Rigging Artist

**OUR STORY**:
For more than 35 years, Bardel Entertainment has led the animation industry through unwavering commitment to quality, creativity, and innovation. We are an internationally recognized, Emmy Award®-winning studio - in two prominent Canadian cities, Vancouver and Montreal - and the creative force behind top audience hits such as The Dragon Prince, Rick and Morty, Teen Titans Go, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

**Requirements**:
**What You’ll Do**:
**Core Responsibilities**
- Construct 3D character rigs and animation controls for assigned characters and props.
- Develop body and facial rigs that meet artistic and technical expectations set by the rigging lead/supervisor.
- Troubleshoot and evaluate rigging issues for artists across various disciplines.
- Help develop character, prop, and related rigging frameworks, including skeletal systems, skinning, workflows, and user interfaces.
- Assist in defining and refining rigging workflows, pipelines, and processes to improve efficiency.

**Collaboration & Workflow**
- Collaborate with leadership, production, and team members to solve problems and share insights.
- Engage in dailies, rounds, and team discussions to contribute to creative and technical improvements.
- Adhere to pipeline workflows and technical requirements for seamless integration into the production process.
- For senior artists, actively mentor junior team members by providing constructive feedback, guidance, and support.

**Time Management & Communication**
- Maintain consistency in quality while meeting production needs.
- Manage time effectively, working with production to stay on schedule.
- Keep the team and production staff informed about progress, challenges, and solutions.

**What You’ll Bring**:
**Experience**
- Previous production experience as a Rigging Artist (or similar) in animation.

**Skills & Communication**
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively promote solutions, share knowledge, and incorporate feedback.
- Strong technical background with proficiency in rigging tools and scripting (Maya, Python, etc.).
- Excellent understanding of human anatomy, volume, weight, dynamics, and character motion.

**Portfolio Requirements**:
A portfolio that demonstrates:

- Examples of body and facial rigs that showcase strong deformation, articulation, and usability.
- Clear breakdowns of rigging setups, including wireframe views and control structures.
- Demonstrated understanding of clean skinning, weight painting, and deformation techniques.
- Showcases of technical problem-solving, including automation tools, scripting, or custom rigging solutions.
- Examples of rigs created for a range of characters, props, or creatures, showing adaptability and versatility.
- Clear demonstration of proficiency in Maya and relevant rigging tools (Python, MEL, or other scripting languages).
- [Bonus] Examples of dynamic or physics-based rigging setups, such as cloth, muscles, or secondary motion.

**Benefits**

**Pay Range**: CAD $1,300 - $1,800 per week

This salary range reflects our current expectations for these roles as of this posting’s date. Your final salary offer will consider various key factors, including your education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographical location, as well as the needs and requirements of the business.

Flexible work environment, Extended Health and Wellness from day 1, RRSP matching are just some of the benefits. For more details, check out our website.

**At Bardel, we recognize that flexibility is key to doing great work.** Our hybrid work environment is a valued perk designed to support individual accountability and empower our teams to work where they’re most productive. We offer the choice to work remotely, balanced with intentional in-person time for collaboration, creativity, and team building. **This role requires in-studio attendance at our Vancouver studio during onboarding and predetermined Rush Weeks.