Senior Character Animator

Mercor

. Define quality standards for transferred performances, including body mechanics, facial nuance, timing, and emotional intent .

Posted 10/17/2026part-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $60 - $90 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive expertise in character animation with a focus on human acting, including facial animation and micro expressions. Proficient in using generative image and video tools while collaborating effectively with teams to ensure high-quality evaluations.

Highest-signal resume keywords

10+ Years Character Animation ExperienceFacial Animation ExpertiseProficiency in Unreal or UnityHands-On Use of Generative ToolsStrong Written Communication Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Character AnimationFacial AnimationMicro ExpressionsLip SyncWeight and TimingHuman Acting ChoicesPerformance Capture PipelinesVFX FeaturesAAA Game CinematicsReal-Time Engines

Soft Skills

CollaborationAttention to Detail

Tools & Technologies

SoraVeoMidjourneyRunwayKling

Industry Keywords

Feature FilmsVFXCinematicsPerformance EvaluationAI Systems

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

UnityUnreal Engine

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define quality standards for transferred performances, including body mechanics, facial nuance, timing, and emotional intent
Review generated performances shot by shot and write precise, actionable notes
Select reference performances for model benchmarks, from easy examples to difficult cases
Help define the profile, rubric, and calibration for human reviewers scoring outputs at scale
Collaborate with other experts to maintain consistent and accurate evaluations
Create personal samples using generative image and video tools for testing and comparison
Work on projects training and enhancing AI systems

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years as a hands-on character animator focused on human and character acting, at Senior, Lead or Principal level
Animator credits on several feature films, VFX features or AAA game cinematics at recognized studios
Sharp eye for micro expressions, lip sync, weight, timing, and authentic acting choices
Facial animation experience strongly preferred
Recent work in real-time engines such as Unreal or Unity, VR/XR, or performance capture pipelines strongly preferred
Hands-on use of generative image and video tools such as Sora, Veo, Midjourney, Runway, or Kling
Able to work on-site in Playa Vista (Los Angeles), California or New York, New York for in-person working sessions once or twice a month
Strong written communication and ability to turn visual detail into clear, precise language for evaluation templates
Unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time

Benefits

Comp & perks

W-2 employment with payroll, benefits, and compliance through Cincinnatus LLC
Weekly payments via Stripe or Wise based on services rendered
Flexible work on your own schedule
Opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers
Referral payments of up to $2,000 for each successful referral, subject to referral limits