show or game.

What is character rigging?

Character rigging is the process of creating a digital skeleton for a character model so that it can be posed and animated in 3D software. Riggers add bones, joints, and control systems to a character, allowing animators to move and deform the model realistically. This is a crucial step in the animation pipeline for films, video games, and visual effects, enabling expressive and lifelike character movements.

What are some typical challenges faced in a character rigging role, and how can they be addressed?

Character rigging artists often encounter challenges such as creating rigs that are both flexible for animators and efficient for real-time rendering. Balancing complexity with usability, ensuring deformation looks natural, and maintaining performance in game engines are common hurdles. Collaboration with modelers and animators is essential to iterate on rigs quickly based on feedback. Staying updated with the latest rigging tools and scripting techniques can greatly help in overcoming these challenges and delivering high-quality rigs on tight production schedules.

Are riggers in high demand?

Character rigging is a specialized skill in the animation and gaming industries, and demand for riggers is steady as studios seek skilled professionals to create flexible, efficient character models. Job opportunities often require proficiency in rigging tools like Maya or Blender and a strong understanding of anatomy and movement. The industry values experience and technical skills, making rigging a viable career path with consistent demand.

What is the difference between Character Rigging vs 3D Modeler?

AspectCharacter Rigging3D Modeler
Primary FocusCreating skeletons and controls for character animationModeling 3D objects and characters
Skills RequiredRigging techniques, anatomy, software like Maya or BlenderModeling, texturing, topology, software like Maya, Blender, 3ds Max
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, game development, VFXGame studios, film, animation, product visualization
CertificationsOften not mandatory but relevant courses in rigging and animationOften not mandatory but relevant in modeling and design courses

While both roles work closely in 3D production, Character Rigging specializes in creating the underlying structure for animation, whereas a 3D Modeler focuses on building the visual and geometric aspects of models. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

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

To thrive as a Character Rigger, you need a solid grasp of anatomy, 3D modeling, and an understanding of animation principles, usually supported by a background in computer graphics or animation. Expertise in industry-standard software like Autodesk Maya, Blender, and scripting languages such as Python or MEL is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills make a rigger stand out when collaborating with animators and modelers. These skills ensure character rigs are both functional and intuitive, resulting in smooth animation workflows and high-quality visual output.
More about Character Rigging jobs
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What cities in California are hiring for Character Rigging jobs? Cities in California with the most Character Rigging job openings:
Character Rigging jobs near you
Creature Technical Director (Project Hire) - ILM San Francisco

Creature Technical Director (Project Hire) - ILM San Francisco

The Walt Disney Company

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$90K - $118K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Walt Disney Company rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 124 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 47 rated entertainment

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Creature Technical Director (Project Hire) - ILM San Francisco

Req ID:

10135051

Job Description:

The Creature Technical Director rigs and envelops characters from heroes to background creatures, vehicles and props in Maya. The Creature Technical Director is able to wrangle rigging and creature pipeline issues proficiently under the direction and guidance of their supervisors; and has the ability to run flesh-surface, hair, rigid sim, crowd, and/or cloth simulations.

What You'll Do

  • Provide rigging and enveloping in Maya for various vehicles, characters, and creatures

  • Run cloth, hair, rigid body, crowd, or muscle simulations

  • Troubleshoot creature pipeline issues for artists in other disciplines

  • Script utilities/tools/plug-ins in Maya

  • Participate in reviews, dailies, and department meetings as required

  • Mentor entry level artists

  • Special projects as necessary

What We're Looking For

  • 3 years relevant professional experience and a diploma in computer graphics, fine arts, design, or photography, or related field; OR 5 years of relevant experience in lieu of education

  • Experience as Maya rigger for assets in digital animation, visual effects, games, commercials

  • Experience running simulation shotwork

  • Experience in corrective sculpting

  • Knowledge of anatomy and enveloping

  • Positive attitude and team player

  • Good communication skills

  • Nice to have:

    • Experience with Massive or Houdini crowd software

    • C++

    • Basic proficiency in another discipline - modeling, texture, TD, animation

    • Proficiency with Linux

    • Expertise with Maya

    • Experience with python scripting

JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in San Francisco, CA is $90,400 to $118,700 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

Job Posting Segment:

ILM San Francisco

Job Posting Primary Business:

ILM San Francisco

Primary Job Posting Category:

Character Simulations - Studios, Rigging - Studios

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

San Francisco, CA, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2025-10-21

What Walt Disney Company employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Walt Disney logo

About Walt Disney

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world. "We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!

Industry

Amusement, gambling, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

Social media

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