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Technical Animator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA

Partnering with cross-discipline leads (design, engineering, art, production) to align animation with gameplay systems, technical realities, and the overall player experience. * Owning combat feel ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA

$88K - $120K/yr

Collaborate with the design and engineering teams to ensure animations align with gameplay mechanics and technical constraints. * Iterate and refine animations based on feedback from team members and ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA · On-site

$88K - $120K/yr

Collaborate with the design and engineering teams to ensure animations align with gameplay mechanics and technical constraints. * Iterate and refine animations based on feedback from team members and ...

Ember Lab

Senior Gameplay Animator

Orange, CA · On-site

$88K - $120K/yr

Collaborate with the design and engineering teams to ensure animations align with gameplay mechanics and technical constraints. * Iterate and refine animations based on feedback from team members and ...

Bonfire Studios

Lead Gameplay Animator

Irvine, CA · On-site +1

Partnering with cross-discipline leads (design, engineering, art, production) to align animation with gameplay systems, technical realities, and the overall player experience. * Owning combat feel ...

Roblox

3D Animator (Short Term)

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$9.1K - $11K/mo

... technical challenges at scale, and helping to create safer, more civil shared experiences for ... We're seeking a talented Senior 3D Animator to join our team at Roblox for a 6-month engagement.

Koto

Senior Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$100K - $140K/yr

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Role You are an experienced animator and motion designer, relentlessly bringing ideas to life ... Translate strategy into thoughtful motion-balancing big creative ideas with technical precision and ...

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Technical Animator information

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How much do technical animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for technical animator in California is $38.89, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.59 and $63.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a technical animator?

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 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.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a technical animator, 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 do technical animators do?

Technical animators develop and implement animation systems and tools to ensure character and object movements function correctly within a game or film. They collaborate with artists and programmers, often using software like Maya, Blender, or proprietary engines, to optimize animations for performance and realism. Their work involves scripting, rigging, and troubleshooting to support the creative team’s vision.

What are the most commonly searched types of Technical Animator jobs in California?

The most popular types of Technical Animator jobs in California are:

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For Technical Animator jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Technical Animator jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Technical Animator jobs in California are:

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Cities in California with the most Technical Animator job openings:

Technical Animator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Technical Animator job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 91% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,900 per year, or $38.9 per hour.

Senior Technical Gameplay Animator

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$126K - $227K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago

Job description

Why Sony Interactive Entertainment?

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn't just the Best Place to Play - it's also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we're part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting-edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

This is a hybrid / onsite position.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. We're also proud to say that The Last of Us Part I and Part II are now available for the first time on PC. Currently, we're busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us!

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

What you will do:

  • Create high quality animation content supporting the newly developed behaviors and systems and implement it in engine
  • Work with the animation leadership on defining and maintaining the style and quality bar of the in-game animation
  • Collaborate with the Animation, Design, and Engineering teams to analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve in-game animation implementation issues and animation-related technical challenges
  • Take ownership of challenging projects and provide innovative solutions, including mentoring team members and creating documentation
  • Contribute to the strategic development of internal technologies and artistic processes
  • Facilitate the creation and implementation of tools and techniques that allow the building of complex and high-quality animation systems
  • Innovate and streamline animation pipeline processes and workflows

What skills you will use:

  • 5+ years of industry experience in gameplay animation for games
  • Proven track record of creating visually stunning animations for diverse game genres
  • Full understanding of in-game animation tools like state machines, blend trees, IK solvers, etc.
  • Expertise with mocap and keyframe based digital content creation pipelines built on Maya or Motionbuilder
  • Proficiency in Python, C#, C++ or other programming languages is required
  • Proactively contributes to the progress of the team and the project

As a part of the Naughty Dog application process, candidates will be expected to provide a portfolio or demo reel of their work and may be asked to complete an animation test.

#LI-SP3

The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.

The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.
$126,400-$227,000 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Noticefor more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

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