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Trainee Animation Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Technical Artist III- UI/UX (REMOTE)

OR · Remote

$126K - $151K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Technical Artist III- UI/UX (REMOTE) Salary Range: Salary Minimum: [[salaryMin]] Salary Maximum ... lighting, materials, animations, animation rigs, skinning and VFX with Realtime engines like Unity ...

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general ... Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in ...

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general ... Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in ...

3D Artist

Dallas, TX · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

... scene by lighting and texturing the product, and then add animation to show how the product ... The 3D Artist position is a full-time role, with competitive salary, full employee medical benefits ...

3D Artist

Dallas, TX · On-site

$50K - $65K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

... scene by lighting and texturing the product, and then add animation to show how the product ... The 3D Artist position is a full-time role, with competitive salary, full employee medical benefits ...

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$69.09 - $86.35/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

Monitor the needs of rigging, animation, and design to ensure clear characters in game • Maintain ... Keen eye to form, lighting, colors and composition * Very strong portfolio showing high quality ...

Bachelor's Degree in 3D animation or 3D art/ game design (with animation skills) Training and ... Lighting o Scene dressing o Prefab basics o Rendering image sequences in game engine Portfolio:

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Trainee Animation Lighting Artist information

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How much do trainee animation lighting artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for trainee animation lighting artist in the United States is $29.11, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.76 and $32.93 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a trainee animation lighting artist do?

A Trainee Animation Lighting Artist is responsible for assisting in the creation and adjustment of lighting within animated scenes to achieve the desired mood, atmosphere, and visual style. They work closely with senior lighting artists and other departments to ensure that the lighting complements the storytelling and enhances the visual appeal. Trainee artists learn to use industry-standard lighting software and tools while developing their technical and artistic skills. Their work helps to bring animated characters and environments to life through effective use of light and shadow.

What is the difference between Trainee Animation Lighting Artist vs Junior Animation Lighting Artist?

AspectTrainee Animation Lighting ArtistJunior Animation Lighting Artist
CredentialsBasic knowledge of lighting software, relevant courseworkSimilar credentials, often with some practical experience
Work EnvironmentTraining programs, supervised projectsEntry-level projects under supervision
Industry UsageInternship or apprenticeship rolesFull-time entry-level position in animation studios

The main difference is that a Trainee Animation Lighting Artist is typically in a learning or internship phase, focusing on gaining skills and experience, while a Junior Animation Lighting Artist is an entry-level professional actively working on projects with more responsibility. Both roles require similar foundational knowledge, but the trainee role emphasizes training and development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a trainee animation lighting artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Trainee Animation Lighting Artist, you need a solid understanding of lighting principles, color theory, and basic animation, often supported by a relevant degree or portfolio of work. Familiarity with industry-standard software like Autodesk Maya, Houdini, and rendering engines such as Arnold or RenderMan is typically expected. Attention to detail, creativity, and strong problem-solving abilities are essential soft skills for this role. Mastering these skills ensures visually compelling scenes, efficient collaboration with production teams, and successful adaptation to the technical demands of animation projects.

What are some common challenges faced by trainee animation lighting artists during their initial projects?

Trainee Animation Lighting Artists often encounter challenges such as understanding the technical requirements of different lighting software and adapting to the established visual style of a studio. Balancing artistic creativity with the need to meet tight production deadlines can also be demanding. Additionally, collaborating effectively with senior lighting artists, animators, and compositors requires strong communication skills to ensure the final look matches the director’s vision. Overcoming these challenges typically involves seeking feedback, continuous learning, and practicing flexibility within a team-oriented environment.

What cities are hiring for Trainee Animation Lighting Artist jobs?

Cities with the most Trainee Animation Lighting Artist job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Animation Lighting Artist jobs?

The most popular types of Animation Lighting Artist jobs are:

What states have the most Trainee Animation Lighting Artist jobs?

