1

Cartoon Writer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Be Seen First

He communicates through videos, music, writing, drawing, and favorite movie quotes. He is an incredible artist who can draw cartoon characters without lifting his pen and has a deep knowledge of ...

Sr Software Engineer

Glendale, CA · On-site

$130K - $171K/yr

Design, write, test, and deploy high-quality code to develop reliable, maintainable software ... The Walt Disney Company started as a cartoon studio and evolves into sports coverage and television ...

Sr Software Engineer

Glendale, CA · On-site

$130K - $171K/yr

... oral and written communications skills • Motivated self-starter with the ability to learn and ... The Walt Disney Company started as a cartoon studio and evolves into sports coverage and television ...

Strategy Manager

Burbank, CA · On-site

$149K - $205K/yr

From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment ... Strong proven written, verbal, modeling skills (including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel)

Strategy Manager

Burbank, CA · On-site

$149K - $205K/yr

From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment ... Strong proven written, verbal, modeling skills (including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel)

From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment ... Strong proven written, verbal, modeling skills (including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel)

From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment ... Strong proven written, verbal, modeling skills (including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel)

next page

Showing results 1-20

Cartoon Writer information

See California salary details

$15

$34

$58

How much do cartoon writer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for cartoon writer in California is $34.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $23.03 and $50.29 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a cartoon writer?

A Cartoon Writer creates scripts, dialogue, and storylines for animated shows, movies, or web series. They develop engaging characters, humorous or dramatic plots, and ensure the tone matches the target audience. Writers work closely with animators, directors, and voice actors to bring their scripts to life. Their job may also involve writing outlines, revising scripts based on feedback, and ensuring consistency in storytelling across episodes.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a cartoon writer?

To thrive as a Cartoon Writer, you need exceptional storytelling abilities, a keen sense of comedic timing, and experience in scriptwriting or creative writing, often supported by a degree in English, Film, or a related field. Familiarity with script formatting software such as Final Draft and a working knowledge of animation workflows or storyboarding tools are valuable assets. Collaboration, openness to feedback, and the ability to brainstorm creatively within a team are standout soft skills for this role. These capabilities are vital for producing engaging, visually-driven narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and fit within the fast-paced, collaborative environment of animation production.

What does a typical workday look like for a cartoon writer on an animation team?

A typical day for a Cartoon Writer involves brainstorming story ideas, outlining episodes or segments, drafting and revising scripts, and participating in writers’ room discussions or meetings with animators and directors. Writers often collaborate closely with storyboard artists to ensure their jokes and narratives translate well visually and may receive feedback from producers or executives that requires quick revisions. The work environment is highly creative and collaborative, with tight deadlines and an emphasis on generating fresh, engaging content. Effective communication and adaptability are key, as projects frequently evolve from initial concept to final animation.

How much do cartoon writers make?

Cartoon writers typically earn between $40,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on experience, the complexity of the projects, and the employer. Entry-level writers may start lower, while experienced professionals working on popular shows or in major studios can earn higher salaries. Many cartoon writers also work on a freelance basis or per episode, which can affect overall income.

How to be a cartoon writer?

To become a cartoon writer, develop strong storytelling and scripting skills, often through a background in writing, animation, or related fields. Building a portfolio of scripts or story ideas and gaining experience through internships or freelance work can help you enter the industry, which often values creativity, understanding of humor, and familiarity with animation tools or software.
Infographic showing various Cartoon Writer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 63% Full Time, 32% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 63% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 34% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $72,082 per year, or $34.7 per hour.

Senior Software Developer - AWS / Platform

Santa Monica, CA • On-site


The Walt Disney Company
Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation • 10K+ employees

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 129 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

4th of 52 rated entertainment

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Recommended by students


$61.25 - $80.75/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
The Walt Disney Company is a leading entertainment organization that integrates technology with creativity. They are seeking a Senior Software Developer to design, build, and support automation and tooling initiatives in AWS, while providing operational and technical guidance to application development teams.
Responsibilities:
• Write automation tools for your team and other internal teams to self-service, deploy, detect, alert, and mitigate in our AWS environments
• Build on AWS, including hands-on work with IAM, security policies, and cloud-native services
• Champion and execute best practices and security standards for operating in the cloud
• Troubleshoot and implement appropriate IAM permissions for user access and workloads running in AWS
• Provide guidance and recommendations to development teams on service design and deployments
• Own initiatives and contribute to future solution designs and planning
• Be a go-to technical resource on the team, spanning across levels and cross functional teams
• Monitor and work on inbound issues
Qualifications:
Required:
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, or equivalent practical experience
• Strong Python development skills, you write production-quality code, not just scripts
• Experience with deployment and CI/CD tools - Terraform, GitHub Actions, Spinnaker, and Jenkins.
• Experience with platform engineering, primarily backend development using Python
• Experience developing APIs and designing database schemas
• Hands-on AWS Security/IAM administration and policy-creation experience for many users and workloads
• Familiarity with Docker and containerization concepts
• Experience with Unix/Linux systems
• Exhibit clear, succinct written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Taking a practical, collaborative approach when working with engineers.
• Familiarity with operational troubleshooting tools and techniques
Preferred:
• Experience leveraging AI as a productivity multiplier
• AWS Certifications
• Experience supporting DevOps teams in mid-to-large-sized organizations, especially in multitenant environments
• Familiarity with SSL Certificate management
• Familiarity with general and AWS-specific networking concepts, including VPC constructs, Firewalling, and DNS
Company:
The Walt Disney Company started as a cartoon studio and evolves into sports coverage and television shows. Founded in 1923, the company is headquartered in Burbank, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

Walt Disney logo

About Walt Disney

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world. "We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!

Industry

Amusement, gambling, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

Social media


What Walt Disney Company employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom