ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Volunteer Character Rigger Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Epoch Games

Lead Animator

Winston Salem, NC · On-site

In this volunteer position you will be working closely with 3D Character Artists and our Riggers to Animate Human and realistic (and sometimes Fantastical) Creatures for The Lays of Althas: Sundered ...

Pop-Up Talent

Production Coordinator

Arlington, VA · On-site

$56K/yr

Vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior and a commitment to godly character ... volunteers Technical Knowledge: * Microsoft Office 365 * Digital Audio Consoles * Rigging and ...

People also search for

All JobsVolunteer Character Rigger Jobs

Volunteer Character Rigger information

See salary details

$14

$26

$36

How much do volunteer character rigger jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for volunteer character 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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Volunteer Character Rigger, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Volunteer Character Rigger, you need a solid understanding of 3D modeling, anatomy, and animation principles, often supported by experience with digital art or animation courses. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, and rigging plugins like Advanced Skeleton is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and attention to detail help you collaborate effectively with animators and artists. These skills ensure that character rigs are functional, efficient, and support the creative vision of animation projects.

What are the typical collaboration points between a Volunteer Character Rigger and other team members in an animation or game project?

As a Volunteer Character Rigger, you’ll frequently collaborate with character modelers, animators, and technical artists. You’ll work closely with modelers to ensure rigs are compatible with character meshes, and coordinate with animators to make sure rigs provide the necessary range of motion and controls. Regular communication with technical artists or programmers may also be necessary to troubleshoot compatibility and ensure rigs work smoothly within the project’s pipeline. Effective teamwork and clear documentation are key, as your work directly impacts several stages of the production process.

What are Volunteer Character Riggers?

Volunteer Character Riggers are individuals who create the digital skeletons and control systems (rigs) that enable 3D characters to move realistically in animation, video games, or visual effects projects. As volunteers, they typically contribute their skills to non-profit projects, indie productions, or educational initiatives without monetary compensation. Their work involves building joint structures, setting up deformers, and creating user-friendly controls for animators to manipulate characters efficiently. Volunteer Character Riggers often collaborate closely with modelers and animators to ensure characters perform as intended. This role is essential for bringing digital characters to life in any animated production.
More about Volunteer Character Rigger jobs
What cities are hiring for Volunteer Character Rigger jobs? Cities with the most Volunteer Character Rigger job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Character Rigger jobs? The most popular types of Character Rigger jobs are:
What states have the most Volunteer Character Rigger jobs? States with the most job openings for Volunteer Character Rigger jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Volunteer Character Rigger jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Volunteer Character Rigger jobs are:
Volunteer Character Rigger jobs near you
Infographic showing various Volunteer Character Rigger job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 41% Full Time, 26% Temporary, 20% Contract, 6% Nights, and 5% Summer. Highlights an 98% Physical, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,114 per year, or $26 per hour.
Lead Animator

Lead Animator

Epoch Games

Winston Salem, NC • On-site

Other

Posted 20 days ago

Job description

Company Description

Epoch Games is a volunteer-based, all-online, global game development team. We have no centrally-located headquarters and are unincorporated at this time. Most of the original founding members were modders developing the total conversion Middle Earth Roleplaying Project (MERP) mod for the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/merp-middle-earth-roleplaying-project
Currently Epoch Games is developing The Lays of Althas: Sundered Order (LoA:SO). LoA:SO is an in-development indie open-world RPG set in an original fantasy world. The game is being developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4 (UE4):
https://www.unrealengine.com/
For more information about the game, please check out our IndieDb page:
http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-lays-of-althas-sundered-order
NOTE: The address listed is our central office, but we are working as a completely remote development team at this time. No relocation is necessary.

Job Description

In this volunteer position you will be working closely with 3D Character Artists and our Riggers to Animate Human and realistic (and sometimes Fantastical) Creatures for The Lays of Althas: Sundered Order (LoA:SO). 3D Characters are created in Reallusion's Character Creator 3 (CC3), and Creatures are often created using Unreal Engine Marketplace Third Party Assets and modify them.

You will also be helping us in building and leading a new Animation Team (although such experience is optional).

The ability to Rig and Skin Characters is optional, but recommended. It is also recommended, but not required, to have experience with Reallusion iClone 7 to assist with animating Reallusion CC3 Characters.

Communication is key to a smooth and efficient pipeline, you must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with other team-members and not be afraid to ask should any problems arise. We are an English-speaking team, so English fluency is a must.

Other duties include attending weekly team meetings and following team policies.

NOTE: This is not an Internship. We are not looking for short-term Interns. We are looking for a long-term Volunteer Lead Animator.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

  • Strong understanding of Human anatomy and movement.
  • Expertise in animating 3D Characters
  • Expertise in animating quadrupeds and aerial creatures
  • Understanding of traditional animation principles that enhance believable movement
  • Experience with non-gaming Non-linear Animation (NLA) systems and/or has animated for games
  • Rapid prototyping and turn-around for animations
  • Self-motivated and able to troubleshoot technical challenges
  • Online communication (English) and Team-collaboration skills
  • A passion for animation and a dedication to creating AAA quality games

Optional Requirements:

  • Managing and organizing other Animators, and a fair amount of spare-time in order to communicate and manage them
  • Creation of 3D Character Skeletons & Rigs
  • Skinning (weighting) 3D Human Characters & Clothing/Armor
  • Creation of 3D quadruped and aerial creature Skeletons & Rigs
  • Skinning (weighting) 3D quadrupeds and aerial creatures
  • Reallusion Character Creator 3 (CC3) and iClone 7 experience
Additional Information

Software Requirements:

  • Autodesk Maya for Animations
  • Unreal Engine 4 (https://www.unrealengine.com/register)

Optional Software:

  • Motionbuilder useful, but not essential
  • Reallusion iClone 7 (https://www.reallusion.com/iclone/) - a copy can be provided to the Lead Animator if needed

Apply