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Freelance Animation Character Design Jobs in California

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become

Skydance

Character Designer

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K - $4.0K/wk

Skydance Animation is seeking an experienced Character Designer to join our team on an upcoming feature film. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in bringing stories to life by shaping the

Skydance

Character Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$2.9K - $4.0K/wk

Skydance Animation is seeking an experienced Character Designer to join our team on an upcoming feature film. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in bringing stories to life by shaping the

TrueShort

Reference Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Reference Designer About TrueShort TrueShort is one of the fastest-growing streaming apps in the United States. An AI studio and streaming platform where we experiment, develop and release original

Naughty Dog

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA

$135K - $142K/yr

This is a hybrid / onsite position. For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and

Childhood Cancer Society

$15.50 - $20.75/hr

About Childhood Cancer Society Childhood Cancer Society (CCS) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting families battling pediatric cancer, providing financial assistance, emotional

Childhood Cancer Society

$15.25 - $20.25/hr

About Childhood Cancer Society Childhood Cancer Society (CCS) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting families battling pediatric cancer, providing financial assistance, emotional

Childhood Cancer Society

$16 - $21.50/hr

About Childhood Cancer Society Childhood Cancer Society (CCS) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting families battling pediatric cancer, providing financial assistance, emotional

Childhood Cancer Society

$16.25 - $21.75/hr

About Childhood Cancer Society Childhood Cancer Society (CCS) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting families battling pediatric cancer, providing financial assistance, emotional

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All JobsAnimation Character Design JobsFreelance Animation Character Design JobsFreelance Animation Character Design Jobs in California

Freelance Animation Character Design information

What is the difference between Freelance Animation Character Design vs Freelance 3D Modeler?

AspectFreelance Animation Character DesignFreelance 3D Modeler
Skills & CredentialsDrawing, illustration, character concept skills, portfolio3D modeling, software proficiency (e.g., Blender, Maya), portfolio
Work EnvironmentCreative studios, remote, client meetingsRemote, studio, or on-site, client collaboration
Industry UsageAnimation, gaming, advertisingGaming, film, product visualization
Search & Comparison IntentClients seeking character design for animation projectsClients needing 3D models for various media

While both roles involve digital artistry, Freelance Animation Character Designers focus on creating 2D character concepts and illustrations for animation and media, whereas Freelance 3D Modelers specialize in building three-dimensional models for various applications. Understanding these differences helps clients find the right freelancer for their project needs.

What are the most commonly searched types of Animation Character Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Animation Character Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Animation Character Design jobs in California?

For Freelance Animation Character Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Animation Character Design jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Animation Character Design jobs in California are:

Freelance Animation Character Design jobs near you

Character Artist

Human Computer Lab

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.
Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered. We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.
What to expect
We're looking for a character artist to help define how LeLamp looks, moves, and feels - the visual and expressive language that makes a robot read as alive rather than mechanical. You'll work on everything from early concept sketches and mood boards to the motion, gesture, and lighting cues that give the robot its personality, translating character intent into something the hardware and software teams can actually build and ship. This role requires tight, fast-cycling collaboration with electrical, mechanical, and software teams - character decisions here don't stay on paper, they become motor curves, timing, and light behavior. You'll work closely with the CEO and founding team to shape the character identity of LeLamp and the robots that follow.
In this role, you will:
  • Create concept art, mood boards, and character studies that define LeLamp's personality and visual identity.
  • Collaborate with the hardware team on form factor, silhouette, materials, and color to keep the physical design aligned with the character.
  • Design expressive motion - gestures, "emotional" states, and behaviors expressed through movement, light, and sound.
  • Prototype and iterate quickly, moving between sketches, renders, and physical mockups.
  • Partner with robotics and software engineers to translate character intent into concrete behavior parameters (motion curves, timing, lighting cues).
  • Build and maintain style guides and a character bible to keep the robot's expression consistent as the team grows.
  • Review hardware and software prototypes against the character vision and give clear, actionable feedback.
  • Support brand and marketing assets to keep the character consistent across every touchpoint.

You may be a good fit if you:
  • Are pursuing a degree in screen-writing, animation, character design, industrial design, or a related field - or have equivalent hands-on portfolio experience.
  • Have a portfolio that shows character design or expressive design work, in 2D or 3D.
  • Document clearly and can explain the reasoning behind a design choice, not just the choice itself.
  • Are comfortable iterating quickly, moving from rough sketch to testable prototype without waiting for a perfect brief.
  • Are genuinely interested in physical products, not just screen-based or purely digital characters.

You will be a strong fit, if you:
  • Have designed characters or mascots that had to work within real hardware or physical constraints, not just on a screen.
  • Understand core animation principles (timing, weight, squash and stretch, anticipation) and know how to translate them into motors, servos, and lighting.
  • Are comfortable collaborating directly with engineers, turning an abstract sense of "feel" into concrete specs they can build against.
  • Move quickly through iteration cycles and don't wait for perfect information to make progress.
  • Take ownership over your work end to end, from first sketch to a behavior that's live in the robot.
  • Work well in small, collaborative teams where character, electrical, and mechanical are in constant conversation.
  • Care about what the character enables: warmth, expressiveness, and the feeling that the robot is alive.

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.
We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don't want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.

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