Animator Jobs in New York
Find animator jobs in New York from the world's top game studios. Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, 2K Games, Nickelodeon Games, Larian Studios, and more New York studios hire animators across all levels. Updated daily.
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Animator Roles in New York
We curate animator positions from game studios across New York City and the greater New York metro area.
Junior Animator
Animator
Senior Animator
Lead Animator
Cinematic Animator
Character Animator
Facial Animator
Technical Animator
New York Game Studios Hiring Animators
New York's studios produce cinematic, story-driven games that demand animators who can bring characters and worlds to life with exceptional quality:
Animator Salary Ranges in New York (2026)
What animator roles pay at New York game studios.
*Salaries listed in USD. New York has both state income tax (up to 10.9%) and New York City income tax (up to 3.876%), among the highest combined tax burdens in the US. New York City's cost of living is very high and comparable to San Francisco. Factor this into total compensation when comparing offers.
What New York Studios Look For in Animators
New York animation teams deliver character performances and world movement that set the benchmark for the entire game industry. Here is what gets you hired.
🎨 Core Animation Skills
- Strong understanding of the 12 principles of animation
- Game locomotion: walk cycles, runs, idles, and transitions
- State machine and animation graph logic for gameplay
- Keyframe animation and motion capture cleanup
- Facial animation and performance capture for narrative scenes
🎮 Tools and Software
- Maya for keyframe animation and motion capture editing
- Unreal Engine animation blueprints and state machines
- MotionBuilder for mocap cleanup and retargeting
- 3ds Max or Blender for secondary tool familiarity
- Perforce for version control in large animation teams
🌟 What New York Studios Specifically Want
- Cinematic performance quality for character-driven narratives
- Rockstar values animators who can match film-quality acting standards
- Motion capture cleanup and integration experience is a strong advantage
- Experience with entertainment and broadcast animation pipelines
- Ability to collaborate with narrative directors and voice actors
💡 How to Stand Out in New York's Market
- Show a reel with both gameplay and cinematic animation examples
- Include mocap before and after cleanup comparisons
- Demonstrate weight, timing, and emotion in character movement
- Reference the animation quality of Rockstar or Nickelodeon titles
- Apply within 24 hours of posting