Senior Character Technical Artist at 2K
Company: 2K
Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Job Type: Hybrid, Full-Time
Salary: Not Disclosed
About the Company
2K is a global video game company and a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Known for world-class AAA titles such as NBA 2K, BioShock, Borderlands, Mafia, Civilization, and XCOM, 2K fosters innovation, creativity, and inclusivity across its international teams.
Job Overview
2K is seeking a Senior Character Technical Artist specializing in technical animation and character rigging. In this role, you will shape standards for the character production pipeline across multiple game titles while acting as the bridge between animation, character art, and engineering teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and implementation of complex character rigs with high visual fidelity and runtime performance.
- Improve internal animation tools by identifying workflow gaps and recommending Python/C++ solutions.
- Mentor junior and mid-level technical artists, providing guidance and technical support.
- Maintain rigging standards, skeleton structures, and deformation logic across projects.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to refine animation nodes and runtime systems.
- Evaluate and implement emerging technologies such as machine learning-based deformation and advanced physics systems.
- Support scalable and high-quality tool development for creative teams.
Qualifications
- 5–7+ years of professional experience in technical animation or character rigging.
- Deep proficiency in Python and Maya API.
- Extensive experience with Unreal Engine Animation Blueprints and Control Rig.
- Strong leadership and mentoring abilities.
- Solid mathematical foundation in linear algebra and trigonometry.
- Experience troubleshooting and optimizing 3D character deformations.
Preferred Skills
- Experience with Motion Capture pipelines and data-driven workflows.
- Familiarity with Houdini for procedural tasks.
- Knowledge of ML and AI integration into pipelines.
- Experience with procedural rigging tools or node-based workflows.
- Knowledge of physics-based animation, ragdolls, and runtime IK systems.