3D & Animation Lead

Arilo; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Arilo in Cape Town seeks a 3D & Animation Lead to define photorealistic visualisation standards and lead CGI, animation and AI-assisted rendering. The role is hands-on initially with a path to build and head a dedicated CGI/Motion Studio as the agency scales, with no direct reports at start but growth potential.

You will collaborate with Creative Directors and the AI Studio to deliver beauty-pack shots, product renders and CGI campaigns for premium brands, using Blender/Cinema 4D/Maya and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in an agency or premium production environment.
• Strong CGI production and motion design track record.
• Proficiency with Blender and at least one of Cinema 4D, Maya, or Houdini.
• Rendering and compositing in industry-standard tools such as After Effects and render engines.

Responsibilities

• Define Arilo's standard for photorealistic product visualisation, animation and AI-assisted rendering.
• Hands-on production work in the near term with clear path to lead a CGI and Motion Studio.
• Photorealistic CGI for product launches, campaigns, ecommerce and social visuals.
• Develop lighting environments, materials, and packaging visuals.
• Embed AI into the creative pipeline from concept to rendering and automation.
• Collaborate closely with Creative Directors, Designers, AI Studio and Development team.

Skills

Agency experience

Motion design

Client-facing

AI familiarity

Tools

Blender

Cinema 4D

Maya

3ds Max

Houdini

After Effects

Cycles

Octane

Redshift

Arnold

Eevee

Job description

Arilo is hiring a 3D and Animation Lead to build its CGI Studio

Cape Town, South Africa

Full-time, Permanent, In-office

Arilo, the AI-native creative production and marketing agency with studios in Cape Town, New York and the Philippines, is building one of Africa's most advanced creative production capabilities and is now looking for a 3D & Animation Lead to establish and run its CGI, animation and digital visualisation offering.

Arilo works with ambitious global brands across beauty, healthcare, retail, FMCG and luxury, combining strong creative craft with AI, advanced production techniques and automation. This hire reflects a broader move in the agency's positioning: 3D and AI-enhanced visualisation are becoming central to how premium campaign imagery gets made, alongside and increasingly instead of traditional photography.

The Role:

The successful candidate will define Arilo's standard for photorealistic product visualisation, animation and AI-assisted rendering, from beauty pack shots to full CGI commercials. It's a hands-on production role in the near term, with a clear path to building and leading a dedicated CGI and Motion Studio as the agency scales — there are no direct reports initially, but real scope to grow a team.

Responsibilities Include

• Photorealistic CGI for product launches, campaign key visuals, retail, ecommerce and paid social.
• Product renders, lighting environments, material recreation and packaging visualisation.
• Motion content: product reveals, exploded views, fluid/particle simulations, CGI commercials.
• Embedding AI into the creative pipeline — concepting, compositing, rendering and automation.
• Close collaboration with Creative Directors, Designers, the AI Studio and Development team.
• 7+ years' experience in an agency or premium production environment, ideally client-facing.
• Strong CGI production and motion design track record, with expert-level Blender (Cinema 4D, Maya, 3ds Max or Houdini experience a plus).
• Rendering expertise across Cycles, Octane, Redshift, Arnold or Eevee, and animation/compositing in After Effects.
• Working familiarity with AI creative tools such as Midjourney, Runway, Kling or Flux.
• Beauty, luxury, FMCG, healthcare or retail experience is advantageous.