Character Technical Director - Tech Animation

Character Technical Director - Tech AnimationAt Walt Disney Animation Studios, Character Technical Directors (TD) work on Character Rigging, Simulation Setup, and Technical Animation. We are currently hiring Character TDs with an emphasis in Technical Animation/CFX to join us in crafting the most appealing character simulation performances for Hexed!Our ideal candidate has strong artistic skills built on top of a proven technical foundation. You will work closely with the industry's top talent in fields ranging from design and modeling through animation to bring our characters to life.ResponsibilitiesTechnical Animation/Character FX for shot production, including cloth and hair simulation, and final character polishingCollaborate directly with Character Asset Team members: Directors, Character Designers, Animators, Modelers, and Look Development Artists to define and create the best simulation or animation rigs for a wide range of character styles and art directionsResponsible for the secondary animation of our characters using a suite of physical simulation, rigging and sculpting tools.RequirementsExperience in hair and/or cloth simulationExperience in shot finaling and sculpting work post simulationThorough understanding of the principles of animationExtensive knowledge of anatomy, kinematics, and physical behaviorsExperience with crafting appealing performance through simulationSolid understanding of Python scriptingExperience on 3+ CG feature film productionsExperience working in collaborative environments and taking directionStrong problem‑solving abilityComfortable with Linux environmentsExperience in modeling, grooming, and rigging are a plusBachelor's degree in Art, Illustration, Computer Graphics, Engineering, related field or equivalent experienceA Note About SoftwareOur department currently uses Autodesk Maya as our primary platform with proprietary solvers, hair instancing tools, and other authoring plugins. Applicants should be adept in Maya or an equivalent CG application or demonstrate a curiosity about learning software quickly. Strength in packages like Marvelous Designer, XGen, and Houdini is an added plus.Application MaterialsA reel of recent and best technical animation work that is no longer than 3 minutes in lengthA resume that details your work history outlining past experiences that relate to working on cloth and hair technical animation in a collaborative environmentA reel breakdown of the visuals on your reel (either in word doc or visible on reel)Examples of art directed simulation a plusPost simulation finaling and anatomy sculpting a plusCloth simulation rigs that demonstrate an understanding of tailoring and fabric quality under a broad range of motion a plusExamples of performance with character animation rigs a plusAn optional portfolio of drawing or sculpture work reflecting an interest and knowledge in design and anatomyPay and BenefitsThe pay rate for this role in Burbank, California is $60.69 to $71.68 per hour, which follows the pay scale agreed upon in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The base pay actually offered may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits. To learn more about our benefits visit