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Animation Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

New Venture

Technology Director

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

Work closely with Game Director, Animation Director, Art Director and other members of the development team to plan tech requirements and implementation and assist with problem solving technical ...

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$112K - $128K/yr

Reporting to the Sr. Director, Mattel Studios Animation Creative (Adult & Four-Quad), this position requires an experienced creative executive with a proven ability to manage projects across ...

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$112K - $128K/yr

Reporting to the Sr. Director, Mattel Studios Animation Creative (Adult & Four-Quad), this position requires an experienced creative executive with a proven ability to manage projects across ...

Mattel

Sr Manager, TV Animation

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$112K - $128K/yr

Reporting to the Sr. Director, Mattel Studios Animation Creative (Adult & Four-Quad), this position requires an experienced creative executive with a proven ability to manage projects across ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Collaborate with the Director, Leads, and other artists on the team to create a cohesive vision for animation assignments. * Performs other duties as assigned. Qualifications & Skills: * 5+ years of ...

Ten4

Senior Gaming Animator

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$129K - $148K/yr

Self-directed and independent worker Major Plus: * Excellent hand-keyed facial animation * Motionbuilder and Unreal Engine experience * First-person animations experience * strong design eye * Strong ...

Ten4

Senior Gaming Animator

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$129K - $148K/yr

Self-directed and independent worker Major Plus: * Excellent hand-keyed facial animation * Motionbuilder and Unreal Engine experience * First-person animations experience * strong design eye * Strong ...

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA · On-site

Push for animation excellence while always putting gameplay quality first. * Thrive in tight-knit, highly collaborative teams and communicate clearly across disciplines. * Are self-directed ...

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

Push for animation excellence while always putting gameplay quality first. * Thrive in tight-knit, highly collaborative teams and communicate clearly across disciplines. * Are self-directed ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsAnimation JobsAnimation Director JobsAnimation Director Jobs in California

Animation Director information

See California salary details

$10.9K

$170.2K

How much do animation director jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for animation director in California is $168,760.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $168,800.00 and $168,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an animation director?

Animation Directors are creative professionals who oversee the visual development and production of animated projects such as films, TV shows, or video games. They manage teams of animators, guide the artistic direction, and ensure that the animation aligns with the project's vision and story. Animation Directors collaborate closely with producers, writers, and other departments to maintain consistency and quality throughout the animation process. Their role is crucial in bringing characters and worlds to life in a cohesive and engaging manner.

What does an animation director do?

An animation director is responsible for performing and overseeing a number of creative duties during the design, production, and post-processing of an animation. You may work at a film studio or video game company, collaborating with writers, illustrators, and visual designers to develop stories and graphics, and to define guiding aesthetic principles. You work closely with voice actors, animators, and sound design artists to create the final product, such as an animated movie, web short, TV show, or animation for a website.

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

To thrive as an Animation Director, you need a strong background in animation principles, storytelling, visual design, and often a degree in animation or related fields. Proficiency with animation software such as Adobe After Effects, Maya, Toon Boom, or Blender, along with experience in project management tools, is typically required. Leadership, creative vision, and excellent communication are essential soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating with clients or stakeholders. These skills ensure cohesive, high-quality animations delivered on time, aligned with the project's creative goals.

What are some common challenges animation directors face when leading a team on a large project?

Animation Directors often encounter challenges such as aligning the creative vision across a diverse team, managing tight production schedules, and ensuring consistent animation quality throughout the project. Balancing creative input from animators, storyboard artists, and producers while adhering to budget and time constraints can be demanding. Effective communication, regular feedback sessions, and strong organizational skills are essential for overcoming these challenges and delivering a cohesive final product.

What is the difference between Animation Director vs Animation Supervisor?

AspectAnimation DirectorAnimation Supervisor
ResponsibilitiesOversees the overall animation style, guides creative vision, and manages animation teams to ensure consistency and quality.Manages day-to-day animation production, assigns tasks, and ensures deadlines are met within the animation team.
Required SkillsStrong artistic vision, leadership, and experience in animation production.Technical expertise, team management, and workflow coordination.
Work EnvironmentCreative leadership in studios, overseeing multiple animation projects.Supervisory role within animation teams, often reporting to the Animation Director.

The Animation Director focuses on the creative and artistic vision of the animation, guiding the overall style and quality. The Animation Supervisor handles the operational aspects, managing the team to meet production goals. Both roles are essential in animation production, with the Director setting the creative tone and the Supervisor ensuring smooth execution.

More about Animation Director jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Animation jobs in California?

The most popular types of Animation jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Animation Director jobs in California?

For Animation Director jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Animation Director jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Animation Director jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Animation Director jobs?

Cities in California with the most Animation Director job openings:

Animation Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Director job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $168,760 per year, or $81.1 per hour.

Technology Director

New Venture

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 20 days ago

Job description

Company Description
We are a new game studio founded by industry veterans in West Los Angeles. Our focus is AAA action-adventure game for consoles (i.e. PS4 and XBOX ONE). Our first title is an action-adventure game with melee combat in an epic fantasy setting. Our mission is to create an IP in the action-adventure genre of high quality with new genre innovations.
We are building a team of egoless self-starters who take pride in ownership of their work and craft. In our culture, everyone is empowered to make decisions in their respective domain and open to constructive criticism to push the boundaries of what is possible in our game. We value honesty and transparency. We trust our employee's abilities and give them the tools and freedom to learn and make mistakes. We are looking for individuals who share the same passion to take on this challenge and to build games we can all be proud of.
Job Description
As a Technical Director, you are responsible for planning and managing all technical aspects required to deliver an AAA quality action-adventure console game. You are in the driver's seat of defining the processes and culture of a studio. You are comfortable wearing multiple hats at times and being part of the core team that builds the foundation and structure for our studio to ramp up for full production.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Author Technical Design Document to define the technical scope of the game based on the High Level Design Document and investigation with discipline leads
  • Recruit and hire a team of engineers capable of delivering the product vision
  • Guide the creation of IT infrastructure with IT manager/external vendors
  • Define and set up software development environment
  • Work closely with Game Director, Animation Director, Art Director and other members of the development team to plan tech requirements and implementation and assist with problem solving technical issues in all areas of software engineering
  • Receive and assess feedback and constructive criticism from others regardless of their role and seniority
  • Lead the engineering team on a path of success and proactively communicate with different disciplines to ensure milestone goals and schedule are aligned

Qualifications
  • 8+ years experience on AAA quality action-adventure games on consoles
  • 3+ years experience as a Tech Director/Lead Software Engineer on AAA titles
  • Experience with latest game engines and tools that ship on the current generation of consoles (i.e. PS4 or XBOX ONE) or high-spec PC
  • Experience in architecting key software components of a game engine (i.e. rendering, gameplay, AI, physics, animation, etc)
  • B.Sc. degree in computer science

PLUSES:
  • Former gameplay engineer with experience in melee combat system
  • Experience with shipping game built on Unreal engine 4 or later on PS4 or XBOX ONE

Additional Information
We offer competitive salary and benefits including stock option plan

Apply