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Animation Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

ZeniMax Media

Animator (First-Person)

Rockville, MD · On-site

$70K - $155K/yr

Work In collaboration with members of the team to address animation needs and requirements for game play and cinematic content. * Actively engage with developers outside of your discipline creating a ...

Career Renew

Web Engineer

Washington, DC · Remote

$170K - $220K/yr

... animations that enhance product storytelling using technologies such as Motion and GSAP * Exercise ... software/web engineering, with a high bar quality and bias towards shipping changes often ...

OptiTrack

Machine Learning & Operations Engineer

Arlington, VA · Remote

$80K - $108.10K/yr

... animation, robotics, virtual production, biomechanics, and industrial applications. About the Role ... This role sits at the intersection of machine learning engineering and infrastructure, focusing on ...

OptiTrack

Machine Learning & Operations Engineer

Arlington, VA · Remote

$71.10K - $96.20K/yr

... animation, robotics, virtual production, biomechanics, and industrial applications. About the Role ... This role sits at the intersection of machine learning engineering and infrastructure, focusing on ...

Range

Senior iOS Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$141.50K/yr

Animations, transitions, scroll performance, accessibility. You know these things are the ... Track record of mentoring engineers and raising the technical bar on a team * Excellent ...

Peraton

Front-End Engineer

Annapolis Junction, MD · On-site

$86K - $138K/yr

The Frontend Engineer ensures a seamless, responsive user experience for analysts and program ... Knowledge of SVG manipulation and animation Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national ...

Peraton

Front-End Engineer

Annapolis Junction, MD · On-site

$86K - $138K/yr

The Frontend Engineer ensures a seamless, responsive user experience for analysts and program ... Knowledge of SVG manipulation and animation Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national ...

Peraton

Front-End Engineer

Annapolis Junction, MD · On-site

$86K - $138K/yr

The Frontend Engineer ensures a seamless, responsive user experience for analysts and program ... Knowledge of SVG manipulation and animation Peraton Overview Peraton is a next-generation national ...

J5 Consulting

Software Developer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

Demonstrated experience using content creation and management tools for web design, web development, programming, graphic design, animation, videography, photography and audio recording, editing and ...

Leidos

Senior 2D and 3D Graphic Designer

Alexandria, VA

$82.55K - $149.23K/yr

In this role, you will work alongside government partners, engineers, and other industry teammates ... Develop 3D models, renderings, and animations to represent system architectures, workflows, and ...

Leidos

Senior 2D and 3D Graphic Designer

Gaithersburg, MD

$82.55K - $149.23K/yr

In this role, you will work alongside government partners, engineers, and other industry teammates ... Develop 3D models, renderings, and animations to represent system architectures, workflows, and ...

Leidos

Senior 2D and 3D Graphic Designer

Alexandria, VA · On-site

$82.55K - $149.23K/yr

In this role, you will work alongside government partners, engineers, and other industry teammates ... Develop 3D models, renderings, and animations to represent system architectures, workflows, and ...

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Animation Engineer information

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$91.7K

$164.6K

$232.2K

How much do animation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for animation engineer in Washington is $164,633.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $131,400.00 and $195,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an Animation Engineer job?

An Animation Engineer is a technical specialist who develops and optimizes animation systems for video games, films, and interactive media. They work closely with animators and software developers to create smooth, efficient, and realistic animations using programming languages, game engines, and animation tools. Their responsibilities often include developing animation rigs, physics-based movement, and real-time character interactions. Strong coding skills, knowledge of animation principles, and experience with tools like Maya, Blender, or Unreal Engine are essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Animation Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animation Engineer, you need strong programming skills—often in C++, Python, and graphics APIs—paired with a solid understanding of computer graphics, mathematics, and animation principles. Proficiency with tools like Maya, Unity, Unreal Engine, and experience working with animation pipelines or real-time rendering systems are typically required. Exceptional problem-solving, teamwork, and clear communication are valuable soft skills in this role. These abilities ensure seamless integration of technical and artistic requirements, efficient collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and the creation of high-quality animated experiences.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of an Animation Engineer?

As an Animation Engineer, your day-to-day tasks often include developing and optimizing animation systems, collaborating with animators and designers to implement new features, and troubleshooting technical issues related to character or object animation. You may also write scripts and tools to streamline animation workflows or assist in integrating animations into game engines or production software. Regular communication with both artistic and technical team members is essential to ensure that animations look and perform as intended. This collaborative environment supports innovation and continuous improvement, making each project engaging and dynamic.

What does an Animation Engineer do?

An Animation Engineer develops and implements animated content for video games, films, or virtual environments by creating algorithms and tools to produce realistic or stylized animations. They often work with programming languages, animation software, and physics simulations to ensure smooth, efficient motion and visual effects. Strong coding skills and knowledge of animation principles are essential in this role.
More about Animation Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Animation Engineer jobs in Washington? For Animation Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Animation Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Animation Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Animation Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Animation Engineer job openings:
Animation Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Engineer job openings in Washington as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $164,633 per year, or $79.2 per hour.

Creature Animator (Outsourcing)

ZeniMax Media

Rockville, MD • On-site

$70K - $155K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 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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