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Animation Jobs in Durham, NC (NOW HIRING)

Senior Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$98K - $112K/yr

As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to design and create gameplay animation systems that facilitate appealing, high-quality character ...

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 ...

As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to design and create gameplay animation systems that facilitate entertaining, high-quality characters.

As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to design and create gameplay animation systems that facilitate appealing, high-quality character ...

Blender Tutor

Durham, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Blender Tutor

Chapel Hill, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Blender Tutor

Raleigh, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Skilled at teaching 3D modeling techniques, material creation, and animation workflows in Blender. Guides students through box modeling, sculpting organic forms, unwrapping UVs, building shader node ...

Autodesk 3DS Max Tutor

Raleigh, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Ability to explain polygon modeling, UV unwrapping, keyframe animation, and physically based rendering while preparing students for careers in architectural visualization, game asset creation, and ...

Autodesk 3DS Max Tutor

Durham, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Ability to explain polygon modeling, UV unwrapping, keyframe animation, and physically based rendering while preparing students for careers in architectural visualization, game asset creation, and ...

Autodesk 3DS Max Tutor

Chapel Hill, NC ยท Remote

$18 - $40/hr

Ability to explain polygon modeling, UV unwrapping, keyframe animation, and physically based rendering while preparing students for careers in architectural visualization, game asset creation, and ...

Produce attention-grabbing multimedia assets (i.e. graphics, animations, video) for social media posts, webpages and emails * Design display banner ads (i.e. HTML5, GIF, JPG, rich media) to fit ...

As part of the Creative & Video Studio, this role develops motion graphics, animations, video packages, product demonstrations, explainers, social media content, webcast assets, event visuals, and ...

As part of the Creative & Video Studio, this role develops motion graphics, animations, video packages, product demonstrations, explainers, social media content, webcast assets, event visuals, and ...

You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the story and meets AAA production standards. Key Responsibilities: * Build and refine cinematic ...

You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the story and meets AAA production standards. Key Responsibilities: * Build and refine cinematic ...

You'll work closely with animation, lighting, and narrative teams to ensure every shot serves the story and meets AAA production standards. Key Responsibilities: * Build and refine cinematic ...

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Animation information

See Durham, NC salary details

$10

$38

$67

How much do animation jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for animation in Durham, NC is $38.08, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.15 and $61.78 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 Durham, NC?

The most popular types of Animation jobs in Durham, NC are:

What job categories do people searching Animation jobs in Durham, NC look for?

The top searched job categories for Animation jobs in Durham, NC are:

What cities near Durham, NC are hiring for Animation jobs?

Cities near Durham, NC with the most Animation job openings:

Infographic showing various Animation job openings in Durham, NC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 85% In-person, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,212 per year, or $38.1 per hour.

Senior Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC โ€ข On-site

Epic Games
PC Gamesย โ€ขย 1 - 5K employees

$98K - $112K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 3 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 Senior Technical Designer in Animation (TDiA) to join our team working across various animation systems. As a TDiA, you will use your animation sense and technical understanding of character animation to design and create gameplay animation systems that facilitate appealing, high-quality character motion. You will be the primary point of contact for animation implementation issues and any animation-related technical challenges, and you will work closely with Animation, Design, and Engineering colleagues to ensure the animation pipeline operates smoothly and efficiently. You will also help identify potential issues and deploy correct solutions, using your technical knowledge to help bridge and facilitate communication between the animation team and other departments.
In this role, you will
  • Create animation behavior tools/techniques/philosophies that allow the building of complex movement systems
  • Design and implement animation state machines/behaviors and runtime solutions
  • Work closely with the Animation, Design, and Engineering departments to analyze, troubleshoot, and solve in-game animation implementation issues and animation-related technical challenges
  • Closely collaborate with the animation leadership to maintain the style and quality bar for animations in the game
  • Look for opportunities to improve the animation pipeline/workflow and help provide solutions for technical animation problems, including performing training and creating documentation for the animation team
What we're looking for
  • A strong animation sense with a clear understanding of realistic and stylized character motion and how to achieve them with modern animation methods
  • Expertise with animation pipelines, including source content creation tools such as Maya, MotionBuilder, and the Unreal Engine, using our Control Rig toolset
  • Exceptional problem-solving ability with strong written communication and teamwork skills
  • Familiarity with gameplay animation tools and concepts, such as blend trees and state machines; experience with Unreal Engine Animation Blueprints is a plus
  • Experience with AAA game development, preferably on a large team using an established game engine (internal or commercial); experience with Unreal Engine is a plus
  • Self-motivation, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work independently
  • Coding knowledge or experience with C++ is not required
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 is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 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.