Senior Character Animator
Listing checked October 16, 2026 · pay as published by Mercor
Overview
Mercor seeks senior character animators for a GenAI team at a top AI lab. The project builds a performance transfer model that carries an actor's timing, emotion, and physical choices into new output. You will set quality bars, critique model results, and design benchmarks for human reviewers. The job is part-time W-2 through Cincinnatus LLC, remote with one or two in-person sessions each month in Playa Vista or New York.
What You'll Do5
- 1Define the quality bar for a transferred performance across body mechanics, facial nuance, timing, and emotional intent. Flag gaps in current evaluations.
- 2Review generated performances shot by shot, as you would in dailies, and write precise notes that point to fixes.
- 3Select reference performances that span easy and hard cases, so tests target the model's weak spots.
- 4Shape the reviewer pool by setting reviewer profile, rubric, and calibration for scoring at scale.
- 5Work with other experts to keep evaluation standards aligned and accurate.
Requirements7
- 110+ years as a hands-on character animator focused on human and character acting, at Senior, Lead, or Principal level.
- 2Animator credits on several feature films, VFX features, or AAA game cinematics at recognized studios such as Sony Pictures Imageworks, ILM, Animal Logic, Laika, Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, Framestore, MPC, DNEG, or Weta FX.
- 3A sharp eye for micro expressions, lip sync, weight, timing, and the small acting choices that sell a performance.
- 4High priority: facial animation experience and recent work in real-time engines, Unreal or Unity, VR or XR, or performance capture pipelines.
- 5Hands-on use of generative image and video tools such as Sora, Veo, Midjourney, Runway, or Kling to build samples for testing and comparison.
- 6Ability to attend in-person working sessions in Playa Vista, CA or New York, NY once or twice a month.
- 7Strong written communication that turns visual detail into clear language for evaluation templates.
Who Should Apply
Senior, lead, or principal animators with 10+ years in feature, VFX, or AAA cinematics and a deep eye for micro expressions, lip sync, and timing. The role suits artists who can review generated shots, write clear notes, and attend sessions in Playa Vista or New York twice a month.
Salary Insight
Pay runs $60 to $90 per hour. That range matches senior or principal character animators with feature film, VFX, or AAA game credits. The top end fits artists who also bring facial animation, real-time engine work, or performance capture experience. The role is part-time W-2 through Cincinnatus LLC, so payroll and benefits come from that employer.
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This role
$60–$90/hr
Most AI Training roles pay $38–$95 per hour. This role's pay falls inside that range.
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Compensation
$60–90/hr
Required Skills
Application Tip
Name the studios and the feature, VFX, or AAA game credits where you animated acting. For each, note the specific scene or shot and the micro expressions, lip sync, weight, and timing choices you made. If you test with Sora, Veo, Midjourney, Runway, or Kling, link to those samples and call out the tools by name.
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