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Animation Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Tencent

Principal Technical Animator

Los Angeles, CA

$138K - $261K/yr

Lead the architecture design of animation state machines, animation trees, and animation pipelines. * Establish technical specifications and best practices; provide clear technical roadmaps for the ...

Epic Games

Animation Systems Programmer

Larkspur, CA · On-site

$167K - $245K/yr

You will be responsible for developing, enhancing, optimizing, and maintaining the core animation systems and will work closely with Animation, Design, and Engineering colleagues to ensure ...

Collabera

Production Artist/ Animator

Irvine, CA

Solid understanding of pose-driven animation design Qualifications Basic Qualifications:- * Experience animating creatures (demons, ghosts, animal type creatures) * Comfortable animating human or at ...

Aquent

Sr. UI Animator / Motion Designer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$81 - $91/hr

Nice to Have * 3D Animation/Design experience. * Basic coding or scripting knowledge to assist in building high-fidelity prototypes. * Experience designing motion systems for complex interactive ...

2K

Senior Technical Animation Designer

San Mateo, CA

$108K - $161K/yr

This role is focused on technical animation, but will also work with design and engineering teams to translate needs across those subject areas. Who You Are: * Collaborate closely with teams across ...

2K

Senior Technical Animation Designer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$108K - $161K/yr

This role is focused on technical animation, but will also work with design and engineering teams to translate needs across those subject areas. Who You Are: * Collaborate closely with teams across ...

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All JobsAnimation Design JobsAnimation Design Jobs in California

Animation Design information

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How much do animation design jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for animation design in California is $38.89, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.59 and $63.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the job of an animation designer?

An animation designer creates visual sequences and motion graphics for various media, including films, video games, and advertisements. They use tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender and often collaborate with other creative professionals to develop engaging animated content. Strong artistic skills, knowledge of animation principles, and proficiency with animation software are essential for this role.

What jobs can you do with animation?

With a background in animation design, you can pursue roles such as 2D or 3D animator, motion graphics artist, character designer, storyboard artist, or visual effects artist. These jobs often require proficiency in software like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender and may involve working in film, television, advertising, gaming, or online media industries.

How much does an animation designer make?

Animation designers typically earn a median annual salary of around $60,000 to $80,000, depending on experience, location, and skill level. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced designers with advanced skills in software like Adobe After Effects or Maya can earn higher salaries, especially in competitive markets.

What is the difference between Animation Design vs Motion Graphics Design?

AspectAnimation DesignMotion Graphics Design
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in animation, graphic design, or related fieldsOften requires similar credentials, with emphasis on graphic design and digital media
Work EnvironmentWorks in animation studios, film, gaming, or advertisingWorks in advertising agencies, media companies, or digital marketing
Industry UsageUsed for character animation, storytelling, and 3D animationUsed for branding, promotional videos, and visual effects

Animation Design focuses on creating animated content, including characters and storytelling, often in 3D or traditional animation. Motion Graphics Design emphasizes animated graphic elements for branding, advertising, and digital media. While both roles involve animation skills and similar credentials, their applications and industries differ, making each specialized for distinct creative outputs.

How does an animation designer typically collaborate with other departments during a project?

Animation designers often work closely with a variety of teams, including scriptwriters, storyboard artists, voice actors, and software developers. Effective communication and regular feedback loops are essential, as animation designers need to ensure their visuals align with the narrative and technical requirements. Collaboration may involve attending cross-functional meetings, sharing progress updates, and revising work based on input from directors or marketing teams. This teamwork approach helps ensure the final animation meets both creative and business objectives.

Does Disney still hire 2D animators?

Disney continues to hire 2D animators for certain projects, especially in legacy animation and specialized productions. However, the company has shifted focus toward 3D animation and digital techniques, so opportunities for 2D animation roles are more limited than in the past.

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

To thrive as an Animation Designer, you need a solid foundation in visual storytelling, drawing, and animation principles, often supported by a degree in animation, graphic design, or a related field. Mastery of industry-standard software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, or Toon Boom Harmony, along with a strong portfolio, is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective collaboration are crucial soft skills for delivering engaging animations and working with diverse teams. These skills ensure the creation of compelling, high-quality animations that meet client needs and industry standards.

What is animation design?

