Senior 3D Animator

We are seeking a skilled 3D Animator with expertise in facial rigging and shapekey animation using Maya. This is a project-based role focused on creating expressive facial performances for stylized or realistic characters. The animator will collaborate with our character artists and creative leads to deliver high-quality assets and animations for production.Responsibilities:● Create and refine facial rigs using bones and shapekeys in Maya.● Animate expressive facial performances, including lip sync and emotional expressions.● Optimize facial rigs for cinematic or real-time use, depending on project needs.● Work closely with character modelers to ensure clean deformations.● Implement corrective shapekeys for improved performance.● Deliver clean, export-ready Blender files aligned with pipeline standards.● Iterate on feedback through regular review cycles.Requirements:● Proficiency in Maya with a focus on rigging, shapekeys, drivers, and constraints.● Proven experience in facial animation with a portfolio or reel demonstrating lip sync, expression, and rig control.● Strong understanding of facial anatomy and deformation techniques.● Experience creating and managing custom UI sliders or control panels for facial animation.● Ability to work with existing meshes and enhance character performance.● Clear communication skills and responsiveness to iterative feedback.● Bonus: Experience with real-time engines like Unity or Unreal is a plus.Application Requirements:● Portfolio or demo reel featuring facial rigging and animation work.● Short message highlighting relevant experience.● Availability and project rate.