Senior Character Animator

$60–90/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: US
Field: Creative

Review AI-generated character performances against source acting, then identify failures in timing, body mechanics, facial nuance and emotional intent. This part-time W-2 role requires senior production credits and periodic in-person working sessions in Los Angeles or New York.

The work

You will review transferred performances shot by shot, compare them with the actor’s original performance and write notes that animation, research and evaluation teams can act on. The work also includes defining quality standards, selecting benchmark performances of varied difficulty and identifying weaknesses in existing evaluation methods.

What Mercor is likely to screen for

The screen will focus on verifiable senior-level character animation experience, credited feature film, VFX or AAA cinematic work and your ability to diagnose subtle performance issues. Expect follow-up on body mechanics, facial animation, lip sync, weight, timing and emotional intent, along with how you would turn those observations into scoring rubrics and reviewer guidance. Hands-on experimentation with generative image or video tools is required. Facial animation and recent work with Unreal, Unity, VR/XR or performance capture pipelines are strongly preferred.

Evaluation responsibilities

You may help define the profile and calibration process for reviewers who will score model outputs at scale. That requires distinguishing fidelity to the source performance from general visual polish, writing criteria that different reviewers can apply consistently and resolving ambiguous cases without flattening intentional acting choices.

Logistics

This is part-time W-2 employment through Cincinnatus LLC, with potential placement at a leading AI lab as part of its extended workforce. The listing does not specify that the work is remote or asynchronous, and it does not state typical weekly hours or a fixed schedule. You must be able to attend in-person working sessions in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, or New York City once or twice a month.

Pay band: $60–90/hr

What they look for

10+ years of hands-on character animation experience at Senior, Lead or Principal level
Animator credits on several feature films, VFX features or AAA game cinematics at recognized studios
Expert analysis of body mechanics, facial nuance, lip sync, weight, timing and character acting
Ability to write precise shot notes, evaluation rubrics and reviewer guidance
Hands-on use of generative image and video tools to create test and comparison samples
Facial animation, real-time engine, VR/XR or performance capture experience

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: This verifies that your production history meets the seniority and credit requirements rather than relying on an unsubstantiated title.
A strong answer: Give a concise chronology with studios, productions, credited roles and the character acting work you personally completed. Clearly distinguish hands-on animation from supervision, layout, rigging or adjacent responsibilities.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by naming prestigious productions without explaining their credited role, sequences or direct animation contribution.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.