Senior Character Animator

Overview

Responsibilities

• Set the quality bar: define clear standards for when a performance has been carried over well, in body mechanics, facial nuance, timing and emotional intent, and point out where current evaluations fall short.
• Critique model outputs: review generated performances shot by shot, the way you would in dailies, and write precise, actionable notes.
• Build benchmarks: choose reference performances that range from easy to genuinely hard to capture, so the model is tested on what matters.
• Shape the reviewer pool: help define the profile, rubric and calibration for the human reviewers who score outputs at scale.
• Collaborate with other experts to keep evaluations consistent and accurate.

Requirements

• 10+ years as a hands-on character animator focused on human and character acting, at Senior, Lead or Principal level.
• Animator credits on several feature films, VFX features or AAA game cinematics at recognized studios (e.g., Sony Pictures Imageworks, ILM, Animal Logic, Laika, Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, Framestore, MPC, DNEG, Weta FX).
• A sharp eye for micro expressions, lip sync, weight and timing, and the small acting choices that make a performance feel authentic.
• Hands-on use of generative image and video tools (e.g., Sora, Veo, Midjourney, Runway, Kling) to create your own samples for testing and comparison.
• Able to work on-site in Playa Vista (Los Angeles), CA or New York, NY for in-person working sessions once or twice a month.
• Strong written communication and the ability to turn visual detail into clear, precise language for evaluation templates.

Preferred

• Facial animation experience, and recent work in real-time engines (Unreal or Unity), VR/XR, or performance capture pipelines.

Engagement and pay

• Pay: $60-$90 per hour.
• Part-time, 20 hours per week.
• W-2 employment position with Cincinnatus LLC, with placement at a leading AI lab as part of their extended workforce; Cincinnatus is the employer of record, providing W-2 employment, payroll, benefits and compliance.
• Requires working on-site in Playa Vista (Los Angeles), CA or New York, NY for in-person working sessions once or twice a month.

Eligibility

• The source states eligible location and residence: United States.
• The listing location is California or New York; on-site working sessions in Playa Vista (Los Angeles), CA or New York, NY are required once or twice a month.