States with the most job openings for Trainee Animation Lighting Artist jobs include:

Technical Director II - Disney Television Animation

The Walt Disney Company

Glendale, CA

$60.12 - $61.92/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago


Walt Disney Company rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 128 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

5th of 52 rated entertainment


Job description

Job Posting Title:

Technical Director II - Disney Television Animation

Req ID:

10149315

Job Description:

About this Role and our Studio

Disney Television Animation(DTVA)has over 40 years of legacy as a top producer of kids & family entertainment. Our work is integraltoThe Walt Disney Company, bringing Disney-branded characters and stories to families' homes across the globe.

DTVA createsboth long-form and short-form content spanningtraditional2D, rig-based 2D, CG (preschool), CG (premium), and stop-motion.We createshows ina broad range of unique and innovative styles, and we aim to match the right talent with the right production in terms of skill and artistic style.

Bysubmittingan applicationfor thisTD II role, youmaybeconsideredforanyTD II positions that arise until theexpirationdate provided.

Applications submitted to this job posting will remain valid until December 31, 2026.

Whatyou willdo

The Technical Director II is responsible for executing retakes or creating shots from scratch to facilitating the movies' overall creative vision to life. The ideal candidate is comfortable digging into complex shots created by our international animation partners and improving them with surgical precision and artistry. Extensive knowledge of all stages of 2D/Harmony production including Importing, creation of new scenes, compositing, and the file structure of ToonBoom Harmony is required. This position requires technical skills combined with refined artistic skills, including an eye for composition, color, and lighting and a strong knowledge of animation principles. This position works closely with the Senior TD of Digital Department, Creative Leadership, Production and other Technical Directors in Digital Production.

  • Perform shot work as needed, including fixes at any stage of the pipeline. For 2D/Harmony series this would include adjusting color, adjusting lighting, adjusting animation timing, re-animating, fx and compositing.

  • Support the production in facilitating creative and technical workflows that pertain to pre-production artwork, necessary technical assets for production, or tool creation and retake calls within series approved assumptions.

  • If applicable, for CG shots, support the production via shot or asset troubleshooting, artistic or technical input, research and development, or tool creation.

  • Facilitate creation and delivery of final domestic source master materials to broadcast and streaming business units.

  • Create or recommend tools or pipelines to increase efficiency.

  • Ingest incoming shot data for editorial as needed.

  • Provide occasional technical support for shot and asset data for subcontractors and other groups in the Walt Disney Company specific to the pipeline of the assigned production.

  • Promote a positive, productive, and highly collaborative work environment.

  • Additional duties as necessary, or as defined by individual contracts.

Required Qualificationsand Skills

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in animation production.

  • Expert knowledge of all stages of 2D/Harmony workflows. CG production knowledge including modeling, surfacing, rigging, lighting, rendering, fx, and compositing required.

  • Expert knowledge of Harmony and Photoshop required.

  • ToonBoom Harmony, TV Paint, or Adobe Animate (Flash) and CG experience a plus.

  • Familiarity with other CG technologies such as Houdini, BiFrost, Blender, After Effects, Redshift, Maya, Arnold, Nuke, vRay and Ornatrix a plus.

  • For CG series, Python and MEL experience utilizing the Nuke and Maya APIs, and Unix shell scripting experience strongly preferred.

  • Solution-oriented outlook and a proactive personality; willing to roll up their sleeves and directly fix shot, data, or asset issues.

  • Demonstrated ability to integrate artistic vision with technical expertise.

  • Must be able to work in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

  • Experience working with subcontractor animation studios a plus.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Computer Graphics, or Bachelor of Arts in Film and Animation Production, or equivalent industry experience required.

Job Location

  • This is a fully on-site role based in Glendale, CA.

The pay rate for this role in California is $60.12 to $61.92 per hour, which follows the pay scale agreed upon in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The base pay actually offered may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

Job Posting Segment:

Disney Branded Television

Job Posting Primary Business:

TVA Production Management

Primary Job Posting Category:

Production

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Glendale, CA, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2026-04-22

What Walt Disney Company employees say

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About Walt Disney

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world. "We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!

Industry

Amusement, gambling, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

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