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Senior Animation Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Cloud Chamber

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

As a Senior Gameplay Animator at Cloud Chamber, you will be part of a remarkably talented team of ... animation director's vision for the project. * Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to ...

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

As a Senior Gameplay Animator at Cloud Chamber, you will be part of a remarkably talented team of ... animation director's vision for the project. * Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to ...

2K

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA · On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

As a Senior Gameplay Animator at Cloud Chamber, you will be part of a remarkably talented team of ... animation director's vision for the project. * Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to ...

Cloud Chamber

Senior Gameplay Animator

Novato, CA

$124K - $142K/yr

As a Senior Gameplay Animator at Cloud Chamber, you will be part of a remarkably talented team of ... animation director's vision for the project. * Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to ...

loyalkaspar

Senior Designer / Animator

New York, NY

$116K - $132K/yr

The Senior Designer / Animator will collaborate with fellow Creatives, Art Directors, and Producers to deliver professional, pixel-perfect final deliverables for projects ranging from small show ...

loyalkaspar

Senior Designer / Animator

New York, NY · On-site

$116K - $132K/yr

The Senior Designer / Animator will collaborate with fellow Creatives, Art Directors, and Producers to deliver professional, pixel-perfect final deliverables for projects ranging from small show ...

ZAGG, Inc.

Senior 3D Animator

Midvale, UT · On-site

$100K - $114K/yr

You'll work closely with the Creative Director, motion design, and product marketing teams to ... What You'll Bring * 7+ years of professional 3D animation experience, ideally in product ...

ZAGG Inc

Senior 3D Animator

Midvale, UT

$100K - $114K/yr

You'll work closely with the Creative Director, motion design, and product marketing teams to ... What You'll Bring * 7+ years of professional 3D animation experience, ideally in product ...

CD PROJEKT RED

Senior Gameplay Animator (Locomotion)

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$115K - $131K/yr

... direct from our team members! CD PROJEKT RED is looking for a Senior Gameplay Animator with a focus ... Partner with the Animation Lead and key stakeholders to align animation quality, style, and ...

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Senior Animation Director information

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$122K

How much do senior animation director jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior animation director in the United States is $112,707.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,000.00 and $121,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by a Senior Animation Director when leading a large animation team?

As a Senior Animation Director, one common challenge is balancing creative vision with production constraints such as deadlines and budgets. Overseeing a large team requires strong communication skills to ensure that animators, storyboard artists, and other departments are aligned and motivated. Managing feedback from multiple stakeholders while maintaining a coherent artistic direction can also be demanding. Additionally, Senior Animation Directors often mentor junior staff, which means investing time in training and fostering a collaborative, productive work environment.

What is the difference between Senior Animation Director vs Animation Supervisor?

AspectSenior Animation DirectorAnimation Supervisor
ResponsibilitiesOversees overall animation vision, leads creative teams, and ensures project qualityManages day-to-day animation production, coordinates team tasks, and maintains schedules
CredentialsExtensive animation experience, leadership skills, strong portfolioProven animation skills, team management experience, technical knowledge
Work EnvironmentCreative leadership in studios or production companiesSupervisory role within animation teams, often on-site or remote

While both roles require strong animation skills and leadership, the Senior Animation Director focuses on the creative vision and overall project direction, whereas the Animation Supervisor handles daily team management and production workflows. The Senior Animation Director typically has more strategic responsibilities, guiding the artistic style and quality, while the Animation Supervisor ensures timely delivery of animation tasks.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Animation Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Animation Director, you need advanced expertise in animation principles, storytelling, and visual design, often backed by a degree in animation or a related field and significant industry experience. Mastery of animation software like Maya, Toon Boom, or Adobe After Effects, along with experience managing production pipelines, is typically required. Exceptional leadership, creative vision, and communication skills help you inspire teams and effectively convey concepts to stakeholders. These skills ensure cohesive, high-quality animation projects that align with creative goals and production timelines.

What does a Senior Animation Director do?

