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Maya Rigger Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

Maya Rigging experience * Shader programming experience * Scripting skills with MEL, Python, C#, Javascript and C++ Additional Information All your information will be kept confidential according to ...

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

Maya Rigging experience * Shader programming experience * Scripting skills with MEL, Python, C#, Javascript and C++ Additional Information All your information will be kept confidential according to ...

Familiarity with Maya rigging/skinning Nice to Haves: * A passionate Gamer * A Sky Player * Human Anatomy & Animal Anatomy knowledge * Understanding of clothing construction and real-world materials

$117K - $140K/yr

Maya strongly preferred for rigging. * Deep knowledge of character rigging, facial rigs, animation workflows, and motion capture. * Strong Unreal Engine 5 experience, including runtime character ...

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How much do maya rigger jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for maya rigger in the United States is $26.02, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $23.08 and $29.81 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Maya Rigger do?

A Maya Rigger is responsible for creating the skeletal structures and controls that allow 3D characters, creatures, and objects to move realistically in animation and games. They build rigs with joints, deformers, and constraints to ensure smooth motion and animator-friendly controls. Maya Riggers often work closely with modelers and animators to ensure that rigs function properly and meet production needs. Strong knowledge of anatomy, weight painting, and scripting (such as MEL or Python) is essential for efficiency and flexibility in rigging workflows.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Maya Rigger position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Maya Rigger, you need a deep understanding of 3D rigging principles, anatomy, and strong proficiency in Autodesk Maya, often supported by a degree in animation or related field. Experience with tools like Autodesk Maya, scripting languages such as Python or MEL, and familiarity with version control systems is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving skills, communication, and the ability to collaborate with animators and modelers help set candidates apart. These skills are essential for creating efficient and flexible rigs that support smooth animation workflows and production timelines.

What are the typical collaboration dynamics for a Maya Rigger within a production team?

Maya Riggers often work closely with modelers, animators, and technical directors to ensure characters and assets are ready for animation. You may regularly attend review meetings, troubleshoot rigging issues based on feedback, and adjust rigs to fit the creative needs of animators. This role requires strong communication skills and a willingness to iterate on your work based on collaborative input. Being able to understand both artistic and technical requirements allows Maya Riggers to be a vital link in the production pipeline and ensures a seamless workflow.
What cities are hiring for Maya Rigger jobs? Cities with the most Maya Rigger job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Maya Rigger jobs? The most popular types of Maya Rigger jobs are:
What states have the most Maya Rigger jobs? States with the most job openings for Maya Rigger jobs include:

Lead Rigger | North America | Canada | Europe | Fully Remote

Escape Velocity Entertainment Inc

Remote

$24.50 - $31.75/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, PTO

Posted 2 days ago


Job description

What we are looking for:
We are looking for a Lead Rigger to own our character rigging pipeline and lead our rigging team. You will work closely with Animation, Art Direction, and Production to define quality standards and technical workflows that enable high-fidelity character deformation and performance across all platforms. Your expertise in Maya rigging and Unreal animation and procedural systems - combined with strong tools development abilities - will establish best practices, mentor junior riggers, and drive the evolution of our characters as the game scales.
Requirements
What we will do together:
  • Oversee technical quality of character production: rigging, tools, deformations & simulations in our characters, weapons, and creatures.
  • Lead and mentor our Riggers and Character Technical Artists, fostering growth and accountability within the team.
  • Establish and drive adoption of best practices across the rigging pipeline in collaboration with Art, Animation, and Production teams.
  • Design & develop workflows and tooling that improve iteration speed, quality, and efficiency for riggers and animators.
  • Enhance characters in Unreal through procedural and secondary motion systems, including Control Rig, Physics, and other animation systems.
  • Find creative solutions to achieve secondary motion and optimization while maintaining high performance across all platforms.
  • Support Animation and Art teams with technical rigging expertise, problem-solving, and technical direction.
  • Work with outsourcing partners to establish successful workflows for external character rigging and development.

What you will bring:
  • Minimum five years of experience in the game industry with 2+ released game projects.
  • At least one released Unreal Engine game as a Rigger, Technical Animator, or Technical Artist.
  • Proven experience leading and mentoring a rigging or character technical team.
  • Expert-level rigging skills in Maya, mGear experience a plus.
  • Strong pipeline and tools development experience - designing, architecting, and maintaining rigging toolsets that improve team efficiency.
  • Highly proficient with Python or similar scripting languages for tools development in Maya and Unreal.
  • Highly experienced with Unreal's secondary motion systems, including Rigid Bodies, Cloth, Control Rig, and Anim Dynamics.
  • Excitement for dynamic, optimized characters and continuous process improvement.

Benefits
Interested... a bit about Escape Velocity:
Escape Velocity is a team of passionate, talented developers working at a studio that offers excellent benefits, on what we believe is a once-in-a-career project with a committed publisher. But that doesn't necessarily make us unique. What does make us special? We value the time, energy, and talent of our players and our colleagues. We want every hour spent developing and playing our games to be an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile use of your time. To that end, we are 'Fully Remote' and support team members nearly anywhere in the world. We prioritize honesty, even when that means sharing bad news. We strive to give everyone autonomy so they can determine how best to work and play, and we care more about what you bring to the game and studio than how many hours you're clocking. We're dedicated to building a culture of play, which not only makes us better game makers, but also strengthens the bonds between us all. We believe in constant improvement across all areas - from the game itself to our production design - and are constantly re-evaluating how we spend our time to ensure that we're not wasting yours and we're all always working on the most important things.
A few benefits you can expect from us:
  • A generous PTO allowance
  • Summer and Winter holidays studio closure (separate to PTO allowance)
  • Private Medical & Dental Healthcare
  • Private Mental Health scheme
  • A generous annual Health & Wellbeing allowance
  • Discretionary Studio Bonus
  • Top range tech for your home set up
  • Other benefits based on your region

How to apply:
Click apply and complete an application along with a Resume / CV. If we would like to move forward with your application, a member of the Recruiting Team will reach out to you and guide you through our process.
Escape Velocity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring, promoting, and compensating employees based on their qualifications and demonstrated ability to perform job responsibilities.
Applications will be considered regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief, race, or any other protected category.