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Animation Assistant Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

ZeniMax Media

Animator (First-Person)

Rockville, MD · On-site

$70K - $155K/yr

Apply animation principles to create high-quality hand keyed animations, while making any changes ... * Assist and provide constructive feedback to other animators. * Communicate needs to any out-of ...

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Animation Assistant information

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$10

$31

$75

How much do animation assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of May 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for animation assistant in Washington is $31.90, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.32 and $39.75 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Animation Assistant, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animation Assistant, you need a foundational understanding of animation principles, drawing skills, and a relevant degree or coursework in animation or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Toon Boom, or Autodesk Maya is typically required. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with the animation team are critical soft skills for this role. These capabilities ensure the smooth execution of animation projects, support the creative process, and help deliver high-quality visual content on schedule.

What are the most common challenges Animation Assistants face when working on fast-paced productions?

Animation Assistants often work under tight deadlines, which can make time management and maintaining high-quality work challenging. They may need to quickly adapt to changing project requirements or feedback from senior animators and directors. Staying organized while juggling multiple tasks, such as cleaning up animation frames and preparing assets for the animation pipeline, is crucial. Collaborating closely with other team members also requires strong communication skills to ensure consistency and meet production goals.

What are Animation Assistants?

Animation Assistants are professionals who support animators and animation teams in creating animated films, television shows, video games, and other multimedia projects. Their responsibilities often include cleaning up rough animations, preparing backgrounds, managing files, and assisting with in-between frames. Animation Assistants help ensure the animation process runs smoothly by handling various technical and organizational tasks. They are essential in maintaining the production schedule and supporting the creative vision of the lead animators.

What is the difference between Animation Assistant vs Graphic Designer?

AspectAnimation AssistantGraphic Designer
Required SkillsBasic animation software, understanding of animation principlesDesign software, visual communication skills
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, media companiesAdvertising agencies, print and digital media
Typical TasksAssist in creating animations, support senior animatorsDesign logos, layouts, visual branding
CredentialsDiploma or certificate in animation or related fieldDegree in graphic design or visual arts

While both roles involve visual creativity, an Animation Assistant primarily supports animation projects with technical skills in animation software, whereas a Graphic Designer focuses on visual branding and static designs. The roles often overlap in creative environments, but their core responsibilities and skill sets differ.

What are the most commonly searched types of Animation jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Animation jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Animation Assistant jobs in Washington? For Animation Assistant jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Animation Assistant jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Animation Assistant jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Animation Assistant jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Animation Assistant job openings:
Animation Assistant jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Assistant job openings in Washington as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 8% As Needed, 59% Full Time, 29% Part Time, and 4% Temporary. Highlights an 100% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $66,357 per year, or $31.9 per hour.

Creature Animator (Outsourcing)

ZeniMax Media

Rockville, MD • On-site

$70K - $155K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

Overview
Come join Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning development team behind Starfield, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Bethesda Game Studios strives to offer its employees a well-balanced home and work life by providing competitive salaries, a generous benefits program, and offices located in some of North America's best cities.
With a goal of creating a culture as fun and diverse as our games and our players, we welcome applicants with unique skillsets, experience levels and backgrounds. If you are passionate about making a meaningful contribution to some of the most significant games in the industry we'd love to hear from you!
We will consider candidates for our Bethesda Game Studios location in Rockville, MD.
Responsibilities
Your Daily Life at Bethesda Game Studios
Bethesda Game Studios is looking for an exceptional Creature Animator (Outsourcing) to support creature animation work produced both internally and by external partners, while collaborating closely with artists, programmers, designers, and producers. This role is primarily focused on working with outsourced animation teams, reviewing their work, and ensuring quality and consistency across all delivered assets.
As Creature Animator (Outsourcing), you will...
  • Apply animation principles to evaluate, refine, and ensure the quality of creature animations
  • Work in collaboration with members of the team to address animation needs and requirements for cinematic content and gameplay
  • Partner closely with external animation teams by reviewing outsourced creature animation assets, providing clear, actionable, and technically detailed feedback, and ensuring all delivered work meets Bethesda Game Studios' quality bar
  • Serve as a primary point of support for outsourced creature animation, helping to identify issues, articulate improvements, and maintain a consistent creative vision across teams
  • Actively engage with developers outside of your discipline, creating a positive and productive experience for all involved
  • Assist and provide constructive feedback to other animators
  • Consistently integrate and maintain your work in the game
  • Have opportunities to animate creatures directly, while not being solely focused on hands-on animation full-time
Qualifications
What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
  • You have 3+ years of professional or related experience as a Creature Animator
  • You possess outstanding animation skills, displaying a strong understanding of animation principles and the ability to critically evaluate and articulate feedback on animation quality
  • You are detail-oriented and have a strong critical eye
  • You are a highly autonomous, self-motivated team player, comfortable working independently while supporting broader team goals
  • You're great at adapting to change and accept constructive feedback well
  • You possess excellent problem-solving and prototyping skills
  • You have excellent oral and written communication skills, particularly when collaborating with external partners
  • You are proficient working with Maya, 3ds Max or Blender
  • You have a passion for gaming and making GREAT games
  • You are passionate about pushing animation quality to the next level
Preferred Skills
Bonus Skills:
  • You have experience animating on first- and third-person focused games
  • You have animation graph experience
  • You have experience working with motion capture in either Maya or Motion Builder
  • You have experience working closely with AI programmers and Gameplay programmers, understanding the technicalities of game AI and game functionality

Salary Range
Creature Animator (Outsourcing) - The typical base pay range for this position at the start of employment is expected to be between $70,000 - $155,000 per year.
ZeniMax has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States, which allows us to pay employees competitively and consistently in different geographic markets. The range above reflects the potential base pay across the U.S. for this role; the applicable base pay range will depend on what ultimately is determined to be the candidate's primary work location. Individual base pay depends on various factors, in addition to primary work location, such as complexity and responsibility of role, job duties/requirements, and relevant experience and skills. Base pay ranges are reviewed and typically updated each year. Offers are made within the base pay range applicable at the time.
At ZeniMax certain roles are eligible for additional rewards, such as merit increases and discretionary bonuses. These awards are allocated based on individual performance and are not guaranteed. Benefits/perks listed here may vary depending on the nature of employment with ZeniMax and the country work location. U.S.-based employees have access to healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, wellbeing benefits, paid vacation time, paid sick and mental health time, and several paid holidays, among others.
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