Character Designer

Job Description

Location: North Hollywood, California (Hybrid/Remote)

Department: Design

Reports To: Art Director / Design Lead

Position Summary

The Character Designer is responsible for developing and refining the visual design of characters for an animated television series. Working from multiple sources including storyboards, model sheets, and creative direction, the Character Designer establishes the appearance, proportions, costumes, expressions, poses, and visual characteristics of new and existing characters. The Character Designer works under the direction of the Art Director, Character Design Supervisor, and other designated creative leadership to ensure that character designs support the storytelling and remain consistent with the established visual style of the series.

Key Responsibilities

• Review scripts, storyboards, model sheets, and existing character design to understand the requirements for assigned characters
• Develop original character designs that capture the personality, position, and storytelling requirements of the character
• Develop character designs from concept, rough design, and final approval
• Create character model sheets and reference drawings as required
• Design characters with thought about the downline production teams who will work off this model
• Create and update character expression sheets with poses, mouths, hand gesture references, and other materials
• Incorporate notes from team lead, art director, and others to deliver on model character designs

Qualifications & Skills

• 1–3 years of experience as a character designer, or similar
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent communication and follow-up skills
• Proficiency in tools such as Adobe Photoshop, and ShotGrid
• Familiarity with how character designs translate into downstream animation and production
• Strong character drawing skills with special attention to proportions and style

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a union animation environment (e.g., The Animation Guild)
• Understanding of episodic or feature animation pipelines
• Previous experience designing recurring television characters and maintaining consistency across episodes and seasons
• Ability to create model sheets, turnarounds, expression sheets, and pose sheets
• Experience with designing characters for 3D and 2D animation

Compensation

• $2,597.60 per week (union rates apply - The Animation Guild)

Work Environment

• Fast-paced, collaborative production environment
• Hybrid or onsite depending on studio needs
• May require extended hours during peak delivery periods

Why This Role Matters

Character Designers establish the visual identity, personality, and consistency of the characters. This gives the entire production team a clear visual foundation to work from. Their designs help Story, Layout, Animation, Background, and other departments create cohesive work that stays true to the show's creative vision.