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Lead Character Modeller

Blue Zoo Animation Studio

England, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Lead Character Modeller

1 Hour ago • 6-8 Years • Animation • Undisclosed

About the job

11 skills required for this role

Add these skills to join the top 1% applicants for this job

maya

blender

zbrush

substance-painter

photoshop

texturing

lighting-shading

rigging

uv-mapping

rendering

ftrack

Job Description

Blue Zoo seeks a Lead Character Modeller for a new production starting early March 2025. This hybrid role (at least 2 days/week in the London studio) involves modelling, UV mapping, texturing, and shading stylized characters from concept designs, often with minimal direction. The Lead will manage a team, collaborate with other departments (rigging, surfacing), provide constructive feedback, and ensure consistent high-quality assets meet deadlines. Responsibilities include team leadership, asset management, training, problem-solving, and reporting to the Production Manager and Asset Supervisor. The ideal candidate possesses extensive animation production experience, mastery of Maya and Zbrush, and strong communication and leadership skills.

Must have:

Extensive animation production experience
Maya & Zbrush proficiency
Clean topology & subdivision modelling
UV mapping & texturing skills (Substance Painter, Photoshop)
Team leadership & communication skills
Creative problem-solving abilities

Good to have:

Lead role experience
Blender knowledge
Redshift rendering experience
Ftrack experience

Perks:

Flexible working
Inclusive shorts programme
Social events
Staff feedback programme
Comprehensive benefits package
Online wellbeing programme
Profit share (after 2+ years)

About The Role

We are currently looking for a Lead Character Modeller to work on a brand new production.

Our Lead Modelling Artists are incredible character builders and excellent motivators. They build characters with charming details that help tell the stories. They also support their team members and lead by example, making sure their entire team is delivering consistently high quality assets.

Your day-to-day will focus on creating detailed, stylised Characters based on informative concept designs, whilst meeting production deadlines and that all important brief from our Directors, Art Director and Clients.

The successful candidate will need to be based in the UK as they will be required to come into our London studio at least 2 days a week, in a hybrid working model.

This opportunity is due to start early March 2025, please note that this vacancy can close early if we receive a high number of applications.

Day to Day:

Modelling, UV mapping, texturing and shading stylised character assets.
Effectively realising a 2D concept through to 3D, as well as being able to work with minimal design.
Leading a team of modelling artists, and regularly communicating with our Rigging Department, CG Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
Responding positively to, and acting on notes and feedback from our Asset Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
Communicating with and addressing fixes from our Rigging and Surfacing Departments.
Delegating and Managing your team’s assets and time efficiently to meet those deadlines.
Giving constructive feedback to improve asset quality across the team.
Communicating with and responding to the other departments to manage any fixes and notes.
Reporting to Production Manager and Asset Supervisor if there are any issues to flag that would affect the schedule.
Responsible for training the new team members on the project and studio pipeline.
Initial approval of your team’s assets before they are passed on to the Asset Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
Assisting our Asset Supervisor with character asset problem solving both creatively and technically.
Always be inclusive and supportive of your colleagues to match the studio’s values of inclusion and opportunity.

About You

Must Have:

Extensive demonstrable animation production experience
Interpreting volume, form and texture when creating models from concept designs
Working with modelling tools both in Maya and Zbrush
Knowledge of clean topology and subdivision modelling principles
UV mapping with Maya
Knowledge of texturing assets using Substance Painter and Photoshop
Creative problem solving
Work independently and manage a team, leading by example.

Bonus Points:

Previous production experience in a Lead role
Knowledge of Blender
Experience in using Redshift for rendering in Maya
Experience using Ftrack

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 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 Best Places to Work in TV 2019, 2020 and 2022
Inclusive self-funded shorts programme
Many fun social events throughout the year - even though some of them have to be remote for the foreseeable!
Bi-monthly staff feedback and engagement programme
Friday "beer o'clock" and talks programme!
Comprehensive benefits package, including loads of discounts and offers
Online wellbeing programme
Profit share (for staff 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.

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About The Company

Blue Zoo Animation Studio

22 Active Jobs

Celebrating over 20 years of Blue Zoo! We’re one of the UK’s leading animation studios with an enviable client list and a shelf full of BAFTAs for our trademark CG character animation. We’ve produced some of the most well-loved kids shows on TV, memorable commercials, and our animated shorts are rapidly gaining recognition for artistry and innovation.

Our passion for our craft and storytelling in the most engaging way has always been at the core of what we do, and that integrity has earned us a worldwide reputation for creating brilliant animation for broadcast, commercials and digital content.