Vancouver jobs : 3D Animator at Image Engine Image Engine

Festybay; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 105,000 - 122,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage Day 1: 100% premiums

Wellness days: up to 8 per year

Collaborative studio culture

Job summary

Image Engine in Vancouver, BC, seeks a Senior Animator for a short-term contract to lead high-profile character and creature animation. You will mentor juniors, ensure on-time delivery, and maintain quality across complex hero shots.

The role requires 7+ years in VFX/feature film animation, expert Maya skills, and a strong eye for storytelling. This hybrid position supports a dynamic studio culture and collaborative workflow.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience animating character and creature assets within a dedicated VFX or feature film studio pipeline.
• Demonstrated expert-level mastery of traditional animation principles, physical mechanics, acting, and facial expression.
• Strong visual storytelling skills with a deep understanding of camera angles, composition, framing, lens language, and continuity.
• Expert-level knowledge of Autodesk Maya.
• Exceptional time management, adaptability to proprietary tools, and top-tier communication skills. Ability to remain motivated and collaborative during intense iteration cycles.

Responsibilities

• Performance & Motion: Collaborate closely with the Animation Supervisor and Leads to develop convincing performances, weight, and motion for both character and non-character assets.
• Shot Execution: Animate dynamic, believable, and appealing assets across a difficulty spectrum ranging from simple setups to complex hero shots with minimal supervision.
• Schedule Management: Partner with the production team to monitor shot progress, manage individual weekly targets, and maintain awareness of show-wide deadlines.
• Show Continuity: Coordinate with the broader animation team to preserve performance consistency, style, and continuity across sequences.
• Quality Control (QC): Complete comprehensive self-assessments on all work prior to supervisor submission, rectifying issues such as poor staging, off-model tracking, clipping, or weak silhouettes.
• Pipeline Troubleshooting: Utilize a proficient understanding of the studio pipeline to troubleshoot scene issues and provide actionable feedback on tools and interfaces to maximize team throughput.
• Collaboration & Iteration: Attend dailies, reviews, and department meetings. Receptive to creative critique, addressing notes accurately and turning around revisions under tight schedules.
• Mentorship: Provide peer leadership, coaching, and technical guidance to junior animators.

Skills

7+ years experience in animation

Storytelling

Time management

Collaboration

Mentorship

Education

7+ years in animation education

Tools

Autodesk Maya

Job description

The Senior 3D Animator is responsible for executing top-tier character and creature animation with speed, efficiency, and autonomy. In this role, you will tackle the most complex and demanding shots on the production schedule, translating briefing notes into convincing motion with minimal direction from team Leads or Supervisors. For senior artists surveying Vancouver jobs for a role that offers true creative ownership, this position provides the platform to work on high-profile, complex hero sequences.

As a senior member of the team, you will strictly quality-check your own work and consistently hit deadlines. Beyond your individual shot assignments, you will serve as a mentor to junior artists, assist the Animation Lead with secondary quality control checks when required, and proactively flag technical or creative issues. If you are comparing senior Vancouver jobs to find a collaborative environment where leadership is encouraged, you must be prepared to step into a temporary management capacity when production needs or team absences require it, maintaining a positive, solution-oriented attitude in high-pressure environments.

Senior Animator (Short-Term Contract)

• Company: Image Engine
• Position Title: Senior Animator (Short-Term Contract)
• Department: Animation
• Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (Hybrid)
• Project Timeline: Commencing June/July 2026
• Hiring Range: $105,000 to $122,000 / year (Based on a 40-hour work week)
• Core Software: Autodesk Maya
• Experience Required: 7+ years animating character & creature assets for VFX or feature films
• Key Benefits: 100% premium-covered extended healthcare from Day 1, up to 8 paid health & wellness days
• Residency Requirement: Must be currently based in British Columbia and eligible to work in Canada

About Image Engine

Based in Vancouver, BC, Image Engine is a world-class visual effects studio that has anchored a reputation for cinematic excellence since 1995. We specialize in crafting groundbreaking visual effects for high-profile feature films and television. Our award-winning portfolio includes acclaimed projects such as Skeleton Crew, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones, Lost in Space, Jurassic World, and District 9. For artists evaluating the competitive landscape of Vancouver jobs, our studio stands out as a premier destination where you can leave an impact on massive, global franchises.

We offer an end-to-end suite of visual effects services, spanning from initial concept designs and pre-visualization to complex CG animation, seamless compositing, and explosive volumetric digital effects. Our crew is deeply passionate about storytelling, constantly pushing artistic and technical boundaries to deliver unparalleled quality. Continuous research and development is central to our philosophy, allowing us to drive creativity through pipeline innovation. If you are filtering through various Vancouver jobs looking for a studio that genuinely invests in its tools, workflows, and infrastructure, you will find a highly advanced technical home here.

At Image Engine, we champion diversity, collaboration, and mutual respect. We believe our success is a direct reflection of our exceptionally talented team, and we strive to foster a supportive, empowering workplace culture. Explore our open positions, connect with our recruitment team, and see how our opportunities stand out among creative Vancouver jobs. Join us on our mission to create unforgettable visual experiences!

Duties & Responsibilities

• Performance & Motion: Collaborate closely with the Animation Supervisor and Leads to develop convincing performances, weight, and motion for both character and non-character assets.
• Shot Execution: Animate dynamic, believable, and appealing assets across a difficulty spectrum ranging from simple setups to complex hero shots with minimal supervision.
• Schedule Management: Partner with the production team to monitor shot progress, manage individual weekly targets, and maintain awareness of show-wide deadlines.
• Show Continuity: Coordinate with the broader animation team to preserve performance consistency, style, and continuity across sequences.
• Quality Control (QC): Complete comprehensive self-assessments on all work prior to supervisor submission, rectifying issues such as poor staging, off-model tracking, clipping, or weak silhouettes.
• Pipeline Troubleshooting: Utilize a proficient understanding of the studio pipeline to troubleshoot scene issues and provide actionable feedback on tools and interfaces to maximize team throughput.
• Collaboration & Iteration: Attend dailies, reviews, and department meetings. Receptive to creative critique, addressing notes accurately and turning around revisions under tight schedules.
• Mentorship: Provide peer leadership, coaching, and technical guidance to junior animators.

Education, Experience & Skills

Requirements

• Industry Tenure: 7+ years of professional experience animating character and creature assets within a dedicated VFX or feature film studio pipeline.
• Animation Fundamentals: Demonstrated expert-level mastery of traditional animation principles, physical mechanics, acting, and facial expression.
• Cinematographic Eye: Strong visual storytelling skills with a deep understanding of camera angles, composition, framing, lens language, and continuity.
• Software Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of Autodesk Maya.
• Soft Skills: Exceptional time management, adaptability to proprietary tools, and top-tier communication skills. Ability to remain motivated and collaborative during intense iteration cycles.

Desirable Assets

• A working knowledge of Motion Capture (Mocap) workflows and data.
• A foundational understanding of character Rigging mechanics.

Company Benefits

From your very first day on the team, Image Engine provides comprehensive support to ensure your health and well-being:

• Extended Healthcare: 100% of insurance premiums are covered by Image Engine starting Day 1.
• Wellness Days: Up to 8 paid Health and Wellness days per calendar year.
• Culture: An inclusive, empowering environment designed to support long-term creative growth.