3D Senior Character Modeler

OUR STORY

For more than 35 years, Bardel Entertainment has led the animation industry through unwavering commitment to quality, creativity, and innovation. We are an internationally recognized, Emmy Award®-winning studio – in two prominent Canadian cities, Vancouver and Montreal – and the creative force behind top audience hits such as The Dragon Prince, Rick and Morty, Teen Titans Go!, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. 

The Character Modeler conceptualizes and creates complex CG (3D) models in accordance with the aesthetic, creative and technical quality standards of the production using modeling software dictated by the needs of the production while also providing guidance on a particular show and helping distribute tasks and work to the rigging team.   

What You'll Do

Core Responsibilities 

• Create high-quality 3D character models that meet artistic and technical standards. 

• Develop clean and efficient topology for models, considering rigging and animation requirements to ensure smooth deformation and performance. 

• Work on Modeling tasks, from simple to moderately difficult, including organic and hard-surface modeling, blend shapes (if applicable), and translating 2D concepts into 3D models. 

• Interpret and adjust work based on notes from leads, supervisors, and directors. 

Collaboration & Workflow 

• Collaborate with leadership, production, and team members to solve problems and share insights. 

• Engage in dailies, rounds, and team discussions to contribute to creative and technical improvements. 

• Adhere to pipeline workflows and technical requirements for seamless integration into the production process. 

• For senior artists, actively mentor junior team members by providing constructive feedback, guidance, and support. 

Time Management & Communication 

• Maintain consistency in quality while meeting production needs. 

• Manage time effectively, working with production to stay on schedule. 

• Keep the team and production staff informed about progress, challenges, and solutions. 

What You’ll Bring 

Experience 

• Previous production experience as a Modeler (or similar) in TV series and featurette animation. 

• For junior roles, a portfolio as demonstrated below 

Skills & Communication 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively promote solutions, share knowledge, and incorporate feedback. 

A portfolio that demonstrates: 

• Examples of 3D models that showcase strong form, proportion, and attention to detail. 

• Wireframe views highlighting clean, animation-ready topology optimized for rigging and deformation. 

• Basic understanding of texturing workflows 

• High-resolution sculpts in ZBrush or Blender that display an understanding of fine details, surface texture, and realism/stylization. 

• Models created from 2D concept art, showing the ability to interpret designs into 3D while maintaining appeal. 

• Clear demonstration of skills using Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, and any additional relevant tools (Blender, Renderman, etc.). 

Location: British Columbia, Canada

Pay Range: CAD $1450 - $1700 per week   

This salary range provided reflects our current expectations for these roles as of this posting’s date. Your final salary offer will consider various key factors, including your education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographical location, as well as the needs and requirements of the business. 

Flexible work environment, Extended Health and Wellness from day 1, RRSP matching are just some of the benefits. For more details, check out our website. 

At Bardel, we recognize that flexibility is key to doing great work. Our hybrid work environment is a valued perk designed to support individual accountability and empower our teams to work where they’re most productive. We offer the choice to work remotely, balanced with intentional in-person time for collaboration, creativity, and team building. This role requires in-studio attendance at our Vancouver studio during onboarding and quarterly Rush Weeks. 

If this seems like a good fit, what are you waiting for, get your application in!