ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Animation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

2K

Lead Animator

San Mateo, CA

$123K - $182K/yr

Set up animation blends, overlays, events, and related systems in Unreal. * Iterate on animation and player feel through playtesting and hands-on tuning. * Develop quick animation prototypes for new ...

31st Union

Lead Animator

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Set up animation blends, overlays, events, and related systems in Unreal. * Iterate on animation and player feel through playtesting and hands-on tuning. * Develop quick animation prototypes for new ...

Jam City

Technical Animator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Augment and maintain the animation pipeline. * Propose or create tools to automate the animation pipeline. * Assist the animation team with high quality animation. This includes short loops ...

2K

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Partner with the Animation Director and leadership to establish the animation vision, evangelize studio values, and shape a positive and inclusive team culture. * Develop and refine animation ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · Remote

$123K - $182K/yr

Partner with the Animation Director and leadership to establish the animation vision, evangelize studio values, and shape a positive and inclusive team culture. * Develop and refine animation ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Partner with the Animation Director and leadership to establish the animation vision, evangelize studio values, and shape a positive and inclusive team culture. * Develop and refine animation ...

2K

Lead Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$123K - $182K/yr

Partner with the Animation Director and leadership to establish the animation vision, evangelize studio values, and shape a positive and inclusive team culture. * Develop and refine animation ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA

$88K - $120K/yr

Contribute to the development of animation workflows and tools to streamline the animation process. * Stay up-to-date with industry trends and techniques to continually improve the quality of ...

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA · On-site

Inspiring and guiding the animation discipline, setting the creative vision and quality bar for characters and combat in a competitive multiplayer game. * Leading and mentoring a lean animation team ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA · On-site

$88K - $120K/yr

Contribute to the development of animation workflows and tools to streamline the animation process. * Stay up-to-date with industry trends and techniques to continually improve the quality of ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA · On-site

$88K - $120K/yr

Contribute to the development of animation workflows and tools to streamline the animation process. * Stay up-to-date with industry trends and techniques to continually improve the quality of ...

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA

Inspiring and guiding the animation discipline, setting the creative vision and quality bar for characters and combat in a competitive multiplayer game. * Leading and mentoring a lean animation team ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

This role will help lead the development of animation assets to support the execution of the overall production's creative vision. This is an Expression of Interest role. Key Responsibilities: * Show ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsAnimation JobsAnimation Jobs in California

Animation information

See California salary details

$10

$38

$69

How much do animation jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for animation in California is $38.89, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.59 and $63.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an animation job involve?

An Animation job involves creating moving images using computer software or traditional techniques like hand-drawing or stop-motion. Animators develop characters, backgrounds, and special effects for films, video games, advertisements, and digital media. They collaborate with writers, designers, and directors to bring stories to life. Strong artistic skills, creativity, and proficiency in animation software like Adobe Animate or Blender are essential.

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

To thrive in Animation, you need strong artistic abilities, knowledge of animation principles, and typically a degree in animation, fine arts, or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Adobe After Effects, Maya, Blender, or Toon Boom Harmony is highly desirable, and certification in these can be advantageous. Creativity, attention to detail, time management, and effective collaboration skills help animators excel in team-oriented environments. These abilities are crucial for producing high-quality animations that meet client briefs and project deadlines in this fast-evolving industry.

What are some common challenges animators face in their daily work?

Animators often deal with tight deadlines and the need to revise work multiple times to match client or director feedback, which requires patience and adaptability. The role can involve long periods of focused work at a computer, making time management and attention to ergonomic practices important. Additionally, staying updated with the latest animation techniques and software advancements is crucial for remaining competitive in the field. Collaboration with story artists, designers, and technical teams is also a major part of the job, ensuring each project is cohesive and visually appealing.

Are animation professionals still in demand?

Animation professionals are still in demand across industries such as entertainment, advertising, and gaming, especially with the growth of digital media and virtual reality. Skills in software like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender, along with a strong portfolio, can improve job prospects in this competitive field.

What jobs can animation get?

Animation skills can lead to jobs such as 3D animator, character animator, motion graphics artist, visual effects artist, and storyboard artist. These roles are common in industries like film, television, video game development, advertising, and digital media, often requiring proficiency in software like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender.

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 jobs in California?

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

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

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

What cities in California are hiring for Animation jobs?

Cities in California with the most Animation job openings:

Animation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animation job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 76% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 6% Temporary, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 81% In-person, 4% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,900 per year, or $38.9 per hour.

Senior Software Engineer, Avatar Animation

Roblox

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$139K - $183K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 18 days ago

Job description

As Senior Software Engineer on the Avatar Animation team, you will leverage the Roblox game engine and tools to build groundbreaking experiences that push the boundaries of what is possible on the platform. Your efforts will not only help create amazing content, but more importantly, will help us highlight issues, improve and extend our animation tech, tools and pipeline for all developers. These efforts will enable our game developers to create engaging and delightful experiences for our millions of players.

We are looking for a software engineer who is passionate about animation and world class user experiences including both usability and performance. You need to be proficient in C++ and have experience working on animation systems and tools. Prior experience with animation for games / interactive experiences is a huge plus.

You Will:
  • Help develop experiences that push the quality bar beyond what was previously thought possible on the platform
  • Analyze existing animation tech and tools and determine what is needed to meet a project's objectives
  • Author documentation on issues, improvements and feature requests for all aspects of character animation tech on Roblox
  • Work closely with gameplay engineers to implement gameplay interactions using animation tech
  • Implement innovative solutions to feature requests and collaborate with the Roblox avatar animation team on larger features
  • Have fun working with our internal content teams and community developers to improve the overall state of animation on Roblox
You Have:
  • 8+ years of experience for with knowledge of character animation, game engines and tools
  • Proficiency in C++: Strong C++ programming skills with an ability to write high quality, performant code; experience with Lua is a plus
  • Passion about interactive: You are driven to build amazing experiences with great animations for users on the platform
  • Foundation oriented mindset: You believe that strong 3D math skills and a well thought out code architecture are important
  • Performance focus: You embrace software performance considerations, with an ability to implement performant solutions for platforms including mobile
  • Personally Motivated: Self-sufficient, self-organized and able to take ownership of a project throughout its full lifecycle
  • A Team player mentality: Ability to work closely with and inspire the rest of your team while displaying excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Apply