Animation design is the process of creating visual sequences that give the illusion of movement, often for use in films, television, video games, advertisements, or online content. Animation designers use various techniques, including 2D, 3D, stop-motion, and computer-generated imagery, to bring stories and ideas to life. The role involves storyboarding, drawing, modeling, texturing, and animating characters or objects. Animation designers often collaborate with writers, directors, and other artists to achieve a cohesive visual narrative. Creativity, technical skill, and attention to detail are essential traits for success in this field.
What are the most commonly searched types of Animation Design jobs in California? The most popular types of Animation Design jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Animation Design jobs in California? For Animation Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Animation Design jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Animation Design jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Animation Design jobs? Cities in California with the most Animation Design job openings:
Animation Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Design job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 11% As Needed, 50% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 16% Nights. Highlights an 73% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 23% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,900 per year, or $38.9 per hour.
Principal Technical Animator

Principal Technical Animator

Tencent

Los Angeles, CA

$138K - $261K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

Business UnitLIGHTSPEED STUDIOS is made up of passionate players who advance the art & science of game development through great stories, great gameplay, and advanced technology. We are focused on bringing next generation experiences to gamers who want to enjoy them anywhere, anytime, across multiple genres and devices.About the Hiring TeamMade up of many top game industry veterans as well as young and inspiring talents, Lightspeed Art Department works on all of Lightspeed's creative projects, providing artists and support from concept design, 3D modeling, animation, VFX design, technical art, cinematics, comics, and more. With a profound love for games, our Art Department is committed to exploring how the latest, cutting-edge technology can be applied to the artistic projects we oversee. We do our utmost to create future-oriented IP, improving the visual quality of our studio's games.What the Role Entails
  • Lead the architecture design of animation state machines, animation trees, and animation pipelines.
  • Establish technical specifications and best practices; provide clear technical roadmaps for the team.
  • Dive deep into complex technical challenges within animation systems.
  • Drive the adoption and production deployment of cutting-edge animation technologies (Motion Matching, procedural animation, physics-based animation) in AAA projects.
  • Build animation quality review mechanisms and evaluation systems.
  • Systematically ensure and elevate the ceiling of in-game animation quality.
  • As a core expert in technical animation, mentor and develop team members.
  • Drive technical alignment and effective collaboration across disciplines (Animation, Design, Engineering, Engine).
  • Lead the engine integration of complex animation systems.
  • Solve end-to-end technical challenges from DCC toolchains to runtime.
  • Ensure the delivery of highest-quality animations.
  • Stay current with cutting-edge technology trends, evaluate the feasibility of new technologies, and provide forward-looking technical roadmap recommendations for the team.
Who We Look For
  • 8+ years of game industry experience.
  • 5+ years of technical animation experience on AAA projects.
  • Proven track record of leading complete animation system architecture design.
  • Proficient with animation DCC software such as Maya.
  • Capable of producing top-tier quality animations independently.
  • Deep understanding of animation principles.
  • Expert in animation state machine and animation tree architecture design and performance optimization.
  • Hands-on experience with large-scale state machine optimization.
  • Deep understanding of game engine (Unreal Engine) animation system internals, performance bottlenecks, and resolution strategies.
  • Excellent technical communication and influence; able to drive technical decisions and effectively persuade cross-functional teams.

Nice to have:

  • Experience with DCC tool development or engine-side development (C++ / Blueprints).
  • Hands-on experience with cutting-edge directions such as Motion Matching, Control Rig, procedural animation, physics-based animation.

Location State(s)

US-California-Los AngelesThe expected base pay range for this position in the location(s) listed above is $138,800.00 to $261,400.00 per year. Actual pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Employees hired for this position may be eligible for a sign on payment, relocation package, and restricted stock units, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Subject to the terms and conditions of the plans in effect, hired applicants are also eligible for medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits, and participation in the Company's 401(k) plan. The Employee is also eligible for up to 15 to 25 days of vacation per year (depending on the employee's tenure), up to 13 days of holidays throughout the calendar year, and up to 10 days of paid sick leave per year. Your benefits may be adjusted to reflect your location, employment status, duration of employment with the company, and position level. Benefits may also be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.Equal Employment Opportunity at Tencent

As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diverse voices fuel our innovation and allow us to better serve our users and the community. We foster an environment where every employee of Tencent feels supported and inspired to achieve individual and common goals.

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