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Director Gaming Animation Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Art Director, Game Shows

Culver City, CA · On-site

$117K - $153K/yr

Art Director, Game Shows Role Type Full-time Requirements * 6-8+ years of experience in creative ... motion/animation workflows * Strong conceptual thinker with the ability to translate ideas into ...

... Animation Director, Action Director, Performance Animator, or related role in the film or game industry. Candidates must provide portfolio examples demonstrating both action-oriented and subtle ...

Senior Cinematic Animator (CONTRACT)

OR · On-site +1

$105K - $120K/yr

Collaborate closely with Animation Directors and Lead Animators to design cinematics that reflect the game's vision and adhere to its unique cinematography style. * Contribute to setting and ...

Senior Cinematic Facial Animator (CONTRACT)

OR · On-site +1

$105K - $120K/yr

Collaborate closely with Animation Directors and Lead Animators to design cinematic facial performances that reflect the game's vision and adhere to its unique cinematography style. * Contribute to ...

Collaborate closely with Animation Directors and Lead Animators to design cinematics that reflect the game's vision and adhere to its unique cinematography style. * Contribute to setting and ...

Art Director, Games Content

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$149K - $156K/yr

By joining this team, you can bring your deep passion in creating gaming content design experiences ... Working knowledge and experience in 3D and Animation. Working knowledge of UI/UX Design Tools such ...

Senior Cinematic Animator (CONTRACT)

OR · On-site +1

$105K - $120K/yr

Collaborate closely with Animation Directors and Lead Animators to design cinematics that reflect the game's vision and adhere to its unique cinematography style. * Contribute to setting and ...

High Moon Studios is seeking a talented and self-directed Technical Animator who can join for a 12-month temporary assignment. The candidate must be passionate about making great games, and must be a ...

High Moon Studios is seeking a talented and self-directed Technical Animator who can join for a 12-month temporary assignment. The candidate must be passionate about making great games, and must be a ...

Game Designer

Las Vegas, NV · On-site

$148K/yr

This role is responsible for directing the execution of the vision by game artists, animators and developers. The Game Designer works in a collaborative small team environment with a group of ...

Game Designer

Las Vegas, NV

$148K/yr

This role is responsible for directing the execution of the vision by game artists, animators and developers. The Game Designer works in a collaborative small team environment with a group of ...

Showing results 21-40

Director Gaming Animation information

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$11K

$172.5K

How much do director gaming animation jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for director gaming animation in the United States is $171,000.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $171,000.00 and $171,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director gaming animation do?

A Director of Gaming Animation leads the animation team in creating dynamic and engaging visuals for video games. They are responsible for setting the artistic vision, overseeing animation pipelines, and ensuring characters, environments, and effects move fluidly and realistically. The director collaborates closely with other departments such as game design, art, and programming to achieve a cohesive look and feel. They also mentor animators, review work, and help resolve technical or creative challenges throughout production.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director gaming animation?

To thrive as a Director of Gaming Animation, you need expertise in animation principles, team leadership, and a background in computer graphics or a related field, often supported by a relevant degree and industry experience. Mastery of animation software such as Maya, 3ds Max, and game engines like Unreal or Unity, along with familiarity with motion capture technology, is typically required. Outstanding creative vision, communication, and project management skills help inspire teams and ensure cohesive storytelling. These competencies are vital for delivering visually compelling, high-quality animations that enhance gameplay and meet production deadlines.

What are some common challenges faced by a director gaming animation, and how can they be addressed?

A Director of Gaming Animation often faces challenges such as aligning creative vision across diverse teams, managing tight production schedules, and ensuring high-quality output within technical constraints. To address these, strong communication and leadership skills are essential for bridging gaps between animators, game designers, and programmers. Additionally, staying up-to-date with the latest animation tools and industry trends helps maintain efficiency and innovation. Regular team check-ins and clear project milestones can also help keep everyone on track and motivated.
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Infographic showing various Director Gaming Animation job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $171,000 per year, or $82.2 per hour.

Principal Animation Engineer - Central Tech

Warsaw, IN

Activision Blizzard, Inc.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation • 5 - 10K employees

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Research, design, prototype, and implement new features to improve character fidelity and believability.

  • Develop and upgrade workflows for building, improving, and debugging animation behaviors.

  • Support and collaborate with team members across different studios worldwide.


Activision Blizzard rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Job Title:Principal Animation Engineer - Central TechRequisition ID:R028032Job Description:

Your Mission

Activision's Central Animation Technology Group is looking for a dedicated Principal Animation Engineer to join our growing team focused on the future of Animation in our games. Our group's goal is to make radical improvements to the way our characters move and behave. We are seeking engineers with a passion for realistic human and creature movement. The successful candidate will be ready to tackle the wide variety of engineering challenges vital to deliver believability and style across diverse situations and game modes.

This role has flexibility to be based in one of our Studios in the United States or Europe. Work arrangements may change at the company's discretion to meet business needs. (Remote work eligibility included)

What you bring to the table...

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

  • Work with animators and other engineers to research, design, prototype, and implement new features to continuously improve our character fidelity and believability at ever increasing scale and complexity.

  • Develop and upgrade workflows to allow the efficient building, improvement and debugging of animation behaviors by animators and engineers alike.

  • Support and proactively collaborate with team members at Activision studios across the world.

Minimum Requirements
  • 15+ years of professional programming experience with a focus on skeletal animation.

  • Proficiency in C/C++ in multithreaded environments

  • Passion for advancing high-fidelity interactive animation in AAA games.

  • Strong 3D math and linear algebra.

  • Experience working directly on low-level game animation systems.

  • Good knowledge of animation topics such as inverse kinematics, blend trees, ragdolls, state machines and secondary motion techniques.

  • Capable and eager to take a leading role on projects.

  • Multitasking: ability to work on multiple tech threads with different teams

Extra Points

  • Credited on 3 or more AAA game titles for PC or consoles.
  • Familiarity with content creation tools such as Maya.

At Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We're driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Guitar Hero. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our "press start" is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.

We're not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we're forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.

We're in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater - this could be your opportunity to level up.

Ready to Activate Your Future?

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request tocandidate-accommodations@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

  • Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
  • 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
  • Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
  • Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
  • If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $171,100.00 - $316,576.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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About Activision Blizzard

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Monica, CA, US

Year founded

2008

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