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Senior Technical Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Technical Animator

Las Vegas, NV ยท On-site +1

$101K - $115K/yr

SpinPlay Games is looking for a Technical Animator who enjoys solving technical challenges just as much as creating exceptional animation. This role sits at the intersection of art, design, and ...

Senior Technical Designer in Animation

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$98K - $112K/yr

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 ...

$100K - $131K/yr

Our partner is looking for a Senior Animator based in Netherlands. This is an opportunity for an ... Collaborate with animation leadership and Technical Art to improve tools, technology ...

Senior Technical Artist

Austin, TX ยท On-site

$125K - $150K/yr

Senior Technical Artist Would you like to help push the visual quality of current and future games ... Experience supporting animation or technical animation workflows (e.g., Control Rig, Animation ...

Senior Technical Artist

Austin, TX ยท On-site

$125K - $150K/yr

Senior Technical Artist Would you like to help push the visual quality of current and future games ... Experience supporting animation or technical animation workflows (e.g., Control Rig, Animation ...

Mid-Level/Senior Animator

Madison, WI ยท On-site +1

$106K - $121K/yr

Possesses technical expertise yet remains humble and open-minded to new ideas. * Is enthusiastic ... Review animation work from team members and outsource artists and provide specific feedback.

Senior Technical Artist

Austin, TX ยท On-site

$125K - $150K/yr

Position Summary The Senior Technical Artist acts as a resource within the art team, mentoring ... Bachelor of Arts in art/animation or technical degree or equivalent industry experience. * At least ...

Senior Technical Artist

Austin, TX

$125K - $150K/yr

Position Summary The Senior Technical Artist acts as aresource within the art team, mentoring other ... Bachelor of Arts in art/animation or technical degree or equivalent industry experience. * At least ...

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA ยท On-site

$88K - $120K/yr

As a Senior Gameplay Animator, you will conceptualize, design, develop and execute 3D animations ... technical constraints. * Iterate and refine animations based on feedback from team members and ...

As a Senior Gameplay Animator, you will conceptualize, design, develop and execute 3D animations ... technical constraints. * Iterate and refine animations based on feedback from team members and ...

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Senior Technical Animator information

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How much do senior technical animator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior technical animator 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.

How does a senior technical animator typically collaborate with game designers and programmers during a project's development?

A Senior Technical Animator serves as a bridge between the art and programming teams, ensuring that character and creature animations integrate smoothly into the game engine. They work closely with game designers to understand gameplay requirements and with programmers to implement animation systems that are both visually appealing and technically efficient. Regular collaboration includes troubleshooting animation-related bugs, optimizing rigs for performance, and providing feedback on tool development to streamline animation workflows. This cross-functional teamwork is key to delivering high-quality, responsive animations that enhance the player's experience.

Are senior technical animators in demand?

Senior technical animators are in high demand within the entertainment, gaming, and virtual production industries due to their expertise in rigging, scripting, and using tools like Maya, Blender, or Unreal Engine. Their skills are essential for creating complex animations and optimizing workflows, leading to strong job growth prospects in these fields.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior technical animator?

To thrive as a Senior Technical Animator, you need a solid background in animation principles, rigging, and scripting, usually supported by a degree in animation, computer graphics, or a related field. Mastery of tools like Autodesk Maya, MotionBuilder, Python scripting, and real-time engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams set exceptional candidates apart. These skills ensure efficient workflows, high-quality animations, and seamless integration of art and technology in interactive media projects.

What is a senior technical animator?

Senior Technical Animators are experienced professionals in the gaming or film industry who bridge the gap between animation and technical implementation. They create tools, rigs, and workflows that allow animators to efficiently produce high-quality character and object animations. In addition to animating, they collaborate closely with programmers and artists to ensure assets are optimized and function correctly within the game engine or production pipeline. Their expertise helps solve complex animation problems and improves the overall animation process.
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Infographic showing various Senior Technical Animator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 88% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $112,707 per year, or $54.2 per hour.

Senior Technical Animator

Spinplay Games

Las Vegas, NV โ€ข On-site, Remote

$101K - $115K/yr

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

Description
Please note that although our team is fully remote, SpinPlay currently only operates out of NV and TX. Candidate must be willing to work from/relocate to those locations. The art team is expected to be available to work during the hours of 9am-3pm Pacific time.  Relocation assistance is available.
SpinPlay Games is looking for a Technical Animator who enjoys solving technical challenges just as much as creating exceptional animation. This role sits at the intersection of art, design, and engineering, helping transform game concepts into polished, optimized player experiences.
You'll work closely with artists, designers, and developers to build efficient animation pipelines, optimize assets for production, and ensure game features are implemented accurately. Success in this role requires strong technical animation skills, attention to detail, and the ability to identify potential issues before they reach production.

Key Responsibilities
  • Build, rig, and maintain high-quality Spine animation files for production.
  • Create animator-ready files with clean skeletons, skins, constraints, and reusable setups. 
  • Optimize animations for performance while maintaining visual quality. 
  • Manage animation assets, project structure, and technical workflows throughout development. 
  • Coordinate technical handoffs between art and engineering teams. 
  • Review game design documentation to understand feature requirements and identify technical considerations before implementation. 
  • Recognize missing, unclear, or inconsistent requirements and work with designers and developers to resolve them. 
  • Conduct technical reviews of animation files to ensure they meet team standards before export. 
  • Continuously improve animation workflows and production efficiency.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
  • Minimum 6 years experience using Spine, ideally without use of the mesh tool
  • Minimum 6 years experience in 2D animation, drawing and illustration
  • Experience in slot machine games (mobile platform) is a plus.
  • Strong understanding of rigging, animation workflows, and optimization.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. 
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across disciplines. 
  • Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate technical challenges before they become production issues. 
  • Comfortable reading and understanding detailed game design and technical documentation.
  • Applications without a 2D animation portfolio will not be considered.