3D Generalist: Modeling, Rigging & Animation (AI Evaluation)
$70–120/hr
Remote full time contract with Mercor, $70–120/hr, open to people in United States. Posted Nov 5.
$70–120/hr
Apply on MercorIs this job worth applying to?
- Pay
- Above typicalTops out at $120/hr. The typical top rate across 1,713 priced listings is $70/hr.
- Getting in
- Some screening~30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview. Resume showing real experience in your field.
- Steady work
- Work is patchyProjects can pause or end with little notice.
- Payout record
- Pays on timeSchedule: weekly, every Wednesday. Paid via Stripe (Wise in a few countries).
- Freshness
- FreshPosted 1d ago. Still listed on Mercor on Nov 6, 2026.
- Where you live
- Named countries onlyOpen in United States.
The job description
Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge GenAI team to be at the core of the AI revolution, where your expertise fuels the development of the most advanced generative AI models.
1\. Overview
Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge GenAI team and help build foundational AI models from the ground up. We're seeking a talented 3D Generalist with deep, hands-on studio experience in modeling, rigging and animation, Blender-first and comfortable scripting it with Python, to bring real 3D production judgment and elevate the quality of our AI training data. This is a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week.
This is a W-2 employment position with Cincinnatus LLC, with the opportunity to be placed at a leading AI Lab as part of their extended workforce.
2\. Key Responsibilities
- Guide research teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in 3D modeling, texturing, rigging and animation, and 3D product modeling.
- Design challenging, real-world 3D tasks drawn from studio and client workflows, and produce reference deliverables in editable source formats such as .blend, .fbx, .glb and, where CAD is involved, .step or .stl.
- Evaluate AI-generated 3D assets and give clear, written feedback, catching problems with topology, UVs, materials, scale, skin weights, rig behavior and animation loops.
- Develop guidelines, rubrics and quality checks for 3D work, including scripted mesh, UV and rig checks in Blender Python.
- Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.
3\. Core Qualifications
- 5+ years of shipped 3D work at a game studio, animation or VFX studio, product-visualization or e-commerce 3D team, or creative agency (for example Riot, Ubisoft, Epic, Blizzard, Pixar, Blue Zoo, Framestore, The Mill, Buck, Wayfair, IKEA, Nike, Apple, Threekit); crowd rating, data labeling and personal projects do not count.
- Daily, production-level Blender, with Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter or Houdini as secondary tools; you can open a stranger's .blend and diagnose it quickly.
- Python scripting in Blender (bpy): you have written scripts or add-ons that batch, validate, rig, export or otherwise automate production work, and can share them.
- Clean quad topology, retopology of sculpts or scans, UV unwrapping and packing, baking from high to low, and PBR metal-rough texturing at 4K.
- Skeletal rigging and skinning: joint placement, weight painting, IK/FK controls, shape keys, and looping animation exported as .glb or .fbx that plays correctly in a real-time engine or web viewer.
- Fluency with editable source formats: .blend, .fbx, .glb/.gltf, .usd/.usdz, .obj, and CAD exchange formats (.step, .stl, .3dm, .iges); CAD modeling in Rhino, Fusion 360, SolidWorks or FreeCAD is a plus.
- Hands-on use of generative 3D and image tools (for example Meshy, Tripo, Hunyuan3D, Rodin, Luma Genie, Midjourney, Flux) in real work, with a clear view of what their output still gets wrong and the judgment to tell a strong result from a plausible-looking weak one.
- A public portfolio or reel of shipped work on ArtStation, Sketchfab or a personal site, plus a code link for scripts where possible; you will be asked to walk through it.
- Ability to engage reliably for at least 40 hours/week during weekdays.
- Strong written communication skills and the ability to explain creative decisions clearly.
About Cincinnatus LLC: Cincinnatus LLC is an enterprise staffing company that partners with leading technology companies to source and employ highly skilled professionals for contingent and contract-based opportunities. Cincinnatus serves as the employer of record for these engagements, providing W-2 employment, payroll, benefits, and compliance, while placing employees directly within client teams to work on high-impact initiatives.
Equal Employment Opportunity: Cincinnatus is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or any other legally protected characteristic.
How do you apply to Mercor?
Apply on Mercor
The Apply button opens this post on Mercor's own site. You apply with them, not with Rubric. Budget about 30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview.
Get through screening
What Mercor asks for after you apply:
- Take the recorded AI video interview (practice round available)
- Complete any role-specific assessment and the ID check
- Accept the offer and sign the contract
Start work and get paid
Pay schedule: weekly, every Wednesday. Paid via Stripe (Wise in a few countries). You're paid for the work they hand out, not a fixed salary.
Mercor also needs
- Resume showing real experience in your field
- Webcam with your full face visible for the AI interview
- Government ID
Red flags
- Red flagLong waits with no offer after passing the interview
- Red flagProjects ending abruptly with little warning
What is Mercor like to work for?
Hiring marketplace that screens professionals with an AI video interview and places them on hourly contracts training and evaluating models for AI labs.
| Advertised pay | $20–200/hr |
|---|---|
| Getting in | Some screening |
| Application takes | ~30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview |
| How you get paid | Weekly, every Wednesday, via Stripe (Wise in a few countries) |
| Payout record | Pays on time |
| Countries | Hires in many countries and runs its pay week on India Standard Time; Mercor keeps a list of locations it cannot onboard, and some projects are US-only. |
Most listings sit around $50–100/hr; healthcare, legal and finance roles pay the most, language and generalist roles the least.