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Animation Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Epic Games

Character Animation Lead

Cary, NC · On-site

We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development. ART What We Do Push ... You will combine strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine to build ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Animation Programmer

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$118.80K - $217.80K/yr

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Animation Programmer to join our development efforts on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. The Senior Animation Programmer is responsible for ...

Fox

Producer, AI Animation

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$114K - $150K/yr

Built around four integrated pillars, including R&D, Production, Talent, and Education, FoxNXT develops and deploys AI powered pipelines that redefine creative workflows across animation, unscripted ...

Flying Bark Productions

3D Animation Lead

Denver, NC · On-site

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 ...

Epic Games

Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC · On-site

We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development. ART What We Do Push ... Build animation behavior tools, techniques, and frameworks that enable complex systems and ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Animation Programmer

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$118.80K - $217.80K/yr

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Animation Programmer to join our development efforts on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. The Senior Animation Programmer is responsible for ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Animation Programmer

Boston, MA · On-site +1

CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Animation Programmer to join our development efforts on Cyberpunk 2, the next mainline Cyberpunk 2077 game. The Senior Animation Programmer is responsible for ...

Madison College

PT Instructor Pool - Animation

Madison, WI · On-site

$16.75 - $22/hr

To instruct adult students in Animation - Concept Development at the vocational, associate degree and college transfer credit levels. Instructors develop instructional strategies and curriculum as a ...

Believe In Me

Animator

Spokane, WA

Multimedia content development Requirements * Bachelor's degree in animation or computer graphics * 1-3 years' animation experience * General knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and After ...

IGT

Animator IV

Reno, NV

$105.70K - $120.60K/yr

Drive and collaborate on the creative vision for animation across multiple game development projects, establishing high standards for quality, style, and player engagement. * Develop storyboards ...

Progressive Gaming

Animator IV

Reno, NV

$105.70K - $120.60K/yr

Drive and collaborate on the creative vision for animation across multiple game development projects, establishing high standards for quality, style, and player engagement. * Develop storyboards ...

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Animation Development information

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$50K

$107.7K

$173.5K

How much do animation development jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 3, 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 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.

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 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 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.

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 May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 4% As Needed, 82% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 10% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 67% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 29% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,697 per year, or $51.8 per hour.
Character Animation Lead

Character Animation Lead

Epic Games

Cary, NC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic's success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we're always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
ART
What We Do
Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character, and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire.
What You'll Do
Epic Games is looking for a Character Animation Director to join our Special Projects team to help drive the vision and execution of character animation across experimental and gameplay-driven prototypes. You will combine strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine to build responsive, expressive, and scalable animation systems. You will act as a bridge between animation and engineering - helping to define workflows, shape systems, and solve complex problems at the intersection of gameplay and motion. This role requires both hands-on creation and leadership: setting quality bars, guiding others, and helping a small team move quickly without sacrificing clarity or craft.
In this role, you will
  • Lead the creation and implementation of high-quality, gameplay-driven animation in Unreal Engine
  • Prototype and iterate on new approaches to character movement, responsiveness, and player-driven animation
  • Collaborate closely with engineers and technical designers to design scalable, flexible animation systems. Excite those around you with creative and clear thinking
  • Own animation quality and leadership across projects, ensuring a strong and consistent point of view
  • Translate gameplay needs into animation behaviors that feel intuitive and responsive
  • Debug and solve complex animation and integration issues in the engine
  • Contribute to and help evolve animation pipelines, tools, and workflows for rapid iteration
  • Mentor and support other animators, fostering a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and craft excellence
What we're looking for
  • Expert-level understanding of character animation principles, with the ability to deliver both realistic and stylized motion; experience with motion matching, procedural animation, or emerging animation technologies is a plus
  • Deep experience working in Unreal Engine, including Animation Blueprints, state machines, blending, and runtime systems
  • Strong understanding of gameplay animation-how input, timing, and responsiveness shape player experience
  • Proven ability to collaborate effectively with engineers and technical designers on complex, system-driven features
  • Experience building or contributing to animation systems (not just assets), including debugging and iteration in-engine
  • Animating in-engine using Unreal Engine animation tools; familiarity with Control Rig and runtime rigging workflows in Unreal Engine
  • Comfort working in ambiguous, exploratory environments with rapid iteration cycles
  • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to balance creative goals with technical constraints
  • Experienced AAA development or equivalent real-time production environments
  • Excellent communication and leadership skills
EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE
Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.
ABOUT US
Epic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.

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