Lead Technical Animator, Character and Creature Rigging
Leading interactive entertainment and game-engine company; art team working on cosmetics for an online game
| Employer | Leading interactive entertainment and game-engine company; art team working on cosmetics for an online game (not named) |
|---|---|
| Location | Cary, NC (Southeast) · On-site |
| Type & level | Full-time · Lead |
| Pay | Not stated in the posting · BLS median for special effects artists and animators: USD 102,030 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025 national median); the source posting states no pay |
| Visa path | O-1B fit (senior candidates) |
| Role family | Animator / VFX / Game Artist |
About the role
This lead role sits on an art team that creates character cosmetic assets and works with a large media partner on shared content. The lead steers technical animation strategy, rigs characters and creatures, and keeps assets flowing between internal artists and outside vendors. It also involves mentoring more junior rigging-focused technical animators.
What you'll do
- Work with technical animators, leads, directors and outsource managers so assets are set up well at each production stage.
- Drive alignment on technical animation strategy with adjacent cosmetics teams.
- Schedule, prioritize and delegate assets to internal artists and outside vendors together with production.
- Rig characters, weapons, creatures and vehicles.
- Set up assets in a real-time engine, including control rigs, cloth, physics and blueprints.
- Mentor rigging-focused technical animators and keep documentation, video reference and examples for internal and external artists.
Requirements
- Extensive experience rigging characters in Maya and/or a real-time game engine.
- A portfolio showing rigs for bipeds and creatures, both body and face.
- Strong eye for character deformation and physics-driven movement.
- Familiarity with a modern real-time engine's art pipeline.
- Strong written communication and teamwork skills and problem-solving ability.
Nice to have
- Experience with the engine's rigging toolset.
- Python programming.
Pay & benefits
Not stated in the posting · BLS median for special effects artists and animators: USD 102,030. The employer pays 100% of medical, dental and vision HRA premiums for employees and dependents, plus disability and life insurance and a 401k with match. It also lists a mental well-being program, unlimited PTO and sick time, company-wide paid breaks and a sabbatical at 7 years.
Pay source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025 national median); the source posting states no pay. Market data, not an offer from O1DMatch.
Visa path
Lead technical animators often document O-1B eligibility with shipped titles, credits on high-profile projects, awards, press, leadership roles and recommendation letters. The posting states no citizenship restriction. An employer like this, or a U.S. agent, can file, and approval depends on the individual's record.
How to get matched
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This listing describes a real U.S. posting so you can see what employers ask for. O1DMatch does not represent that employer and does not hold this opening; applying matches you with employers hiring for this kind of role. No visa outcome is promised.