Mid 3D Rigger
Blue Zoo Productions
Our Mid 3D Riggers mix elegant technical skills with creative problem solving to create rigs that animators love to animate with. Their day to day focuses on rigging assets whilst maintaining production quality and style as required.
As a Mid Level 3D Rigger, there is an expectation of responsibility to facilitate communication with other departments about design and production queries, as well as maintenance of existing assets. Additionally, there is a heavier emphasis on rigging the high profile assets of specific productions and being more involved in the design of the rigging systems behind them.
Day to Day:
- Design, create, test and maintain a broad variety of asset setups.
- Collaborate with animators to design user-friendly rigs and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
- Provide technical feedback to other departments as necessary and working with production management to prioritise tasks.
- Liaise with the CG supervisor to assess the rigging requirements for a project and help planning what’s required for a project’s success.
- Work across a number of projects and rigs, providing maintenance and quality assurance.
- Process and integrate assets from external clients. At times working with other companies to ensure rigs meet the requirements of the studio.
- Develop tools to help speed up workflows and processes.
- Represent the rigging department in animatic reviews, defining and communicating rig requirements and expectations to other departments present in those meetings.
- Define modular asset build systems wherever possible, while also providing bespoke alternatives for more specific assets.
- Help junior team members understand and interpret asset rig briefs, and guide them through their setup and maintenance.
- Provide input on design decisions to ensure high quality rigs that are as animator friendly as possible.
- Rig and maintain the high profile assets of specific productions.
About You
Must Have:
- Extensive knowledge of Maya's deformation systems and 3D principles.
- Experience working in Python and Maya commands are essential. Additional knowledge of the Maya API is considered a big plus.
- Experience in modular, object oriented programming, and collaborating in group repositories.
- An extremely thorough and keen eye for detail, and able to produce consistent, quality assured rigs across projects.
- An appreciation of accuracy and paying close attention to detail.
- Ability to be organised and be able to keep track of assets, scripts and tools.
- Able to communicate clearly with colleagues and to work collaboratively, as well as independently
- Able to take direction and willing to address constructive feedback.
- Understand basic geometry and trigonometry mathematical concepts.
- Be able to deliver on schedule, working calmly and efficiently under pressure.
- Self-motivated, curious and eager to problem solve.
About Us
Blue Zoo is a leading animation studio in the UK, with a world-class reputation as the go-to place for creating bold, fun and characterful animation. Established in London in 2000, the studio has grown to become the largest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a shelf full of BAFTAs, an Annie and an Emmy along the way!
We couldn’t be prouder that Blue Zoo is the first major animation studio in the world to receive B Corp certification. We’ve been independently certified by B Lab, a non-profit organisation who award the B Corp certification. The certification verifies companies who are working to improve the lives of employees as well as industries as a whole. The certification process involves over 170 rigorous metrics to improve the lives of our staff, customers, suppliers, and the local community, ensuring we are not just saying we are ethical with empty gestures, but independently evidencing it.
We are going through an exciting period of growth and are building a studio that is full of amazingly talented, happy artists, making work they are proud of, which in turn makes a small contribution to a happier world. Blue Zoo believes that a healthy balance in our lives - whatever our situation - is key to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We offer flexible working to support this.
We look for people who have expertise, enthusiasm and are motivated to make things better. You’ll work alongside a talented and diverse group of people who respect each other's differences and seek to understand and embrace fresh perspectives.
What we’ve got for you:
- Winner of Broadcast Best Places to Work in TV 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 & 2026.
- Inclusive self-funded shorts programme.
- Many fun in person and remote social events throughout the year.
- Bi-monthly employee feedback and engagement programme.
- Comprehensive benefits package, including loads of discounts and offers.
- Online wellbeing programme.
- Profit share (for employees who have been with us for 2+ years).
Blue Zoo is committed to creating and nurturing an inclusive studio that promotes and values diversity and invites everyone to ‘bring their whole selves’ to work. We believe that companies that truly embrace and value diversity, and create an environment where everyone from any background can do their best work, are better companies.
To be engaged our people have to feel included and valued. We work hard to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is embedded in the way we work, not just an initiative. We strive to engender a studio community that feels a deep sense of pride and commitment that transcends any role, department or level and works together to produce excellent and engaging work.