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Unity Animation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Naughty Dog

Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$145K - $181K/yr

Work with animators to develop enemy locomotion and traversal, melee moves, ambient behaviors, and ... Proficient in using game engines and tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) for combat implementation ...

Absurd Ventures

Senior VFX Artist

San Rafael, CA

$145K - $180K/yr

... AAA engines, Unity, etc.). * Foundational experience with Unreal Engine (Niagara, materials ... Exceptional eye for the timing, animation, weight, and motion of real-world phenomena and visual FX.

World Labs

Pipeline Engineer (Graphics/3D)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$164K - $203K/yr

Hands-on experience with DCC tools such as Blender, Maya, Houdini, Unreal, or Unity . * Familiarity ... Experience with production pipelines at VFX, animation, or gaming studios. * A production support ...

World Labs

Pipeline Engineer (Graphics/3D)

San Francisco, CA · Remote

$164K - $203K/yr

Hands-on experience with DCC tools such as Blender, Maya, Houdini, Unreal, or Unity . * Familiarity ... Experience with production pipelines at VFX, animation, or gaming studios. * A production support ...

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Unity Animation information

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$10.9K

$170.2K

How much do unity animation jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for unity animation in California is $168,760.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $168,800.00 and $168,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Unity Animation job?

A Unity Animation job involves creating, implementing, and optimizing animations within the Unity game engine. Professionals in this role work with animators, designers, and developers to bring characters, objects, and environments to life using Unity's animation tools, such as the Animator Controller and Timeline. They may develop keyframe animations, blend trees, and procedural animations for games, simulations, or interactive applications. Strong knowledge of animation principles, rigging, and scripting (often using C#) is essential for this role.

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

To thrive in Unity Animation, you need strong proficiency in 3D animation principles, rigging, and implementation within the Unity engine, often supported by a degree in animation, game design, or a related field. Experience using tools like Unity3D, Autodesk Maya, Blender, and version control systems is highly valued, and certification in Unity can enhance credibility. Creativity, collaboration, attention to detail, and effective communication are important soft skills for success. These abilities are vital for creating visually engaging animations that align with project goals and integrate smoothly into interactive environments.

What are some typical responsibilities and collaborative tasks for someone working in Unity Animation?

A professional in Unity Animation is responsible for creating, importing, and optimizing character and environmental animations within the Unity engine, ensuring smooth and visually appealing motion in games or interactive applications. This often involves closely collaborating with game designers, developers, and artists to integrate animations that meet both technical requirements and creative vision. You may be tasked with setting up animator controllers, fine-tuning rigs, troubleshooting animation issues, and ensuring assets perform efficiently across multiple platforms. Team-based feedback and iterative improvements are common, making strong communication and teamwork essential in daily workflows.

What are popular job titles related to Unity Animation jobs in California? For Unity Animation jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Unity Animation jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Unity Animation jobs in California are:
Unity Animation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Unity Animation job openings in California as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 67% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 29% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $168,760 per year, or $81.1 per hour.
Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Senior Game Designer (Combat)

Naughty Dog

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$145K - $181K/yr

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

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 Parts I and 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:
  • Pitch, design, implement, and own enemy NPC archetypes
  • Work with AI programmers to develop foundational NPC technology and implementing and tuning enemy AI behaviors
  • Work with animators to develop enemy locomotion and traversal, melee moves, ambient behaviors, and other custom abilities. Make every enemy archetype feel unique and memorable
  • Collaborate with the Design team to conceptualize, prototype, implement, tune, and balance gameplay mechanics and systems
  • Communicate with animation, programming, and art departments to effectively produce the assets and code support required for the enemies you're owning
  • Write and maintain documentation that establishes the core vision of the enemy archetypes
  • Drive communication and collaboration for enemies you design and the levels they are in, ensuring communication across disciplines and meeting deadlines
  • Effective and respectful communicator and collaborator, both with other designers and members of other departments
  • Facilitate playtesting and feedback sessions to iterate on combat systems and fine-tune them based on player experiences
  • Mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design team

What skills you will use:
  • 5+ years of industry experience in combat design and/or technical design for games, specifically focused on developing action-adventure or shooter games
  • At least one shipped title as a combat designer or similar role. Experience with behavior trees or similar NPC AI concepts preferred
  • Strong coding ability: Computer Science degree preferred though not required
  • Proficient in using game engines and tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity) for combat implementation and design scripting (C#, Lua, Visual Scripting)
  • Welcomes feedback on their work and embraces the "let's try it" mentality
  • Proficient and effective communication skills, including diagramming and sketching
  • Fluent in modern character action-adventure and shooter combat games. Maintains knowledge of the broader gaming landscape trends
  • Knowledge of narrative structure and how it intersects with gameplay and combat
  • A keen eye for detail in character action games, able to tune gameplay systems to make them feel smooth and impactful
  • Strong leadership and mentoring skills

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.
$145,100-$181,400 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.
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