Senior Character Artist & Lead Animator – Mass Virtual hiring
Job OVerview The Senior Character Artist / Animator at Mass Virtual is the primary architect of human performance in our simulations. You will bridge the gap between static 3D models and living, breathing digital actors. This role requires a master-level understanding of the animation jobs pipeline, from high-fidelity rigging to advanced motion capture (mocap) cleanup. Category Details Location Orlando, Florida (5955 T G Lee Blvd) Work Model On-site / Hybrid Options Base Salary $80,000 – $95,000 per year (Based on Experience) Job Type Full-time Key Software Unity (Primary), Maya, Character Creator, MotionBuilder Primary Goal Realistic character performance via animation and mocap Benefits Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) Match, PTO from Day One Elevate the Future of Immersive Reality At Mass Virtual, we don’t just build virtual reality—we use it to solve real-world problems at scale. From transforming how people train, learn, and operate to pushing immersive technology where it hasn’t gone before, we’re redefining what “work” looks like inside a headset. If you want to create what’s next (not maintain what’s already been done), Mass Virtual is the place for you. We are currently seeking a visionary Senior Character Artist & Lead Animator to join our elite development team in Orlando. This is not a traditional gaming role; this is an opportunity to use your animator expertise to create high-fidelity, life-saving simulations. You will be the primary architect of character performance, ensuring that every animation jobs produced meets the rigorous standards of realism required for high-stakes virtual training. The Role: Mastering the Human Element The Senior Character Artist / Animator is the heartbeat of our character-driven experiences. You are responsible for maintaining high-quality character assets and producing believable character performance through advanced animation jobs techniques and motion capture (mocap) integration for real-time game engines. You won’t be working in a silo. You will collaborate closely with artists, designers, and software engineers to ensure that every animator-led initiative translates seamlessly into our VR products. From the subtle twitch of a facial muscle to the complex mechanics of a full-body movement, your work defines the presence and credibility of our virtual worlds. Core Responsibilities & Technical Workflow Your day-to-day will involve a sophisticated blend of technical rigging, artistic sculpting, and high-end animation refinement. You are the final gatekeeper of character quality. 1. Motion Capture & Animation Polish As a senior animator, your primary focus will be the “last mile” of performance. You will clean, polish, and finalize motion capture data, delivering high-quality, realistic character performances that bypass the “uncanny valley.” When mocap isn’t enough, you will perform animation jobs from scratch, applying your deep knowledge of weight, timing, and physics. 2. Engine Integration & VR Validation An animation is only as good as it looks in the headset. You will integrate character assets and animation sets into real-time engines (primarily Unity). You’ll spend time in VR validating that deformations look correct under various lighting conditions and that the scale of movement feels natural to the end-user. 3. Rigging, Skinning, & Pipeline Innovation You will troubleshoot common rigging, skinning, and retargeting issues. This includes adapting existing humanoid rigs to fit new character models and ensuring that the animation retargeting pipeline is efficient. You will also lead R&D efforts to improve our character art innovations, documenting new processes to help the team scale. Deep Dive: The Animation Pipeline at Mass Virtual To succeed in this role, you must understand the full lifecycle of a character. We aren’t just looking for someone who can move a rig; we need a technical animator who understands how a mesh reacts to bone movement and how data flows from a mocap suit into a Unity Animator Controller. Phase 1: Character Generation and Rigging You will utilize tools like Character Creator or traditional sculpting pipelines to develop diverse, optimized characters. You’ll be responsible for the “skeleton”—ensuring the rigging supports the range of motion required for specific training tasks, whether that’s a pilot performing a pre-flight check or a mechanic handling heavy tools. Phase 2: The Animation Lifecycle Our animation needs range from ambient “life” behaviors to highly specific technical maneuvers. You will: Direct motion capture sessions to capture authentic movement. Apply retargeting logic to ensure one animation library can serve multiple character models. Fix “popping” elbows, sliding feet, and mesh intersections that break immersion. Phase 3: Real-Time Optimization In VR, performance is king. You will work to ensure that high-quality animation doesn’t compromise the frame rate. This involves understanding LOD (Level of Detail) systems for characters and optimizing animation controllers to reduce CPU overhead. Required Skills & Experience We are looking for a “Pro’s Pro”—someone who has been in the trenches of character development and understands the nuances of the craft. Senior-Level Expertise: Extensive experience in character animation specifically for games, XR (Extended Reality), simulation, or high-end cinematics. Mocap Mastery: Proven track record of motion capture cleanup. You should be able to take raw, noisy data and transform it into a fluid, lifelike animation. Technical Rigging: Practical experience with skinning, weight painting, and deformation fixes. You should be comfortable adjusting rigs to solve complex movement problems. Engine Proficiency: Deep familiarity with Unity (or Unreal) pipelines, specifically regarding the animation window, state machines, and asset integration. Artistic Foundation: A solid understanding of acting, weight, timing, and human anatomy. You know how a body moves because you understand the mechanics behind it. Preferred & “Nice-to-Have” Qualifications While not strictly required, these skills will set you apart from other candidates: Facial Animation: Experience with blend shapes or bone-based facial rigs to create emotive, speaking characters. Mocap Direction: Experience setting up or directing sessions with systems like OptiTrack, Vicon, or AI-based solutions like Move.ai. Character Generation Tools: Familiarity with Character Creator (Reallusion) or MetaHuman pipelines. VR Specificity: An understanding of how animation translates to a 6DOF (Six Degrees of Freedom) environment where the user can view the character from any angle. Technical Artistry: Light scripting (C# or Python) or tooling experience to automate repetitive animation tasks. Why Mass Virtual? Orlando is the global … Read more