Animation Artist - Senior

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Rodeo FX’ s Bengaluru studio is seeking an Animation Artist to deliver high-end, hyper-realistic performances for creatures, characters, and animated objects. You’ll work with the Animation Lead to meet deadlines and uphold artistic vision across shots.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in a VFX/animation environment, strong Maya skills, and sharp timing, weight, and acting abilities, with excellent English communication for cross-studio collaboration.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a VFX or animation studio environment.
• Strong understanding of body mechanics, facial animation, timing, weight and performance.
• Strong professional English communication skills and ability to collaborate across studios.

Responsibilities

• Deliver polished animation work meeting creative intent and production specs.
• Interpret direction to build nuanced performances and propose motion ideas.
• Ensure clean, export-ready animation and troubleshoot issues with tech teams.
• Support dailies and reviews, and communicate timelines and risks clearly.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Acting performance

Tools

Maya

Job description

Rodeo FX is an award-winning creative company offering services in visual effects, animation, advertising and experiential. We partner with some of the world's leading storytellers and entertainment companies, including Netflix, HBO, Disney, Marvel, Amazon Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony.

In 2026, Rodeo FX opened its newest studio in Bengaluru, expanding our global network across Canada, the United States, Europe and India. Located in International Tech Park Bengaluru, the new 40,000-square-foot studio is designed to accommodate up to 400 artists and supports both Rodeo FX and Mikros Animation.

Our Bengaluru team is fully integrated into Rodeo FX's global pipeline, collaborating with artists, supervisors and production teams across our international studios on incredible projects.

We're now building the senior creative and technical leadership for this studio. Joining us at this stage means having the opportunity not only to contribute to world-class projects, but also to help shape the team, workflows and culture of a growing global hub.

Work arrangements:

As an artist-founded and artist-led company, creativity is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to give our talent the freedom, resources, and environment they need to produce high-quality work and thrive in a stimulating, collaborative, and supportive setting.

To support close collaboration, strong team connections, and the creative energy of our studio, all Bengaluru roles are expected to work from the studio five days per week. This on-site presence helps foster effective communication, faster decision-making, knowledge sharing, and a consistent studio culture across teams.

Job Description

The Animation Artist at Rodeo FX is responsible for delivering high-end, hyper-realistic performances for creatures, characters, and animated objects. With a sharp eye for timing, weight, and emotion, the artist brings life and credibility to animated assets, whether realistic or stylized. Working closely with the Animation Lead and Supervisor, the artist contributes creatively and technically to the success of each shot, while adhering to the project’s artistic vision, technical specifications, and deadlines.

Key Responsibilities:

Master your craft

• Deliver polished animation work that meets both creative intent and production specifications.
• Demonstrate a solid grasp of animation principles—timing, weight, arcs, and posing—across different performance styles.
• Adapt quickly to varying animation contexts (realistic creatures, mechanical objects, stylized characters).

Creative Quality

• Interpret creative direction and reference materials to build nuanced and expressive performances.
• Propose original ideas and motion choices that enhance the storytelling and overall impact of the shot.
• Seek and integrate feedback constructively to elevate the quality of animation.

Technical Quality

• Ensure animation is clean, functional, and export-ready for downstream departments.
• Anticipate and troubleshoot rigging or scene-related issues in collaboration with technical teams.
• Maintain naming conventions, file structures, and technical requirements as per pipeline standards.

Communication

• Provide realistic time estimates, communicate promptly in case of issues or potential delays, and collaborate with production to adjust priorities if needed.
• Maintain open communication with production, leads, and adjacent departments to support smooth handoffs and problem-solving.
• Flag roadblocks proactively and propose viable solutions when technical or creative issues arise.
• Participate actively in dailies and reviews, clearly presenting work and responding to notes.

Teach, learn and grow

• Share tools, tips, and approaches with peers to foster collective improvement.
• Engage in learning sessions, studio initiatives, or internal mentorship programs.
• Stay current with evolving trends, software, and animation methodologies to refine your practice.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a VFX or animation studio environment, preferably on high-end feature film and/or episodic productions.
• Strong proficiency in Maya; experience with other animation tools is a plus.
• Solid understanding of body mechanics, facial animation, timing, weight, and performance.
• Ability to animate from reference and build compelling acting performances.
• Strong portfolio or demo reel demonstrating high-quality character, creature, and/or object animation.
• High attention to detail, autonomy, and ability to manage deadlines effectively.
• Positive, collaborative mindset and strong communication skills.
• Strong professional English communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with teams across multiple studios and time zones.
• Experience with Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) or other production tracking tools is an asset.
• Knowledge of rigging fundamentals or custom tool development is an asset.

Additional Information

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Rodeo FX, diversity is a core value. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, equitable workplace where different perspectives are embraced. Every team member brings unique insight that strengthens our creativity, challenges our thinking, and helps us deliver better work.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

Rodeo FX may use AI-based tools to support certain steps of the recruitment process, such as interview transcription or preliminary application analysis. These tools may be operated by third‑party providers, and data may be processed outside Quebec. These tools never replace human decision‑making: all final hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team and hiring managers. To learn more about how we protect your personal information and your rights, please consult our Privacy Policy.