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Animation Technical Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Epic Games

Character Animation Lead

Cary, NC · On-site

What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for a Character Animation Director to join our Special ... You will combine strong animation fundamentals with technical fluency in Unreal Engine to build ...

Epic Games

Senior Technical Animator

Cary, NC · On-site

$98.20K - $112.10K/yr

Direct Technical Animation work for Cinematic trailers, including outsourced and internal trailers * Provide support and optimization for Animation Team, including performance/speed optimizations ...

Believe In Me

Animator

Spokane, WA

Works closely with the creative director to ensure the project's requirements are met. * Works ... Animation skills * Graphic design skills * Vision * Developing creative standards * Proficiency ...

Dartmouth College

Post-production Manager

Hanover, NH · On-site

In addition, the Post-production Manager will maintain the analogue film suites, animation labs, and editing suites. They will work with the Technical Director to develop and deliver workshops and ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Work closely with technical animation and other stakeholders to develop and improve animation pipelines. * Collaborate with the Director, Leads, and other artists on the team to create a cohesive ...

DSN

Technical Designer

Las Vegas, NV · On-site

Create animations, particles, and visual effects that enhance gameplay * Build mockups, UI elements ... You'll have direct impact on live, player-facing products What You Bring * Strong experience with:

DSN

Technical Designer

Las Vegas, NV · On-site

Create animations, particles, and visual effects that enhance gameplay * Build mockups, UI elements ... You'll have direct impact on live, player-facing products What You Bring * Strong experience with:

DSN

Technical Designer

Las Vegas, NV

Create animations, particles, and visual effects that enhance gameplay * Build mockups, UI elements ... You'll have direct impact on live, player-facing products What You Bring * Strong experience with:

STAHL

Audio-Visual Animator

Port Hueneme, CA

The Channel's founding Technical Board Members include former government leaders and IT executives ... Collaborate with directors, designers, and other creative staff to conceptualize and implement ...

M&S Consulting

3D Animator

Pasadena, CA · On-site +1

Collaborate with creative directors, producers, and technical experts to ensure scientific accuracy ... Strong portfolio demonstrating cinematic 3D animation and visualization work * Experience working ...

Stahl Companies

Audio-Visual Animator

Port Hueneme, CA · On-site

The Channel's founding Technical Board Members include former government leaders and IT executives ... Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in Animation, Multimedia Arts, Graphic Design, or a related ...

M&S Consulting

3D Animator

Pasadena, CA · Remote

Collaborate with creative directors, producers, and technical experts to ensure scientific accuracy ... Strong portfolio demonstrating cinematic 3D animation and visualization work * Experience working ...

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$26K

$115.5K

$232K

How much do animation technical director jobs pay per year?

As of May 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for animation technical director in the United States is $115,510.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,000.00 and $154,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an Animation Technical Director do?

An Animation Technical Director (TD) is responsible for developing and maintaining the technical aspects of animation production. They create tools, scripts, and workflows to streamline animation pipelines and solve technical challenges. TDs collaborate with animators, modelers, and software engineers to optimize performance and ensure seamless integration of assets. Their role is essential in balancing artistic vision with technical efficiency in animated films, TV shows, or video games.

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

To thrive as an Animation Technical Director, you need a strong background in computer graphics, programming (such as Python or C++), and animation pipeline management, often supported by a relevant degree in computer science, animation, or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard software like Maya, Houdini, and proprietary production tools, as well as scripting and shot management systems, is essential. Problem-solving, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate with artists and engineers are key soft skills in this role. These skills ensure the smooth integration of artistic and technical elements, allowing for efficient production pipelines and high-quality animated content.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of an Animation Technical Director?

As an Animation Technical Director, your typical day involves developing and maintaining animation pipelines, troubleshooting technical issues, and creating custom tools to support artists and animators. You will collaborate closely with creative teams to ensure assets and processes meet both artistic and technical requirements, and often serve as a liaison between technical and artistic departments. Additionally, you may participate in technical reviews, optimize rendering workflows, and mentor other team members on best practices. This dynamic role requires balancing hands-on technical problem-solving with clear communication to ensure smooth project delivery.
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What cities are hiring for Animation Technical Director jobs? Cities with the most Animation Technical Director job openings:
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Animation Technical Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation Technical Director job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, and 97% Full Time. Highlights an 100% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $115,510 per year, or $55.5 per hour.
Character Animation Lead

Character Animation Lead

Epic Games

Cary, NC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 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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