Senior Roles

Senior Animator Jobs

Senior animator jobs at game studios worldwide. Lead-level character animation, gameplay and cinematic roles at AAA studios. Get every opening delivered the morning it posts.

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Senior Animator Roles We Cover

We curate every senior and lead animator position across AAA game studios and outsource companies worldwide.

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Senior Animator

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Senior Combat Animator

🎭

Senior Cinematic Animator

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Senior Locomotion Animator

🎮

Senior Gameplay Animator

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Lead Animator

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Principal Animator

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Mocap Specialist

Studios Hiring Senior Animator Jobs

Top game studios regularly posting senior and lead animator roles.

Epic Games
CD Projekt Red
Naughty Dog
Rockstar Games
Ubisoft
EA
Bungie
Playground Games
Keywords Studios
+ Many More

Animator Salary Guide

What you can expect to earn at each level of a animator career in games.

Junior Animator
$45K - $68K
Mid-Level Animator
$65K - $105K
Senior Animator
$85K - $145K
Lead / Principal
$140K - $190K+

US market data. Senior animators at Rockstar, Naughty Dog, and CD Projekt Red earn toward the top of range. Mocap specialization commands additional premium.

What Studios Look For in Senior Animator Jobs

The skills and portfolio qualities that get senior animator jobs hired.

🎨 Portfolio Essentials

  • 60-90 second showreel with your best shots
  • Variety: locomotion, combat, dialogue, UI
  • Game-context animations with looping and blends
  • Breakdown of your contribution on team shots
  • Process clips showing blocking through polish

🔧 Core Software

  • Maya (industry standard for game animation)
  • MotionBuilder (mocap cleanup and retargeting)
  • Unreal Engine or Unity (animation state machines)
  • Blender (increasingly used at smaller studios)
  • Python or MEL (for repetitive animation tasks)

✓ Senior-Level Skills

  • Mentoring junior animators
  • Self-critiquing to AAA quality standard
  • Understanding game constraints (loops, blends)
  • Cross-discipline collaboration
  • Applying within 24-48 hours of posting

Senior Animator Jobs FAQ

What does a senior animator do?
Senior animators produce high-quality character animations for gameplay, cutscenes, and UI. They mentor junior animators, set quality standards, and collaborate with technical animators, designers, and directors to deliver animations that feel responsive and characterful.
What salary should a senior animator expect?
US studios pay $85,000-$145,000 for senior animators. Lead and principal roles at top AAA studios can reach $155,000-$190,000 with bonuses and equity.
What software do senior animators use?
Maya is the industry standard for game animation. MotionBuilder handles mocap cleanup and retargeting. Unreal Engine or Unity for animation state machine implementation. Some studios use Blender.
What separates a senior animator portfolio from mid-level?
Weight, timing precision, and performance quality. Senior animators deliver shots with minimal direction and can self-critique to AAA standard. Their work shows strong understanding of game constraints like loops, blends, and state machine transitions.
How many shots should a senior animator showreel include?
60-90 seconds of your absolute best work. Prioritize variety: locomotion, combat, dialogue, and any technical feats. Include a breakdown of your contribution on any team shots.

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