Character Rigging & Tools Artist (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Character Rigging & Tools Artist (Gamedev): Developing high-quality character rigs and robust deformation systems for immersive game experiences with an accent on pipeline efficiency and DCC tool development. Focus on building scalable rigging workflows, optimizing performance in Unreal Engine, and collaborating with animation and art teams to solve complex technical challenges.

Location: Must be based in Canada (Remote, Hybrid, or On-site in Toronto)

Salary: $100,000–$130,000 per year

Company

An independent game development studio based in Toronto, known for creating high-impact titles like Chivalry and No More Room in Hell 2.

What you will do

• Create high-quality, production-ready character rigs for humans and creatures.
• Develop and maintain rigging systems, workflows, and pipeline tools to improve team efficiency.
• Collaborate with animators and character artists to ensure optimal performance and visual fidelity.
• Troubleshoot and resolve rigging, skinning, and animation integration issues.
• Optimize character rigs for in-game performance within Unreal Engine.
• Establish and maintain technical documentation for rigging standards and best practices.

Requirements

• 6+ years of professional experience as a Technical Animator or Character Rigging Artist in the video game industry.
• Expertise in Autodesk Maya and MotionBuilder for production-ready rigging.
• Advanced scripting skills in Python and MEL for tool development.
• Solid experience with Unreal Engine character integration and animation pipelines.
• Proven ability to design and maintain scalable rigging pipelines.
• Strong communication skills for effective collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with Unreal Engine Control Rig and Simulation.
• Experience with the Maya MGear plugin.

Culture & Benefits

• 6.5 weeks of paid vacation.
• Employee Stock Options Plan eligibility.
• Flexible work arrangements (remote, hybrid, or on-site).
• Comprehensive healthcare and benefits plan for you and your family.
• 100% parental leave top-up for 16 weeks for Canadian employees.