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Temporary Animation Character Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

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 ...

Leland

Animation & CGI Coach

$108K - $123K/yr

This role includes helping students develop core animation techniques and 3D modeling skills, along with more specialized areas like character design, storyboarding, motion graphics, rendering, and ...

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 ... From early concept exploration to final design execution, you will craft compelling, expressive ...

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 ... From early concept exploration to final design execution, you will craft compelling, expressive ...

Side

3D Character Artist - Talent Pool (N Americas)

$123K - $130K/yr

Strong understanding of anatomy, proportion, weight, and volume as they relate to character design and animation. * Experience with high- and low-poly modeling, texturing, and shading techniques.

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Temporary Animation Character Design information

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$104.5K

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$128.5K

How much do temporary animation character design jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for temporary animation character design 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 the difference between Temporary Animation Character Design vs Character Modeler?

AspectTemporary Animation Character DesignCharacter Modeler
CredentialsPortfolio, relevant animation or design experiencePortfolio, 3D modeling skills, software proficiency
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, film, TV, gaming projects3D modeling studios, game development, VFX companies
Industry UsageUsed for creating animated characters for short-term projectsUsed for developing detailed 3D character models for production

Temporary Animation Character Design focuses on creating animated characters for specific projects, often involving quick turnaround and conceptual work. Character Modelers specialize in building detailed 3D models used in animation, gaming, or VFX. While both roles require artistic skills and industry experience, they serve different stages of the character creation process and are often employed together in production pipelines.

What cities are hiring for Temporary Animation Character Design jobs?

Cities with the most Temporary Animation Character Design job openings:

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

The most popular types of Animation Character Design jobs are:

What states have the most Temporary Animation Character Design jobs?

States with the most job openings for Temporary Animation Character Design jobs include:

Temporary 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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