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Animation Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation development. * Mentor, coach, and train more junior animators. What We'll Do Together:

Cloud Chamber

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation development. * Mentor, coach, and train more junior animators. What We'll Do Together:

Cloud Chamber

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA

$124K - $142K/yr

Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation development. * Mentor, coach, and train more junior animators. What We'll Do Together:

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation development. * Mentor, coach, and train more junior animators. What We'll Do Together:

Flying Bark Productions

3D Animation Lead

Denver, NC · On-site +1

The 3D Animation Lead role involves managing and guiding a team of animators on a show, acting as ... Career development is important to us so we offer training and support opportunities whenever ...

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA

$112K - $128K/yr

Lead the creative development and execution of assigned long-form and short-form animated projects ... Monitor trends in animation, streaming, comedy, digital media, and audience behavior to inform ...

New

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$112K - $128K/yr

Lead the creative development and execution of assigned long-form and short-form animated projects ... Monitor trends in animation, streaming, comedy, digital media, and audience behavior to inform ...

New

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$112K - $128K/yr

Lead the creative development and execution of assigned long-form and short-form animated projects ... Monitor trends in animation, streaming, comedy, digital media, and audience behavior to inform ...

New

Epic Games

Senior Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC · On-site

$98K - $112K/yr

We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development. ART What We Do Push ... As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to ...

2K

Senior Technical Animation Designer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$108K - $161K/yr

Provide and offer technical support and mentorship to animators, contributing to their development while promoting effective cross-disciplinary communication. * Regularly document processes and share ...

De Circle

Animation Engineer - EmptyVessel

Austin, TX · On-site +1

Empty Vessel is an emerging game development studio focusing on immersive gaming experiences. With ... We are seeking 1-2 mid-level Animation Engineers with exceptional Unreal Engine 5 expertise to join ...

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All JobsAnimation Development Jobs

Animation Development information

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$50K

$107.7K

$173.5K

How much do animation development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for animation development in the United States is $107,697.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $88,000.00 and $121,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is animation development?

Animation development is the process of conceptualizing, planning, and outlining animated projects before full production begins. This phase involves creating story ideas, scripts, character designs, storyboards, and sometimes animatics to visualize the final product. Animation development is crucial for setting the creative direction and ensuring all stakeholders are aligned before significant resources are committed to production. It typically involves collaboration between writers, directors, producers, and artists. Successful development lays the groundwork for a smooth and efficient animation production process.

What are the typical challenges faced by professionals in animation development, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Animation Development often encounter challenges such as aligning creative vision with production constraints, managing tight deadlines, and ensuring clear communication between artists, writers, and technical teams. To address these, it's important to develop strong project management and collaboration skills, stay adaptable to feedback, and be proactive in resolving issues early. Building fluency with industry-standard tools and keeping up with evolving animation trends can also help overcome common obstacles and contribute to a smoother production process.

What is the difference between Animation Development vs Animation Design?

AspectAnimation DevelopmentAnimation Design
Primary FocusCreating animated content through coding and technical processesDesigning visual styles and characters for animations
Skills RequiredProgramming, software engineering, technical animation toolsArt, illustration, storytelling, visual creativity
Work EnvironmentSoftware studios, tech companies, multimedia firmsDesign studios, advertising agencies, entertainment industry
Common CertificationsAnimation software certifications, programming coursesArt degrees, illustration certifications

Animation Development focuses on the technical creation of animated content, often involving coding and software engineering. In contrast, Animation Design emphasizes visual storytelling, character creation, and artistic design. Both roles are essential in the animation industry but serve different aspects of the production process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in animation development, and why are they important?

To excel in Animation Development, you need strong artistic abilities, storytelling skills, and a background in animation or a related field, often supported by a relevant degree or portfolio. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Toon Boom, or Maya, along with knowledge of production pipelines, is typically required. Creativity, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with diverse teams and bringing stories to life. These competencies are essential for producing high-quality animations that captivate audiences and meet production standards.
More about Animation Development jobs
What cities are hiring for Animation Development jobs? Cities with the most Animation Development job openings:
What states have the most Animation Development jobs? States with the most job openings for Animation Development jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Animation Development jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Animation Development jobs are:
Animation Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Development job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 55% As Needed, 13% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 24% Nights. Highlights an 68% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 28% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,697 per year, or $51.8 per hour.

Principal Gameplay Animator

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$150K - $175K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 2 days ago

New

Job description

Summary
We are looking for a Principal Gameplay Animator to help define and deliver the animation quality, style, and feel of our AAA open world action-adventure game. As a creative and technical contributor, you will create exceptional gameplay animations, establish animation standards, and partner closely with Design, Engineering, Art, and Narrative teams to ensure that our animations are fluid, realistic, and enhance the overall gameplay.
This role combines hands-on animation development with leadership through craft. You will be expected to solve complex gameplay animation challenges, mentor other animators, influence animation pipelines and workflows, and help shape the overall player experience through world-class character performance and movement.
Core Responsibilities
  • Create high-quality gameplay animations that establish the visual and gameplay standard for all characters, creatures, and object animations.
  • Drive the development of locomotion, traversal, combat, interaction, and systemic animation content; review animation content and help maintain consistent quality and artistic direction across all gameplay features.
  • Collaborate with the Animation Director to define the animation style and direction.
  • Partner with Design and Engineering teams to implement animation systems that enhance gameplay feel, responsiveness, and player immersion.
  • Work closely with Technical Animation to improve pipelines, tools, and workflows.
  • Help establish efficient workflows that balance visual quality, gameplay requirements, and technical constraints.
  • Provide feedback and mentorship to other animators.
  • Ensure animations meet performance and memory constraints for different platforms.
  • Partner with outsource and co-development teams to review deliverables and ensure quality standards are met.
  • Stay current with industry trends and techniques in animation.

Core Qualifications
  • 7+ years of experience in animation within the video game industry.
  • Proficiency in Maya and other industry-standard animation tools.
  • Multiple shipped AAA titles in a gameplay animation role.
  • Strong understanding of Unreal Engine 5 animation systems, including Animation Blueprints, State Machines, Blend Spaces, Control Rig, and Motion Matching workflows.
  • Strong understanding of anatomy, motion, and weight in animation.
  • Experience with both keyframe animation and motion capture techniques.
  • Proven track record of leading animation teams and delivering high-quality content.
  • Ability to work collaboratively across departments and communicate effectively.
  • Strong problem-solving abilities with a balance of artistic vision and technical execution.
  • Self-motivated, organized, and able to drive complex initiatives with minimal oversight.

Plus if...
  • Experience developing animation systems AAA titles or games with a focus on realistic animation.
  • Experience with creature animation and complex character rigs.
  • Deep knowledge of traversal and combat animation.
  • Experience with motion matching, procedural animation, and physics-driven systems.
  • Experience building or improving animation pipelines and tools.
  • Experience working with external vendors and co-development partners.
  • Passion for open world gameplay, player expression, and immersive character performance.

Description
  • Full-time job with benefits.
  • Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA.
  • Office is located near downtown Santa Monica - near metro and freeways.

Join our talented team and play a crucial role in bringing our characters and creatures to life. Together, we will create animations that captivate players and enhance the overall gameplay experience. Apply now and lead our animation team as the Principal Animator with Absurd Ventures.
The base pay range for this position is $150,000 to $175,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including paid time off, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.
About Absurd Ventures
Absurd Ventures is a media company creating new IP across all platforms and for all formats. Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.

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