Character Rigger CG

Fixed term contract

Wild Child Animation is expanding the senior team at our Animation studio in Stirling and is looking to hire an experienced senior/lead Character Rigger to work on a series of development projects over the next 3 to 4 months with the possibility of transitioning to a full-time permanent role.

This role requires a technically skilled character rigger with a broad background rigging different types of characters and creatures. The studio is looking for open and engaging individuals who are not only good team leaders but also team players.  You will be required to work with various Heads of departments, including the Head of Animation to ensure a consistent high level of quality and creativity.

Prior experience is a must, as is a thorough knowledge of Maya and the ability to troubleshoot technical problems. A good understanding of the animation pipeline including pre-production, production and various types of automated rigging tools is essential.

Candidates must be able to work from home initially and be able or willing to work onsite in Stirling should circumstances change.  In the event that you are not UK based, you should have relevant visas in place permitting this, if required, at time of application.

Responsibilities

• Work with concept artists and animators on the characters physical attributes early in the design process
• Designing, testing and maintaining character rigging set ups
• Ensuring character movements are fluid, free of glitches and controls are optimised for efficiency and ease of use
• Writing MEL scripts to customize software to specific animation requirements
• Working with animators to create user-friendly characters i.e easy to work with
• Establishing logical system of file creation for use within the course of production
• Developing tools and plug-ins to optimise animation
• Working with Head of CG to establish character pipeline
• Identifying issues and following through with enquiries
• Working alongside animation department to ensure rigs are robustly tested

Software Experience

As a rigger familiarity and extensive knowledge of the following software is essential as well as decent familiarity with a variety of operating systems, i.e Linux, Windows and MacOs

• MEL scripting
• Maya
• Motion Builder
• mGear
• *C4D
• Unreal Engine – any knowledge and experience working on narrative content in UE will be advantageous

General

Over and above the required technical experience, Wild Child Animation is looking for team players who are comfortable taking notes (critique) and working through problems.  Rigging can be a complex process and the ability to work well under pressure is a must.

*while the studio primarily utilises a Maya based character pipeline we do have a requirement for an experienced C4D character rigger.