Creature Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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