UE5 Technical Character Artist / MetaHuman Rigger (remote)

What are you working on?

• The name of the project(s): Unannounced rock-horror story-driven game
• At what stage of the project(s)? Early prototype. Story and vision are defined, but core art, characters, animation, and UE5 vertical slice are still being built.
• Genres: Action, Adventure
• Platforms: PC, Console

We are a small independent game team building an unannounced rock-horror story-driven game in Unreal Engine 5.

The project sits at the intersection of games, horror, and rock / metal culture, with creative input from world-class music talent.

The project is currently in prototype / vertical slice stage. This means the work is practical, hands-on, and visible quickly in the build. We are looking for people who like early-stage projects, can work from rough direction, and can help turn a prototype into a stronger pitch demo.

You will work directly with the project leads, with fast feedback and clear short-term goals. The team is small, so good work has real impact.

Team size and structure?

Small independent team with project leads, writer/story support,Unreal development support, character art, and external freelancers/studios as needed

For which tasks (responsibilities)?

Target:

Help prepare custom stylized-realistic characters for a short Unreal Engine 5 vertical slice. The main focus is technical character setup / MetaHuman-compatible workflow, not gameplay animation.

Tasks:

• Review custom character models and advise on topology, mesh separation, A-pose / T-pose, clothing, hair, and rig-readiness.

• Prepare or guide custom character meshes toward MetaHuman-compatible body and face use in UE5.

• Support body rig / retarget setup, skinning, deformation checks, and animation-readiness testing.

• Help define what character artists need to deliver: source files, mesh structure, textures, naming, poses, and technical constraints.- Test characters in Unreal with basic animation / mocap / retargeting where needed.

• Work with character artists and Unreal developers to identify what is ready, what needs cleanup, and what is risky.

• Create short practical pipeline notes so future characters can follow the same rules.

• Keep scope realistic for a prototype / vertical slice.

What kind of professional are we looking for?

• Unreal Engine 5 character setup experience.

• MetaHuman, custom MetaHuman, Mesh to MetaHuman, MetaHuman-compatible workflow, or similar custom character pipeline experience.

• Strong understanding of character topology, skinning, deformation, skeletons, retargeting, and rig-ready asset preparation.

• Ability to work with custom stylized-realistic character meshes, not only default MetaHuman Creator characters.

• Ability to explain clearly what can be handled by a character artist and what needs technical character / rigging support.

• Comfortable reviewing WIP assets and giving practical production feedback.

Nice to have:

• MetaHuman Animator, Live Link Face, ARKit blendshapes, facial rigging, or facial capture workflow experience.

• Control Rig experience.

• Mocap retargeting or mocap cleanup experience.

• Rokoko Studio / Rokoko Smartsuit workflow experience.

• Sequencer character setup experience.

• Maya, Blender, MotionBuilder, FaceForm, Wrap3D, R3DS Wrap, Rokoko, Xsens, Move.ai, or similar pipeline experience.

• Cinematic, horror, third-person, or narrative game experience.

What is important for us in a person?

• Clear technical communication.

• Practical about prototype / vertical slice constraints.

• Able to explain risks without overcomplicating them.

• Comfortable working with incomplete WIP assets.

• Good collaboration with character artists, animators, and Unreal developers.

• Reliable with updates and delivery.

Why do we enjoy working here?

• Help define the character pipeline for an early-stage Unreal project.

• Work on stylized rock-horror characters, not generic assets.

• Direct impact on whether the main characters can work in the vertical slice.

• Direct feedback from project leads.

• Good portfolio material if the trial goes well.

What are the conditions and bonuses?

• Remote work.

• Freelance / contract setup.

• Short paid technical test first.

• Flexible schedule by agreement.

The selection process

1. Send examples of UE5 / MetaHuman / custom character setup work.

2. Short intro call or message exchange.

3. Small paid technical test on one character / workflow question.

4. Continue on vertical slice character pipeline support if the test fits.

Please include what you personally did on each example: body setup, face setup, skinning, rigging, retargeting, Control Rig, MetaHuman Animator, mocap cleanup, Unreal integration, etc.