Lead Character Designer

Flying Bark Productions is working on exciting projects such as Avatar: The Last Airbender feature film, Netflix's Stranger Things animated series, as well as our production Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan. 

Our LA studio is seeking a highly creative and skilled Lead Character Designer to bring unique, expressive, and stylized characters to life for our upcoming CG animated series. As part of the visual development team, you'll work closely with directors, art directors, and lead a team of artists to conceptualize and design characters that reflect the storytelling, tone, and aesthetic of the series.

About the role:

• Design original character concepts based on scripts, story outlines, and creative direction.
• Develop turnarounds, expression sheets, pose sheets, and costume variations to support 3D modeling and rigging.
• Collaborate with art directors, modelers, and animators to ensure character designs translate effectively from 2D to 3D.
• Maintain stylistic consistency and support the visual tone of the series.
• Iterate quickly and respond positively to feedback and direction.
• Support character development documents including design bibles and presentation materials.
• Assist in refining existing designs for secondary and background characters.
• Research references and inspiration to enrich character personalities and cultural authenticity.
• Supervise a team of designers, launching them on new assignments and providing feedback to maintain consistent show style
• Providing solutions to keep design team on schedule and scope within budget

About you:

• Proven experience as a Character Designer for CG or 2D animated series, games, or films.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating expressive character designs, variety in body types, age, and style.
• Excellent understanding of anatomy, proportion, silhouette, costume, and color theory.
• Proficiency in digital illustration tools (e.g., Photoshop, Procreate, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with the CG animation pipeline and understanding of 3D production constraints.
• Ability to work under deadlines, adapt to feedback, and communicate visually and verbally.
• Experience with designing for rigging and animation needs is a plus.
• Passion for storytelling and strong knowledge of character-driven narratives.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience managing a team of artists
• Experience working with episodic animated productions.
• Familiarity with 3D software (e.g., Blender, Maya, ZBrush) to better collaborate with modelers.
• Background in character development or storyboarding.
• Knowledge of diverse cultural aesthetics and inclusive design.

Why work with us?

• We work on some of the coolest projects in the industry! Check out our website: Flying Bark.
• We have cake days, a dedicated culture club, and regular studio social events!
• Love dogs? You’ll often see some of our furry companions around the studio.
• We offer a hybrid working approach, with flexible work-from-home days.
• Career development is a priority for us, and we provide ongoing training and support opportunities.
• Our employees rave about our inclusive and welcoming culture—everyone is celebrated here!

Flying Bark Productions is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary Range: $2,886.04/weekly - $3,000.00/weekly