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Contract 3D Character Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

CTI

3D Video Production Artist

Memphis, TN · On-site

... Technical Artist Proficiency in industry standard 3D software for animation and modeling ... surface/ character modeling Rigging hard surface models Rigging soft surface models 2D/ 3D FX ...

Epic Games

Senior Technical Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

Collaborate with character artists, tech artists, and engineers to integrate materials with ... and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal ...

Lindeman & Associates

3D Designer

Culver City, CA · On-site

LA brings together artists, editors, and storytellers into one hyper-collaborative team ... LA is seeking an experienced 3D Designer to join our Brand Design team under a contract expected to ...

Lindeman & Associates

3D Designer

Culver City, CA · On-site

$50 - $65/hr

LA brings together artists, editors, and storytellers into one hyper-collaborative team ... LA is seeking an experienced 3D Designer to join our Brand Design team under a contract expected to ...

Gunfire Games

VFX Artist (Mid/Senior)

Austin, TX · On-site

... character abilities, and/or cinematic effects. * Proficiency with Photoshop and 3D Studio Max, Maya ... Strong artistic eye and attention to detail. * Excellent communication, interpersonal, and ...

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Contract 3D Character Artist information

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How much do contract 3d character artist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract 3d character artist in the United States is $120,531.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,000.00 and $127,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a contract 3D character artist?

A Contract 3D Character Artist is a professional who creates three-dimensional models of characters for use in video games, movies, animation, or other digital media, typically working on a freelance or project-based contract. Their responsibilities include sculpting, texturing, and sometimes rigging characters to meet the artistic and technical requirements of a project. Contract artists often collaborate remotely with game studios, animation companies, or creative agencies, providing their expertise for specific durations or deliverables. This role requires strong artistic skills, proficiency with 3D modeling software like Blender, Maya, or ZBrush, and the ability to adapt to different art styles as needed.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract 3D character artist?

To thrive as a Contract 3D Character Artist, you typically need strong artistic abilities in anatomy, modeling, texturing, and a portfolio demonstrating relevant experience. Proficiency in industry-standard software such as Blender, Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter is essential, and familiarity with real-time engines like Unreal Engine or Unity is often required. Creativity, attention to detail, time management, and effective communication are standout soft skills for this role. These skills ensure high-quality character assets are delivered on time and align with project requirements in a collaborative production environment.

What are some common challenges faced by contract 3D character artists when working with remote teams?

Contract 3D Character Artists often collaborate with remote art directors, animators, and game developers, which can lead to challenges like communication delays and interpreting feedback without in-person context. Staying aligned with the project's artistic vision and managing different time zones can also be demanding. To succeed, artists should proactively document their work, ask clarifying questions, and utilize collaborative tools to share progress and receive timely feedback. Building strong communication habits ensures smoother workflows and helps maintain consistency in character design across the team.

What is the difference between Contract 3D Character Artist vs 3D Modeler?

AspectContract 3D Character Artist3D Modeler
CredentialsPortfolio, proficiency in character creation softwarePortfolio, proficiency in modeling software
Work EnvironmentFreelance or project-based, often in gaming, film, or animationStudio or freelance, across various industries including gaming, architecture, product design
Industry UsagePrimarily in entertainment, gaming, and animationBroadly used in entertainment, industrial design, architecture

The Contract 3D Character Artist specializes in creating detailed, stylized, or realistic characters for entertainment projects, focusing on anatomy, textures, and expressions. In contrast, a 3D Modeler may work on a wider range of objects, environments, or assets. While both roles require strong modeling skills and software proficiency, the Contract 3D Character Artist emphasizes character-specific features and storytelling through design.

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Contract 3D Character Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract 3D Character Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, and 5% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $120,531 per year, or $57.9 per hour.

3D Game Programmer (Unity)

Spellbrush

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 23 days ago

Job description

tl;dr: We're building a 3D first-person adventure game where an AI companion is the core of the game. Think MiSide with LLMs, but truly integrated with gameplay, not just a RP chatbot.
About Us
Here at Spellbrush, we're passionate about making a good anime game.
We also happen to be the world's leading generative AI studio-we're the team behind niji・journey.
Our mission is simple: use AI to bring characters to life and push the boundaries of narrative-driven games.
What We're Building
We've developed an in-house LLM storytelling system that blends AI, story, and gameplay-going far beyond shallow "chat-only" experiences.
The result is an AI companion who cooperates with you in puzzles, remembers across worlds, and changes how each chapter unfolds.
We're looking for a strong Unity engineer who loves 3D story-driven games. You'll join our lead Unity dev, who has spent the past 5 years building interactive anime avatars, to grow our working prototype into a full game.
In-game screenshots (development build)
About The Role
You will join a small but extremely talented team to define a new kind of video game experience. You'll work alongside top otaku minds in the industry, including the creator of Warudo and Cytoid, a Google Deepmind veteran behind Project Astra, and top-tier AI researchers.
As an early member of this team, you will have significant artistic and research freedom to shape what could become the next-generation LLM-driven storytelling experience.
Why You'll Love Working With Us
Impact and Ownership: As an early team member, you'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what's possible at the intersection of the AI, anime, and video game industry.
A World-Class Team: You'll work directly with some of the best AI researchers and engineers in the world in a small, mighty, and fast-paced team.
Culture: We are seeking individuals who ideally are fans of anime and the anime aesthetic. We believe in the unmatched speed of in-person collaboration.
International Opportunities: We have primary research offices in downtown Akihabara, Tokyo, and San Francisco. Visa sponsorships are available for qualified candidates.
You may be a good fit if:
You love anime and the anime aesthetic
We are literally building an anime game, so this is a requirement!
You have independently developed a 3D narrative game in Unity
Bonus points if the game is first-person.
You're good at 3D character animation
Bonus if you have used mocap and understand the mocap workflow at a studio. Bonus for having your assets on the Unity store.
You're excited about the potential of Generative AI
You'll also be working closely along some of the best AI researchers in the world. Part of working with our team may involve looking at our latest research results, and figuring out how to best apply it into our game. You will be at the literal cutting edge of what is possible with machine learning, art, and games. Having experience working with LLMs is a plus.
You're comfortable working on small, fast-paced teams
Working here will feel very much like a small indie studio: close-knit, with high ownership and flexibility.
We also believe in the unmatched speed of in-person teams, and prefer on-site collaboration in either our primary research office in Tokyo (downtown Akihabara) or San Francisco. Visa sponsorships are available.

Apply