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Character Technical Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

AGBO

Technical Artist, Character

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$123K - $147K/yr

Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and ... AGBO is looking for a Technical Artist, Character to drive the technical quality and pipeline ...

AGBO

Technical Artist, Character

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and ... AGBO is looking for a Technical Artist, Character to drive the technical quality and pipeline ...

AGBO

Technical Artist, Character

Los Angeles, CA

$90K - $110K/yr

Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and ... AGBO is looking for a Technical Artist, Character to drive the technical quality and pipeline ...

AGBO

Technical Artist, Character

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$123K - $147K/yr

Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and ... AGBO is looking for a Technical Artist, Character to drive the technical quality and pipeline ...

AGBO Films LLC

Technical Artist, Character

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$123K - $147K/yr

Both upcoming Avengers films are directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and co-produced by AGBO and ... AGBO is looking for a Technical Artist, Character to drive the technical quality and pipeline ...

DeToledo High School

Be Seen First

Technical Director/Set Designer/Stagecraft Teacher

West Hills, CA · On-site

$85K - $100K/yr

Technical Director/Set Designer/Stagecraft Teacher Reports to: DEPARTMENT CHAIR Manager: PRINCIPAL ... We seek to shape students into persons of character who will be respectful, knowledgeable, and ...

Menlo School

Technical Theater Assistant

Atherton, CA · On-site

$45K - $53K/yr

Reporting to the Technical Director, with oversight from the Director of Creative Arts, the ... develop character, and pursue a shared commitment to purposes larger than ourselves. At Menlo ...

Grace Community Church

AV Technical Lead

Fulton, MD · On-site

CHARACTER S/he is a self-aware, spiritually mature disciple as embodied by our five marks ... Sunday-Thursday * 1X Per Week Meet with Technical Director * 1x Per Week Attend the weekly All ...

Grace Community Church

AV Technical Lead

Fulton, MD · On-site

$53K - $65K/yr

CHARACTER S/he is a self-aware, spiritually mature disciple as embodied by our five marks ... Reports to: Technical Director * Works Closely with: Technical Arts Staff and Worship Staff ...

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Character Technical Director information

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$115.5K

$232K

How much do character technical director jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for character technical director in the United States is $115,510.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,000.00 and $154,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Character Technical Director?

A Character Technical Director (Character TD) is a specialist in animation and visual effects who is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the technical aspects of character rigs and animation systems. They create the digital skeletons and control interfaces that animators use to bring characters to life in movies, games, or television. Character TDs work closely with modelers and animators to ensure characters move realistically and efficiently. This role requires a blend of artistic understanding and technical expertise, often involving programming and scripting to automate and streamline animation workflows.

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

To thrive as a Character Technical Director, you need a strong understanding of character rigging, anatomy, scripting (such as Python or MEL), and a degree in computer graphics, animation, or a related field. Expertise with industry-standard 3D software like Maya, Houdini, and proprietary rigging tools is typically required, along with familiarity with game engines or VFX pipelines. Creative problem-solving, strong communication, and the ability to collaborate with animators and modelers make someone stand out in this position. These skills ensure the creation of flexible, efficient rigs and seamless character animation workflows essential for high-quality visual productions.

What is the difference between Character Technical Director vs Character Artist?

AspectCharacter Technical DirectorCharacter Artist
Primary FocusTechnical pipeline, rigging, tools developmentConcept art, modeling, texturing
Required SkillsProgramming, rigging, technical problem-solvingArtistic skills, modeling, texturing
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with technical and art teams in game/film studiosPrimarily in art departments, creating visual assets

The Character Technical Director focuses on the technical aspects of character creation, including rigging and pipeline development, while the Character Artist emphasizes creating the visual and artistic elements of characters. Both roles often work closely but serve different functions within the character development process.

How does a Character Technical Director typically collaborate with animators and modelers during production?

A Character Technical Director (TD) works closely with animators and modelers to ensure that character rigs are both artist-friendly and technically robust. During production, a Character TD frequently communicates with modelers to make sure character geometry supports the required deformations for animation. They also partner with animators to gather feedback on rig usability, making adjustments to enhance control and efficiency. This collaborative workflow is essential for addressing technical challenges and delivering high-quality character performances.
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What cities are hiring for Character Technical Director jobs? Cities with the most Character Technical Director job openings:
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Character Technical Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Technical Director job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 54% Full Time, 44% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $115,510 per year, or $55.5 per hour.
Creature Technical Director (Character Technical Artist / Rigger) - Expression of Interest - ILM ...

Creature Technical Director (Character Technical Artist / Rigger) - Expression of Interest - ILM ...

The Walt Disney Company

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$94K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Walt Disney Company rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 128 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

5th of 51 rated entertainment

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Creature Technical Director (Character Technical Artist / Rigger) - Expression of Interest - ILM San Francisco (Project Hire)

Req ID:

10156277

Job Description:

Position Summary

We are looking for a creative problem solver who reflects the innovative spirit, creative talent, production excellence, collaborative mindset and passion for great storytelling that defines ILM Immersive.

Creature Technical Directors design and build animation setups and systems, and partner with Modelers, Animators, Designers, and Engineers to bring our characters to life.

What You'll Do

  • Design, build and test advanced animation rigs, setups, systems and workflows for a variety of ultra high-end characters, creatures, vehicles and props via Maya, Unreal and ILM's proprietary toolsets.

  • Assist in development & maintenance of systems and workflows for animating and rigging characters which expedite our character setup and animation process, as well as writing scripts to facilitate art production when required.

  • Up to date on the industry standard tools and systems (in Unreal Engine, Maya, etc.) and constantly curious about promising new techniques for skeletons, facial animation methodologies, and constraints used for character animation.

  • Develop familiarity of proprietary toolsets & workflows in the ILM pipeline, integrating as necessary with established best-practices for real-time production workflow, adapting and evolving to solve problems within that hybrid framework. This position calls for an individual who enjoys the difficulty of solving problems, with a keen attention to detail and sense of anticipation.

  • Consult in development of breakdowns, task lists, estimates, schedules, milestones and overall project goals as necessary; participate in project stand-ups, meetings, and reviews.

  • Actively participate in concept testing of new ideas and building of rapid prototypes.

What We're Looking For

  • 3+ years experience as a Character TD, Technical Artist-Rigger or Technical Animator role for AAA game development, directly supporting the production with rigging, scripting & tool development.

  • 2+ years production experience with Maya, Maya API.

  • Excellent working knowledge of scripting - Maya Python/PyMEL, C++ API, and PySide/PyQt GUI design experience.

  • Knowledgeable of the real-time art production pipeline & process for different types of asset creation - especially of potential pitfalls and other risks involved with movement mechanics & deformation.

  • Strong grasp of basic animation principles, clear understanding of anatomy, kinematics & deformation.

  • Extensive experience with integration of performance capture animation for both body & face.

  • Experience with run-time, blend-tree based animation systems. Unreal and Maya experience preferred.

  • Bonus points for:

    • Deep knowledge of Unreal Animation features & toolsets: blueprints, component anims, physics-based anims, Sequencer, Control Rig

    • Experience with cloth, hair, fracturing and rigid simulations

    • Working knowledge of Linux, Perforce, Linear Algebra

    • VFX production experience

    • Experience or interest in the creation of VR & MR experiences

* A portfolio / reel submission - including a detailed breakdown of your work in each section - is required with all applications.
JoinILM

The hiring range for this position in San Francisco is $94,100 to $120,400 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:

Modeling - Studios

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

San Francisco, CA, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2026-07-16

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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