Senior Character Animator & AI Performance Trainer

Mercor; Pennsauken Township (NJ); On-site; USD 83,000 - 165,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading AI lab is seeking a senior character animator to help define and evaluate a performance-transfer model for feature films, VFX, and AAA games. This part-time W-2 role is with Cincinnatus LLC, placing you with a top-tier AI lab as part of the extended workforce and enabling in-person sessions in Los Angeles or New York.

You will set quality standards for body mechanics and facial nuance, critique model outputs, build benchmark references, and help calibrate the reviewer pool to ensure

Qualifications

• 10+ years as hands-on character animator focused on human and character acting.
• Animator credits on feature films, VFX features or AAA game cinematics at recognized studios.
• Sharp eye for micro expressions, lip sync, weight and timing.
• Strongly preferred: facial animation experience, and recent work in real-time engines (Unreal or Unity), VR/XR, or performance capture pipelines.
• Hands-on use of generative image/video tools (e.g., Sora, Veo, Midjourney, Runway, Kling) to create samples for testing.
• Able to work on-site in Playa Vista (Los Angeles), CA or New York, NY for in-person sessions once or twice a month.
• Strong written communication and the ability to turn visual detail into clear language for evaluation templates.

Responsibilities

• Set the quality bar: Define clear standards for when a performance has been carried over well.
• Critique model outputs: Review generated performances shot by shot and write precise notes.
• Build benchmarks: Choose reference performances from easy to hard to test the model.
• Shape the reviewer pool: Define profiles, rubrics, and calibration for human reviewers.
• Collaborate with other experts to ensure evaluations are consistent and accurate.

Skills

Character animation

Lip sync

Micro expressions

Tim­ing

Performance evaluation

Real-time engines

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

VR/XR

Performance capture pipelines

Job description

A leading AI lab is seeking a senior character animator to help define and evaluate a performance-transfer model for feature films, VFX, and AAA games. This part-time W-2 role is with Cincinnatus LLC, placing you with a top-tier AI lab as part of the extended workforce and enabling in-person sessions in Los Angeles or New York.

You will set quality standards for body mechanics and facial nuance, critique model outputs, build benchmark references, and help calibrate the reviewer pool to ensure