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Facial Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Weekday AI

Character and Facial Animation Consultant

$60 - $90/hr

... character animator, with character and human performance as a primary area of expertise ... Direct experience with facial animation and/or performance capture , including facial keyframe ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Show exceptional understanding of facial animation, acting, appeal, entertainment, weight, locomotion, anatomy, and dialogue. * Create high-quality, keyframe Character Animation. * Develop the timing ...

Roblox

3D Animator (Short Term)

San Mateo, CA · On-site

Proficiency in FACS-based facial animation (Facial Action Coding System) or equivalent high-quality facial rigging/expression work * Expert-level skills in Autodesk Maya for animation production and ...

NetEase Games

Character Performance Animator

Define production guidelines and animation standards for facial performances, dialogue scenes, and character acting, driving scalable and efficient content creation workflows while continuously ...

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Utilize motion capture data and hand-keyed facial animation techniques for realism. Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation ...

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Utilize motion capture data and hand-keyed facial animation techniques for realism. Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation ...

Ten4

Senior Gaming Animator

Redwood City, CA

$129K - $148K/yr

Excellent hand-keyed facial animation * Motionbuilder and Unreal Engine experience * First-person animations experience * strong design eye * Strong knowledge of cinematography, editing, and story ...

Ten4

Senior Gaming Animator

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$129K - $148K/yr

Excellent hand-keyed facial animation * Motionbuilder and Unreal Engine experience * First-person animations experience * strong design eye * Strong knowledge of cinematography, editing, and story ...

Roblox

3D Animator (Short Term)

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$9.1K - $11K/mo

Proficiency in FACS-based facial animation (Facial Action Coding System) or equivalent high-quality facial rigging/expression work * Expert-level skills in Autodesk Maya for animation production and ...

2K

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Strong practical skill in hand-key facial animation (such as FaceFX) alongside high proficiency in animating human bipeds, organic forms, quadrupeds, and mechanical objects. * Exceptional ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · Remote

$123K - $182K/yr

Strong practical skill in hand-key facial animation (such as FaceFX) alongside high proficiency in animating human bipeds, organic forms, quadrupeds, and mechanical objects. * Exceptional ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Strong practical skill in hand-key facial animation (such as FaceFX) alongside high proficiency in animating human bipeds, organic forms, quadrupeds, and mechanical objects. * Exceptional ...

2K Games

Senior Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$90K - $135K/yr

Experience with hand key facial animation and tools such as FaceFx. Experience structuring & maintaining animation processes such as rigging, or prototyping. A love for research, reference, and ...

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Facial Animator information

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How much do facial animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for facial animator in the United States is $39.41, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.88 and $63.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a facial animator?

A Facial Animator is responsible for creating expressive and realistic facial movements for characters in animation, film, television, and video games. They use specialized software to animate subtle emotions, speech, and reactions that enhance the believability of characters. These animators work closely with character artists, riggers, and directors to ensure facial animations align with the overall vision. Strong knowledge of anatomy, motion principles, and lip-syncing techniques is essential for success in this role.

What does a typical workday look like for a facial animator in a studio setting?

A typical day for a Facial Animator often begins with team meetings to review assignments and discuss project progress with animation supervisors and other team members. You’ll spend a significant portion of your day working in specialized animation software, refining facial expressions, syncing lip movements to dialogue, and troubleshooting any technical issues that arise. Collaboration is key, as you often review your work with art directors, character modelers, and other animators to ensure consistency and meet creative goals. Balancing creative challenges with tight deadlines is common, but this fast-paced environment provides valuable opportunities to develop your skills and contribute to high-profile projects.

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

To thrive as a Facial Animator, you need strong artistic skills in human anatomy and expression, a background in animation or visual effects, and often a relevant degree such as in animation, fine arts, or computer graphics. Proficiency with industry-standard tools like Maya, Blender, and facial motion capture systems is essential, and certifications or formal training in these platforms are highly valued. Attention to detail, collaboration, and effective communication skills set exceptional facial animators apart. These skills ensure the creation of realistic, emotionally resonant characters and seamless teamwork within dynamic production environments.

Is it hard to get hired as a facial animator?

