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Principal Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site +1

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Seattle, WA · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · Hybrid

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Santa Monica, CA · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Austin, TX · Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Skydance

Principal Engineer

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$217K - $246K/yr

The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that the ... animation divisions. Recruitment Fraud Alert It has come to our attention that there may be ...

Tolan

Principal Gameplay Engineer - Unity

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

The Role We're hiring a Principal Gameplay Engineer to define and own the core interactions of the ... animations, secondary motion, haptics, camera shake, VFX, anticipation/overshoot, responsive UI ...

Aquent

Visual Designer

Orlando, FL · On-site

$58.60 - $65.11/hr

Partner with other Sr. Animators and Principal Designers to define the most appropriate motion direction, methods, and approaches for each project, balancing storytelling craft with the practical ...

Carlost Inc.

Account Manager

Burlingame, CA

Understanding of animation principals which can be clearly displayed in your demo reel. Thorough knowledge of Maya and other animation software. Strong knowledge of Maya character rigging. 3+ years ...

Carlost Inc.

Customer Success Manager

New York, NY · On-site

Understanding of animation principals which can be clearly displayed in your demo reel. * Thorough knowledge of Maya and other animation software. * Strong knowledge of Maya character rigging. * 3+ ...

Iru

Principal macOS Engineer

OR · Remote

Principal Engineers have the opportunity to deliver and define strategic Iru business level ... Highly familiar with AppKit, Foundation, Core Graphics, Core Animation and other relevant ...

Carlost Inc.

Account Manager

Burlingame, CA · On-site

Understanding of animation principals which can be clearly displayed in your demo reel. Thorough knowledge of Maya and other animation software. Strong knowledge of Maya character rigging. 3+ years ...

Anduril Industries

Principal Motion Designer

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$166K - $220K/yr

ABOUT THE JOB As a Principal Motion Designer, you will help shape and develop the kinetic visual ... Visual development of kinetic text and motion graphics, mission scenes, animations utilizing both ...

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Principal Animator information

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$39

$70

How much do principal animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for principal animator in the United States is $39.41, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.88 and $63.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Animator vs Lead Animator?

AspectPrincipal AnimatorLead Animator
CredentialsTypically requires a strong portfolio, experience in animation, and sometimes a degree in animation or related fieldSimilar credentials, often with additional leadership or team management experience
Work EnvironmentWorks on high-level animation projects, overseeing quality and styleLeads a team of animators, coordinating daily tasks and project deadlines
Industry UsageCommonly found in film, gaming, and animation studiosUsed in similar settings, often as a step below a department head or supervisor

The Principal Animator focuses on creating and maintaining high-quality animation work and setting artistic standards. The Lead Animator, on the other hand, manages a team of animators, ensuring project deadlines and team coordination. While both roles require strong animation skills, the Principal Animator emphasizes technical expertise and artistic direction, whereas the Lead Animator combines technical skills with leadership responsibilities.

How does a Principal Animator typically collaborate with other departments during game development?

A Principal Animator works closely with departments such as art, design, programming, and audio to ensure cohesive character movement and animations that align with the project's vision. They often participate in cross-disciplinary meetings to provide animation expertise, review feedback, and help solve technical or creative challenges. Collaboration might involve integrating animations with game engines, ensuring proper rigging, and refining motion to enhance gameplay and narrative. This role often acts as a bridge between creative and technical teams, mentoring junior animators and ensuring animation standards are maintained throughout production.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Animator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Animator, you need expert proficiency in animation principles, character rigging, and a strong portfolio demonstrating advanced artistic and technical skills, often supported by a degree in animation or related field. Mastery of industry-standard software such as Maya, Blender, and Adobe Creative Suite, along with familiarity with game engines like Unity or Unreal, is typically required. Outstanding collaboration, leadership, and creative problem-solving abilities set top candidates apart in leading animation teams and projects. These skills ensure the creation of compelling animations, efficient team workflows, and the successful delivery of high-quality visual content.

What are Principal Animators?

Principal Animators are senior-level professionals responsible for overseeing and guiding animation teams in the creation of high-quality animated sequences for films, games, or other media. They set the artistic and technical standards, mentor junior animators, and collaborate closely with directors and other departments to ensure the project’s vision is realized. Principal Animators often handle complex or critical animation shots themselves and play a key role in troubleshooting and problem-solving throughout the production process. Their experience and leadership are essential for maintaining consistency and quality in the final product.
Infographic showing various Principal Animator job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,974 per year, or $39.4 per hour.
Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer

Skydance

Austin, TX • On-site, Remote

$217K - $246K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Skydance Games, a division of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, is building the future of franchise-driven interactive entertainment. As part of a global storytelling company defined by iconic worlds and multigenerational fandom, we see gaming not as an extension of our brands, but as one of the most powerful ways their stories come to life and evolve alongside the audiences who love them.
Through creativity, collaboration, and trust, we empower our teams to push boundaries and turn bold ideas into experiences that resonate with fans around the world.
Do you want to craft games that challenge expectations and inspire players? Come build something extraordinary with us.
For more information on how we process your personal information, please review the Privacy policy located at https://privacy.paramount.com/recruitment-privacy-notice.
Skydance is looking for a Principal Game Engineer skilled in working with creative teams to
architect key game features and frameworks. The Principal Engineer plays a critical role in
driving innovation and ensuring that the organization stays at the forefront of technology
trends. This role does not manage or have direct reports or are responsible for employment
decisions. The Principal Engineer is considered a craft/thought leader, responsible for
technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to other members of the team, and is
recognized as an industry leader or master performer in exercising their competencies.
*Currently we can hire remote candidates with legal residence in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, New York,Texas, Washington and Canada.
Responsibilities
  • Design and implement new game features from scratch using a combination of C++, Blueprints, and other tools.
  • Collaborate with designers, artists, and audio developers to iterate on and refine key game systems.
  • Take ownership of major systems, maintain development schedules, and drive implementation tasks at all levels of complexity.
  • Developing and guide technology development using modular approaches for use across multiple titles.

Qualifications
  • Multiple years of professional experience with several shipped games.
  • Extensive experience with Unreal Engine, modifying and creating custom tech to extend the engine's feature set.
  • Deep understanding of the challenges with modern game development, with proven history of building new technology to help teams overcome these challenges
  • Self-motivated and self-directing, willing to pitch in areas of development beyond direct responsibilities.
  • Experience providing feedback and guidance to other engineers - helping them stay on track and true to the overall vision of the game.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

The annual salary range for this position in Los Angeles is $217,000 - $246,000. The salary offered may vary based on the candidate's location, qualifications, experience and relevant expertise, among other factors. The range indicated is for base salary only and does not reflect the total compensation package, including bonus, benefits, etc.
We realize that skills and expertise can come from many different experiences and paths, and we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all of the requirements as written in the job description.
#Games #LI-hybrid
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation is a diversified media company creating high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, interactive/games, and animation divisions.
Recruitment Fraud Alert
It has come to our attention that there may be fraudulent activity by individuals impersonating our Talent Acquisition team. Skydance will only contact you from an official "@skydance.com" email address. If you suspect that you are being contacted by an unauthorized person or believe that the correspondence you have received is suspicious, please do not click on any links or attachments in such emails and submit any questions or concerns to our information security team at https://skydance.com/report-suspected-fraud/.

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