A Senior Animation Director oversees the creative and technical aspects of animation projects, guiding teams of animators, storyboard artists, and other professionals to ensure the final product meets the desired artistic vision and quality standards. They are responsible for setting the animation style, reviewing work for consistency, and collaborating closely with producers, writers, and other department heads. Their role also involves managing schedules, budgets, and mentoring junior staff to ensure efficient workflow and professional development within the animation team.
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Senior Animation Director jobs near you

Senior Gameplay Animator

Cloud Chamber

Novato, CA • On-site

$124K - $142K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

As a Senior Gameplay Animator at Cloud Chamber, you will be part of a remarkably talented team of animators who are tasked with breathing life into the world of BioShock. You will be responsible for the creation of exemplary gameplay animations as well as implementation and optimization of your work in the Unreal Engine. You will work in close collaboration with a distributed group of developers, across disciplines, to set the standards that educate and inspire our team; ultimately bringing the world of BioShock to life.
What You'll Do:
  • Create gameplay, AI, and scripted animation that matches the visual style of the game, using both keyframe and augmented mocap techniques.
  • Work closely with programmers and designers to support a multitude of features.
  • Collaborate with Senior Animators on complicated sets of animation data to fulfill various gameplay and AI systems.
  • Participate in reviews with the gameplay team, give and receive constructive feedback.
  • Communicate and collaborate with members of other disciplines as needed.
  • Estimate the time required to carry out your own tasks and to meet deadlines.
  • Provide knowledge and solutions for everyday animation challenges.
  • Work closely with programmers to establish and refine the animation pipeline.
  • Develop high-quality gameplay animations that meet project standards and ensure animations align with the animation director's vision for the project.
  • Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to integrate animations into the game.
  • Problem-solve, debug, and optimize animations to ensure smooth gameplay experiences.
  • Utilize exceptional knowledge to create and maintain gameplay and AI systems related to gameplay animation.
  • Maintain a strong understanding of character performance, form, gestures, and silhouettes for both player characters and AI entities.
  • Apply expertise in anatomy and caricature to enhance the visual appeal and believability of character animations.
  • Excel in animating various elements, including the human bipedal figure, organic forms, quadrupedal creatures, and mechanical objects.
  • Utilize motion capture data and hand-keyed facial animation techniques for realism.
  • Engage in research, gather reference materials, and document findings to share with the team, aiding in animation development.
  • Mentor, coach, and train more junior animators.

What We'll Do Together:
At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles to deliver a unique, world-class, immersive AAA experience.
Skills & Experience:
  • Previous experience as a Senior Animator on a AAA title.
  • Exemplary skills in keyframe, stylized 3D animation, using Maya and/or Motion Builder.
  • Experience working in Unreal Engine for animation implementation and debugging.
  • Strong understanding of character performance, form, gesture, and silhouette in regard to player character and AI.
  • Excellent understanding of anatomy and caricature.
  • Exceptional skills in animating the human bipedal figure, organic forms, quadrupedal, and mechanical objects.
  • Exceptional knowledge of how to create and maintain gameplay and AI systems in game engines as they pertain to video game animation.
  • Experience structuring & maintaining animation processes such as rigging or prototyping.
  • Experience working with motion capture data and editing it.
  • Excellent problem solving and debugging skills.
  • Experience with hand key facial animation and tools such as Jali.
  • A love for research, reference, and documenting your findings to share with the team.

Who You Are:
  • A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
  • A solid communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
  • Experienced in working in cross-disciplinary teams with strong communication skills.
  • Persistent and self-motivated with a proactive mindset.
  • Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast-changing priorities.
  • An active listener able to build and maintain trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
  • Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
  • A strong ownership of tasks, striving to drive work forward autonomously while maintaining a critical eye for detail and organization, ensuring high standards of quality.
  • Dedicated to upholding Cloud Chamber's core values, contributing to a positive and respectful company culture while striving for excellence in all endeavors.

Who We Are:
At Cloud Chamber we strive to make BioShock games that move people: evocative, immersive, and meaningful experiences that stay with you long after you've rolled credits. Great games are born from great collaborations, supported by a culture that brings out the best in our teams. We work openly, learn through play, take ownership, push ourselves to be better, and deliver for our players.
For candidates located in Quebec:This position requires professional proficiency in both French and English. Proficiency in English is required to collaborate with our U.S. teams and international partners, as well as to handle specialized technical documentation (reading, writing, and communication).
#LI-Hybrid
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $100,200 and $148,320 per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform their essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.
Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees, we only use 2K.com accounts

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