3D Animator Long Beach, California, United States Job at Vast Space LLC in Long

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero‑gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven‑1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low‑Earth orbit in 2026. It is part of our stepping stone approach to continuous human presence in LEO. Our team is all‑in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is seeking a Senior 3D Animator to join our team. Reporting to the Director, Brand, you will support the development of the systems required for the design and build of artificial‑gravity human‑rated space stations.

You are a creative, thoughtful, and experienced 3D animation professional and storyteller who will focus on elevating and amplifying how Vast’s future endeavors in space are visualized, creating technically accurate and impactful narratives and concepts for the future of space habitation.

This will be a full‑time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities

• 3D Animation Production: Create high‑quality, realistic animations of aerospace hardware, showcasing technical details in a clear and engaging manner with storytelling.
• Collaboration with Engineering Teams: Work closely with engineers, designers, and product managers to understand technical specifications and ensure animations are both visually accurate and technically sound.
• Visualization of Concepts: Develop visualizations for space stations, spacecraft, and related systems.
• 3D Modeling and Texturing: Assist in the creation or refinement of 3D models and textures for use in animations, ensuring consistency with real‑world materials and physical properties.
• Professional Experience: In common industry tools such as Blender, Octane, Houdini, Cinema 4D, 3DS Max, Redshift, and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Render and Post‑production: Handle the rendering, compositing, and post‑production of animations to meet high visual standards.
• Asset Library: Keep a library of different fidelity models for use with vendors and partners.
• Project Management: Manage multiple animation projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met.
• Continuous Learning: Stay up‑to‑date with the latest animation techniques, tools, and trends in both the aerospace and entertainment industries.

Minimum Qualifications

• Proven Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in 3D animation, ideally within fields that involve vehicle or aerospace concepts.
• Expertise in 3D Software: Proficiency in industry‑standard 3D animation software, and a basic knowledge of CAD.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Attention to Detail: Strong attention to detail, ensuring that animations are both visually accurate and technically precise.
• Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross‑functional teams and stakeholders.
• Problem‑solving Abilities: Ability to troubleshoot technical issues related to animation, rendering, and integration with other tools or platforms with minimal oversight. A self‑starter.
• Creativity and Artistic Vision: A strong sense of creativity, visual aesthetics, and storytelling to deliver engaging animations that capture attention and communicate the gravitas and emotion of living and thriving in space.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.
• Specific certifications, as appropriate.

Pay Ranges

• 3D Animator II: $75,000 - $95,000
• 3D Animator III: $90,000 - $125,000

$75,000 - $125,000 USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job‑related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full‑time employees also receive company equity and a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents; flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non‑exempt staff; paid parental leave; short and long‑term disability insurance; life insurance; access to a 401(k) retirement plan; One Medical membership; ClassPass credits; personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health; and other discounts and perks. We also offer exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high‑quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise be eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.