MATTE is hiring 3D Animator & Renderer

🚀 3D Animator & Renderer

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid) | Discipline: Creative / Design | Salary: $85,000 – $100,000 USD/year¹

Who is MATTE?

MATTE is a 360° full-service creative studio operating at the intersection of hype, design, and storytelling.² We partner with forward-thinking brands and institutions to inspire new engagement, provoke long-term progress, and entertain global audiences.³ Our capabilities span strategic ideation, creative development, branding, experiential, web design, content creation, and full-scale production.⁴

The Role: 3D Animator & Renderer

We are seeking a highly skilled 3D Animator & Renderer to join our growing 3D discipline within the Creative/Design team. This is a critical hybrid role, blending creative vision with technical execution.

The focus is on delivering photoreal rendering, motion execution, and exceptional craft across a diverse project slate, including pitches, client work, and internal IP development.⁵ You will collaborate closely with Creative, Experiential, Content Production, and Post teams to bring conceptual worlds, dynamic environments, products, and complex motion design to life.⁶

🎯 Key Responsibilities

1. Rendering & Visual Craft

• Produce photoreal or highly stylized environmental renders using industry-standard rendering engines.⁷
• Master lighting, texturing, shading, look development, and atmospheric treatments to elevate concepts into final, polished assets.
• Ensure pixel-accurate final output, ready for seamless integration by the Post and Content Production teams.⁸

2. 3D Animation & Motion

• Execute high-quality 3D animation across objects, environments, typography, and simulated elements.⁹
• Develop sophisticated motion tests, camera animations, style frames, and animated sequences for both pitches and productions.
• Translate high-level creative direction into dynamic, intentional motion that aligns with MATTE’s experimental visual tone.

3. Worldbuilding & Visualization

• Produce high-impact visualizations and pre-visualization (pre-vis) for complex productions and pitches.
• Develop environment layouts and spatial representations for our Experiential work (events, installations, retail builds).
• Collaborate with Production to ensure all rendered environments and assets are buildable, realistic, and fully aligned with technical feasibility.¹⁰

4. Collaboration & Partnership

• Partner closely with Creative Directors, Producers, Designers, and Strategists from initial brief through final delivery.¹¹
• Translate complex creative ideas into robust, actionable 3D execution plans.¹²
• Support Producers in timing, scoping, and feasibility conversations for 3D elements.¹³

🛠️ What You Will Bring

• Experience: 3–5+ years of professional experience in 3D animation, rendering, or motion design, preferably within a studio, agency, or production environment.
• Core Software Fluency: Expertise in Cinema 4D, Houdini, Blender, and Unreal Engine.
• Rendering Mastery: Strong rendering experience and fluency in industry-leading engines such as Redshift, Octane, Arnold, or similar. (Familiarity with Depence is a plus).
• Portfolio: A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional photoreal rendering, animation craft, and a sophisticated worldbuilding sensibility.
• Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of lighting, texturing, shading, simulation, and environmental design principles.¹⁴
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, balancing high-quality craft with rapid execution, and collaborating effectively across mixed-discipline teams.¹⁵
• Work Structure: Ability to work 4 days per week (Monday–Thursday) in the New York office, with Fridays designated for remote work.
• Experiential visualization experience is preferred but not required.¹⁶

🎁 Benefits & Perks