Senior Character Rigger at Ubisoft, 2026

Job Overview

• Company: Ubisoft
• Project (Working Title): March of Giants
• Role Title: Senior Character Rigger
• Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Office-based)
• Job Type: Full-Time / Permanent
• Primary Pipeline: Maya to Unreal Engine 5
• Core Languages: Python / Blueprints
• Specialization: MOBA / Hero-based character rosters

Ubisoft, a global titan in the interactive entertainment industry, is the creative force behind legendary franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry. At our Montreal studio—one of the largest and most influential game development hubs in the world—we are embarking on a monumental new project: [March of Giants]. This title represents a bold step forward in character-driven, MOBA-style gameplay, demanding a level of technical sophistication and scalability that only the industry’s finest can provide.

We are seeking a Senior Character Rigger who possesses the technical precision of an engineer and the aesthetic eye of an artist. In this role, you will be the architect of movement, bridging the gap between static 3D models and living, breathing heroes. If you thrive on the challenge of building massive rosters of diverse characters and optimizing them for peak real-time performance in Unreal Engine, your next great journey begins here.

Salary & Compensation Table (Montreal Market Data 2026)

Ubisoft Montreal offers a comprehensive compensation package that reflects the city’s status as a premier tech hub. The following figures represent the competitive tiers for Senior-level technical roles within our studio.

Detailed Responsibilities: The Mechanics of Giants

As a Senior Character Rigger for March of Giants, you are responsible for the structural integrity and expressive potential of our entire character roster. This is a high-impact role that requires a deep understanding of the Maya-to-Unreal ecosystem.

1. Rig Architecture & Control Systems

• Animator-Centric Design: Build high-quality, intuitive character rigs in Maya that empower our animation team to push the boundaries of performance.

• Scalable Frameworks: Develop rigging solutions that can be applied across a large roster of diverse characters (humanoid, creature, and mechanical) to maintain production efficiency.

• Control Rig Development: Utilize Unreal Engine’s Control Rig and Animation Blueprints to create procedural and interactive movement logic.

2. Advanced Deformation & Skinning

• Skinning Excellence: Develop efficient skinning and deformation systems that preserve volume and maintain anatomical correctness during extreme ranges of motion.

• Hybrid Systems: Design facial rigging systems utilizing joint-based, blendshape, or hybrid approaches to achieve maximum expressiveness for hero characters.

• Technical Troubleshooting: Identify and resolve deformation artifacts or flipping issues before they reach the engine.

3. Pipeline Engineering & Optimization

• Unreal Integration: Ensure a “clean export” workflow, managing the ingestion of skeletal meshes and animation data into Unreal Engine with zero data loss.

• Python Scripting: Write and maintain Python-based tools to automate repetitive rigging tasks, manage naming conventions, and streamline the export pipeline.

• Real-Time Performance: Optimize rigs for real-time performance, balancing bone counts and influence limits to ensure a smooth 60 FPS experience on console and PC.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Partner with Tech Art and Engineering to establish best practices and solve systemic pipeline bottlenecks.

Professional Qualifications

Ubisoft Montreal is looking for a veteran rigger who has navigated the complexities of AAA production cycles.

Essential Requirements:

• Professional Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience as a Character Rigger in the games industry, with at least one shipped AAA title.

• Maya Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of Maya’s rigging toolset, including nodes, constraints, and Matrix-based workflows.

• Engine Proficiency: Proven experience delivering production-ready assets into Unreal Engine and building logic within Blueprints.

• Scripting Skills: Proficiency in Python for rigging automation and tool development.

• Anatomical Knowledge: A strong understanding of human and animal anatomy, body language, and the physics of movement.

Desirable Technical Assets:

• MOBA/Hero Experience: Prior experience supporting a large roster of characters with unique silhouette and gameplay requirements.

• Technical Artistry: A solid understanding of vertex shaders, physics assets, and cloth simulation (Chaos/Cloth) within Unreal Engine.

• Leadership: Experience mentoring junior riggers or leading a sub-team through a specific production phase.

Life at Ubisoft Montreal

Joining Ubisoft Montreal means becoming part of a community that has defined the modern gaming era. Our studio is located in the heart of the Mile End, a vibrant, creative neighborhood that mirrors the energy of our teams.

• Innovation First: We provide the space to experiment with new tech. Whether it’s AI-assisted rigging or procedural deformation, we want you to push the envelope.

• Diverse Perspectives: We believe that a diversity of backgrounds leads to better games. You will work with talent from every corner of the globe.

• Sustainable Growth: We are committed to a healthy work-life balance, offering flexible hours and wellness programs to ensure our teams thrive both in and out of the office.

• The “Giants” Project: This is a rare opportunity to be part of a “Ground Floor” team building a new competitive IP with the full backing of Ubisoft’s global resources.

Application Requirements

To be considered for the Senior Character Rigger position on March of Giants, please provide:

1. Technical Portfolio: A demo reel or portfolio showcasing your best rigs. We are looking for clean deformation, intuitive control schemes, and examples of complex mechanical or organic rigging. (Please provide a password if the link is protected).

2. Comprehensive CV: A detailed history of your education, professional experience, and the specific titles you have contributed to.

3. Code/Scripting Sample: (Optional but encouraged) A small sample of Python code used for a rigging tool or automation.