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Character Rigging Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Scattermesh

Senior 3D Technical Character Artist

Herndon, VA · On-site

$130.60K - $156.30K/yr

... Character Artists to work across client projects on a full time basis on-site in Herndon, VA. This ... The ideal candidate should have experience in rigging, sculpting, python/mel, shading, texture ...

Scattermesh

Senior 3D Technical Character Artist

Herndon, VA · On-site

$130.60K - $156.30K/yr

... Character Artists to work across client projects on a full time basis on-site in Herndon, VA. This ... The ideal candidate should have experience in rigging, sculpting, python/mel, shading, texture ...

NJI Media LLC

Motion Graphic Designer

Washington, DC · On-site

Support campaign and brand work by bringing static concepts to life - lower-thirds, motion graphic packages, animated social content, character rigging, and beyond. * Design for the Moment: Produce ...

NJI Media LLC

Motion Graphic Designer

Washington, DC · On-site

Support campaign and brand work by bringing static concepts to life - lower-thirds, motion graphic packages, animated social content, character rigging, and beyond. * Design for the Moment: Produce ...

Pop-Up Talent

Production Coordinator

Arlington, VA · On-site

$56K/yr

Vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior and a commitment to godly character ... Rigging and safety best practices * Lighting Consoles * ProPresenter WORKING CONDITIONS: * Required ...

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Character Rigging information

See Washington salary details

$11

$21

$43

How much do character rigging jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for character rigging in Washington is $21.61, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.24 and $27.50 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

More about Character Rigging jobs
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What cities in Washington are hiring for Character Rigging jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Character Rigging job openings:
Character Rigging jobs near you

Senior 3D Technical Character Artist

Scattermesh

Herndon, VA • On-site

$130.60K - $156.30K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 27 days ago

Job description

Scattermesh is a fast-paced small company looking to disrupt, transform, and innovate on behalf of our clients. We are inventors, technologists, artisans, problem solvers, and collaborators seeking to redefine the content experience by changing how content is managed and delivered to clients. We have an amazing team and we want to add a few talented revolutionaries who want to make a difference solving hard problems. Create your story and start making an indelible impact today.

 

Job Summary

Scattermesh is expanding its team and we are looking to hire experienced Senior 3D Technical Facial Character Artists to work across client projects on a full time basis on-site in Herndon, VA. This role requires an artist with strong technical understanding of facial kinematics and human anatomy with the skills to apply that knowledge. The ideal candidate should have experience in rigging, sculpting, python/mel, shading, texture painting as it applies to human characters with a focus on facial performances.

 

Responsibilities and Duties

  • Surpassing Uncanny Valley - Create believable and detailed 3D characters applying your strong understanding of anatomy, modeling, sculpting and texturing expertise from scratch or scan data based on concept art.
  • Pass on Your Knowledge - As an expert in your field, help your peers grow by giving advice and critiques of their work.
  • Deliver Results - Conceptualize, present, and execute ideas within a schedule, while leading the way in technical and artistic problem solving.
  • Take Initiative - Design and enhance our character performance pipeline with new tools and techniques. Drive technological solutions to enhance productivity and quality of our products.
  • Grow - Research new and emergent technologies and advise how best to apply to our work in a practical way.
 

Qualifications and Skills

  • 10+ years experience in a professional setting working on characters and digital human technologies
  • Expert understanding of human facial anatomy, including eyes, skin and hair
  • Mastery of realistic sculpting, texturing, hair grooming, shading and rendering
  • Deep understanding of FACS, facial blendshapes and facial performance animation, wrinkle-map systems and beyond in the context of photorealistic human characters
  • Expert technical skills in Maya, including Python scripting. C++, etc a plus.
  • Experience collaborating with Riggers, Pipeline Engineers and Supervisors to improve production outcomes
  • Experience with Metahuman to Maya toolset a plus
  • Is self-motivated and self-reliant
  • Must have both a learning and mentoring mind-set
  • Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
  • US citizenship required

Benefits and Perks

Scattermesh is as obsessed about our employees as our customers. We want to provide great benefits and perks so you can focus on making an impact. We recognize that industry is moving away from better benefits so we have decided to do our part to start reversing the trend. Join us in our quest to disrupt, transform and innovate.

 

Benefits

  • Competitive Market Leading Pay 
  • 25-30 days - Paid Time Off (PTO) / Holiday
  • 100% Company paid medical/dental/vision/plans
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • 401(k) Matching with no cliff vest

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