Getting hired as a facial animator can be competitive, as it requires strong skills in character animation, a good portfolio, and proficiency with animation software like Maya or Blender. Relevant experience, a solid understanding of facial anatomy, and sometimes a background in acting or motion capture can improve job prospects.
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Facial Animator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Facial Animator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 75% Full Time, 21% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,974 per year, or $39.4 per hour.

Character and Facial Animation Consultant

Weekday AI

Remote

$60 - $90/hr

Part-time

Posted 15 days ago

Job description

This role is for one of our clients
Compensation: $60-$90 per hour
A leading AI research organization is developing advanced performance-transfer technology designed to faithfully carry an actor's original performance into a new output while preserving timing, emotional nuance, physical choices, and the subtle details that make a performance feel authentic.
We are seeking experienced Character and Facial Animation Consultants to help establish rigorous evaluation standards for this technology. You will bring deep expertise in character performance, facial animation, and performance capture to define what high-quality output looks like, identify challenging evaluation scenarios, and help shape the human-review process used to assess model performance.
This is a part-time engagement with opportunities for ongoing collaboration. The role involves remote work with occasional in-person working sessions in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, CA, or New York, NY, approximately once or twice per month.
Requirements
2. Key Responsibilities
  • Define evaluation standards: Establish clear, practical criteria for assessing whether an animated performance accurately captures the emotional intent, physical movement, timing, facial expression, and nuances of the original performance.
  • Evaluate performance quality: Identify subtle differences in facial expressions, emotional beats, body language, timing, and character movement that distinguish authentic performance from technically acceptable but emotionally inaccurate animation.
  • Curate evaluation benchmarks: Identify representative examples ranging from straightforward performance-transfer scenarios to complex and challenging cases that test the limits of the technology.
  • Develop review frameworks: Help establish reviewer profiles, evaluation rubrics, and structured guidelines for assessing character and facial animation outputs consistently.
  • Provide expert feedback: Review existing evaluation approaches, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and recommend improvements based on professional animation practices.
  • Collaborate with specialists: Work closely with other animation and visual-performance experts to maintain consistent standards and ensure evaluation criteria accurately reflect professional expectations.
  • Document visual insights: Translate nuanced visual and performance observations into clear, precise language suitable for evaluation templates, datasets, and annotation workflows.
3. Core Qualifications
  • 4+ years of professional experience as a hands-on character animator, with character and human performance as a primary area of expertise.
  • Verifiable credits on two or more feature films, animated productions, or AAA game cinematics produced by recognized studios.
  • Direct experience with facial animation and/or performance capture, including facial keyframe animation, motion-capture solving, cleanup, motion editing, or character/facial rig development.
  • Exceptional understanding of micro-expressions, emotional timing, body mechanics, facial performance, and the subtle characteristics that make animated performances feel believable.
  • Familiarity with modern AI-assisted creative tools and workflows, including the ability to generate or work with visual samples for testing and comparison.
  • Strong ability to articulate complex visual observations clearly and translate them into precise evaluation criteria, captions, and written feedback.
  • Excellent attention to detail and the ability to make consistent, evidence-based judgments about animation quality.
  • Willingness and ability to participate in in-person working sessions in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, CA, or New York, NY once or twice per month.
  • Reliable access to a 4K-resolution monitor for detailed visual and pixel-level review is preferred.
4. Who This Role Is For
This opportunity is specifically designed for professionals whose primary expertise is character performance and facial animation.
Relevant backgrounds may include character animation, facial animation, performance capture, motion editing, facial rigging, or related character-performance disciplines.
The role is not intended for professionals whose primary experience is limited to cinematography, lighting, camera work, color grading, compositing, editing, generalist 3D work, layout, previsualization, environments, or visual effects without substantial character-performance experience.
5. Equal Opportunity
We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all qualified applicants. We do not discriminate based on legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals throughout the application and engagement process.
6. Engagement Terms
  • Part-time professional engagement.
  • Remote work with periodic in-person collaboration sessions.
  • Approximately one to two in-person sessions per month, depending on project requirements.
  • Engagement duration may vary based on project needs and performance.
  • Work will focus on evaluation, expert feedback, benchmark development, and quality standards for character and facial animation.

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