Senior Technical Animator

Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) is a premier live entertainment and media company. The Company includes Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium powered by cutting-edge technologies to redefine the future of entertainment. The first Sphere venue in Las Vegas opened in September 2023. In addition, the Company includes MSG Networks, which operates two regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG Sportsnet, as well as a direct-to-consumer and authenticated streaming product, MSG+, delivering a wide range of live sports content and other programming. More information is available at sphereentertainmentco.com.

Who Are We Hiring

We are seeking an experienced Senior Animator-Rigging Specialist to join the Exo Sphere Creative Design Services (CDS) Production team in the development of technology and content for the Exo Sphere. This artist is key in helping guide the development of a pipeline that can include bespoke character animation to create and deliver final content that goes up on Exo Sphere.

The Senior Animator-Rigging Specialist is an integral part of our Production and Creative team, responsible for the execution of visual content across a gamut of immersive experiences and Ads on Exo Sphere. The ideal candidate is progressive, forward thinking, values design, storytelling, animation, innovation, and enjoys pushing the creative boundaries to visualize the unseen. They work with the Creative Directors, VFX Supervisors, and project leadership to contribute to the execution of large-scale content production, delivering world-class ideas and first-of-its-kind experiences and innovations. This artist will be part of a larger Production team creating final content for the Exo Sphere venue.

A Senior Animator at Sphere is a highly skilled professional dedicated to breathing life into characters and objects through animation. This role demands a profound understanding of movement, timing, and storytelling to create animations that are both believable and engaging. The Senior Animator will work on high-profile projects and campaigns, blending creative artistry with technical expertise. Beyond creating captivating character performances, this position involves leading teams, solving complex problems, and ensuring the final product meets the highest standards. Your work will bring stories to life, making characters and scenes truly immersive and compelling for the audience.

What will you do?

• Soley Responsible for delivering bespoke, high quality character performance, from key frame through final animation for bipeds, quadrupeds for Brand and Art experiences.
• Ability to integrate motion capture data to enhance realism and efficiency.
• Responsible for Rigging the characters, creating the skeletal structure and controls for characters, enabling them to move within the style of the content
• Ability to lead the project team, complex problems solving ensuring the final project meets the highest quality.
• Working closely with other departments, including modeling, texturing, lighting, and VFX, to ensure cohesive integration of animation within the broader project.
• Assisting supervisors in creating schedules and timelines for animation tasks, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Reviewing and refining animations based on feedback from directors, supervisors, and clients to achieve the desired quality and vision.
• Documenting tools, techniques, and best practices to improve efficiency and streamline the animation pipeline.
• Mentoring junior animators and providing constructive feedback to help them grow and improve.
  
  

What do you need to succeed?

• Mastery of industry-standard software such as Maya, Cinema 4D (C4D) and other animation software. Knowledge or full animation pipelines
• Working closely with other departments, including modeling, texturing, lighting, and VFX, to ensure cohesive integration of animation within the broader project.
• Ability to identify and solve technical challenges related to animation and rigging, whether it's through software adjustments or creative problem-solving.
• Able to interact and communicate with key stakeholders such as Executive teams and clients
• Exceptional talent for visual storytelling, creating animations that enhance the narrative and emotional impact of the project.
• Need and innovative thinker that stays up-to-date with the latest trends in animation and VFX, and continuously seeking innovative techniques to push the boundaries of what is possible in animation
  
  

Pay Range

$125,000—$170,000 USD

At MSG, we recognize the importance of upskilling employees’ talents and strengths so they can drive their careers forward. We are proud to offer a robust set of tools and resources to help employees understand their interests and purpose, harness their talents and obtain the skills they need to reach the next step in their careers. Growth and longevity for our employees are top priorities here.

We value diversity and are looking for extraordinary employees of all backgrounds! MSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sexual and reproductive health choices, national origin, citizenship, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law mandates, MSG complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in all locations and will consider requests for reasonable accommodations as required.