Lead Character Technical Artist

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Remote; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first

Competitive salary

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Character Technical Artist to join a remote-first team spanning multiple locations. You will bridge character art and real-time implementation, developing pipelines, rigs, and tools to deliver production-ready assets.

You will mentor junior artists, optimize assets for performance, and collaborate with animators and riggers to push the boundaries of character realism while maintaining stability across engines like Unreal and Unity.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of experience as a Character Technical Artist in games or VFX.
• Expertise in character rigging, including advanced facial rigging.
• Proficient in Python, MEL, or similar scripting languages.
• Experience with Maya or Blender and game engines Unreal Engine or Unity.
• Strong understanding of modeling, texturing, and animation principles.
• Ability to optimize complex assets for real-time performance.
• Excellent problem-solving and collaboration skills.
• Experience leading or mentoring a technical art team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain character rigging pipelines and tools for real-time applications.
• Create high-quality character rigs, including facial rigging and blendshapes.
• Optimize character models, textures, and rigs for performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with character artists to ensure production readiness for rigging and animation.
• Work with animators to troubleshoot rigging issues and enhance animation possibilities.
• Develop tools to automate repetitive tasks within the character pipeline.
• Research and implement new techniques in character rigging and technical art.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior artists.
• Ensure character assets meet technical specifications and quality standards.

Skills

Character rigging

Facial rigging

Python scripting

MEL scripting

Maya/Blender

Game engines

Tools

Maya

Blender

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading innovator in the Arts & Entertainment industry, is seeking a highly skilled Lead Character Technical Artist to join their globally distributed, remote-first team. This role, with roots in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, requires an expert who can bridge the gap between character art and real-time implementation, ensuring characters are not only visually stunning but also performant and rigged for complex animation. You will be instrumental in developing character pipelines, creating and optimizing rigs, and collaborating closely with character artists and animators. As a remote-first company, we champion asynchronous communication and leverage advanced tools to ensure seamless teamwork across different locations. This is a premier opportunity to shape the future of character development in the Arts & Entertainment sector from your home office.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain character rigging pipelines and tools for real-time applications.
• Create high-quality character rigs, including facial rigging and blendshapes.
• Optimize character models, textures, and rigs for performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with character artists to ensure models are production-ready for rigging and animation.
• Work closely with animators to troubleshoot rigging issues and enhance animation possibilities.
• Develop tools and scripts to automate repetitive tasks within the character pipeline.
• Research and implement new techniques and technologies in character rigging and technical art.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior technical artists.
• Ensure character assets meet technical specifications and artistic quality standards.
• Participate in art reviews and provide technical feedback on character assets.

Requirements

• Minimum of 6 years of experience as a Character Technical Artist or similar role in games or VFX.
• Proven expertise in character rigging, including advanced facial rigging techniques.
• Strong proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, MEL, or similar.
• Experience with industry-standard 3D software (Maya, Blender) and game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Solid understanding of character modeling, texturing, and animation principles.
• Ability to optimize complex assets for real-time performance.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, essential for remote team dynamics.
• Experience leading or mentoring a technical art team.
• A portfolio showcasing exceptional character rigging and technical art skills.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and the significant advantage of a remote-first working model. This role, originating from Stellenbosch, Western Cape, allows for exceptional flexibility and the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects within the Arts & Entertainment industry without the need for relocation. We foster a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive virtual environment, with ample opportunities for professional development and growth.