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Technical Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Turtle Rock Studios

Technical Animator - Temp

Irvine, CA · On-site

$85K - $120K/yr

Turtle Rock Studios is looking for a Technical Animator (Temp) to join our team here at Turtle Rock Studios. Working with animators, engineers, and designers, this role focuses on developing and ...

Epic Games

Senior Technical Animator

Cary, NC · On-site

$98.20K - $112.10K/yr

What You'll Do Epic Games is searching for a Senior Technical Animator with a passion for expressive character movement to work within the Cinematics team. In this talented team of veteran and ...

2K

Senior Technical Animation Designer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$108.90K - $161.16K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer to be responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining animation systems that drive the gameplay motion of our characters. This will ...

2K

Senior Technical Animation Designer

San Mateo, CA

$108.90K - $161.16K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Technical Animation Designer to be responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining animation systems that drive the gameplay motion of our characters. This will ...

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How much do technical animator jobs pay per hour?

As of May 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for technical 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 a Technical Animator job?

A Technical Animator bridges the gap between art and programming in animation and game development. They create animation rigs, develop tools, and ensure characters and objects move smoothly and efficiently. Their work involves collaboration with animators, artists, and engineers to optimize animation processes and integrate assets into game engines. They also troubleshoot technical issues and improve workflows to enhance animation quality and performance.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Technical Animator position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Technical Animator, you need a solid foundation in 3D animation principles, rigging, scripting, and a relevant degree such as computer graphics or animation. Proficiency in software like Autodesk Maya, Blender, MotionBuilder, and scripting languages such as Python or MEL is typically required, along with knowledge of game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine. Strong problem-solving abilities, collaboration skills, and clear communication help Technical Animators excel in cross-disciplinary teams. These competencies enable you to bridge creative and technical workflows, ensuring high-quality, efficient animation production for games, films, or other media.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a Technical Animator?

As a Technical Animator, your daily tasks often include creating and maintaining character rigs, developing animation tools or scripts, troubleshooting technical issues, and collaborating with artists and programmers to ensure smooth animation pipelines. You might also optimize assets for performance and work closely with designers to implement animations in game engines or other platforms. The role often involves both hands-on creative work and problem-solving technical challenges. Communication and teamwork are important, as you will regularly coordinate with various departments to deliver high-quality animated content efficiently.
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Technical Animator jobs near you
Technical Animator - Temp

Technical Animator - Temp

Turtle Rock Studios

Irvine, CA • On-site

$85K - $120K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 9 days ago

Job description

Turtle Rock Studios is looking for a Technical Animator (Temp) to join our team here at Turtle Rock Studios. Working with animators, engineers, and designers, this role focuses on developing and improving animation features in engine, implementing assets, and optimizing current animation systems, tools, and practices. Join our exceptional development team to help us create industry leading animation and gameplay experiences! This position will report to the Lead Technical Artist. This is a Temporary position with full benefits through December 2026 at this time, subject to change.

Responsibilities
  • Create and maintain rigs for unique characters through the development process
  • Support and implement animation content, and fine tune parameters for gameplay animation
  • Work directly with Programming, Animation, and Design to prototype and deliver excellent combat, character locomotion and movement mechanics, facial animation, and other new game features to deliver extremely polished gameplay and animation. Help to determine risk/reward throughout the process
  • Help document design features and parameters, brainstorming all avenues for the creation of animation content
  • Investigate, identify, and improve pipeline, optimize workflows and tools, setting best practices/standards streamlining the animation process
  • Troubleshoot asset and editor problems for the Animation and other development teams
  • Document systems and feature functionality for use by the teams and future employees
  • Coordinate with all departments to achieve project goal
Requirements
  • Enthusiastic gamer with a passion for making great games and animations
  • Minimum 3 years experience as a Technical Animator for games with an emphasis on developing and maintaining animation systems
  • Strong knowledge of Maya and Python
  • Experience in Unreal Engine Animation Systems
  • Experience with creating and maintaining Animation Blueprints 
  • Experience with animation pipelines from prototype to final assets
  • Demo reel showing expertise with animation systems
  • Excellent communicator with strong verbal and written English skills
  • Excellent problem solving and time management skills
  • Team player with a positive attitude and the ability to provide and receive objective feedback
Preferences
  • Excellent eye for animation and visual aesthetics balanced with technical skills
  • Experience with cinematics and facial animation
  • Experience working with procedural/physically-altered animation techniques
  • Experience creating and maintaining rigs for unique characters through the development process
  • Experience with multiple 3D packages
  • Experience with Realtime Shaders and FX/Simulation
Benefits

Some of the benefits and perks our employees get to enjoy, include:

  • 100% Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage for you and your family
  • 401k Matching
  • Student Loan Repayment Plan / College Savings Plan
  • Career Improvement Plan
  • Flexible Work Arrangements - In-House, Hybrid, and Remote
  • Generous Time Off Policy
  • Company Events - In-Person + Virtual Events
  • Fully Stocked Kitchen + Sponsored Food Trucks

The estimated base pay range for this role is: $85,000 - $120,000 USD

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