Technical Artist – Character Rigger

WHO WE ARE: Next Level Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

We’ve been passionate about video game development for 20 years now, shipping award-winning games for fans across the world and still going strong.

Some of our titles include Super Mario Strikers, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!!, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, Metroid Prime Federation Force, Luigi’s Mansion 3 and most recently Mario Strikers™: Battle League. At NLG, we believe that a project finds success when we collaborate.

Therefore, we place careful consideration to build an environment where everyone feels welcome and has fun in the process of achieving our shared goals. WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING: We are seeking an Intermediate Technical Artist – Character Rigger to join our team at Next Level Games. Help us elevate character animation in an environment that champions creativity, collaboration, and technical excellence. Work with Artists, Designers, and Rigging team to prepare character and prop rigs that conform to studio standards of quality and consistency Provide intuitive control interfaces to animators and ensure rigs are thoroughly tested for performance and stability both in Maya and in engine. Incorporate the latest runtime and offline rig setup techniques to deliver exceptional expressive capability while maintaining runtime performance budgets Collaborate with modelers to ensure asset topology meets technical requirements for high quality in-game deformation During prototype phase, collaborate with Designers, Artists, and Animators to make rigs focused on maximum flexibility, allowing them to effectively explore a wide range of gameplay designs WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR: Strong communication skills and a highly collaborative spirit Strong Maya Skills and understanding of Python/classes/Maya API Understanding of Perforce workflow or similar source control system Strong multi-discipline problem solving skills Organized and self-motivated 2+ years of professional rigging experience in game, film, vfx, or relevant industries Include a link to your art portfolio or animation reel WHY YOU’LL LOVE WORKING HERE: Competitive benefits and annual leave, including discretionary performance bonus program and health coverage Support for mental health, financial well-being, legal assistance and more through our Employee Assistance Program Access to our in-studio gym, and an extensive media library filled with games and books Join a committee – board games, sports, or something else – it’s all here! Discounted shopping for Nintendo products and merchandise at the online employee store A workplace that values inclusivity and encourages continuous growth A chance to be part of Nintendo, creating award winning games that make an impact This is a hybrid role, with the first three months fully in‑studio.

After that, there is flexibility to work from home, with a requirement of three days per week in our Vancouver studio.

The hiring range for this position is $75,000 to $95,000 CAD annually and is subject to change.

The final base salary compensation will be based on factors such as skills, education, and experience. At NLG, we know the best teams are made up of players with different skills, perspectives, and experience. We're committed to creating a workspace where everyone can contribute and feel included.

If you need any accommodations during the hiring process, please contact careers@nextlevelgames.com, and we will do our best to support your needs.

We wish to thank all applicants in advance; however, only those under consideration will be contacted. We are currently only considering applicants who already have work eligibility and are residing in or willing to relocate to Metro Vancouver.

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