Game Art Roles

Technical Animator Jobs

Technical animator jobs at game studios worldwide. Rigging, animation pipeline, locomotion systems, and character setup roles across AAA and indie studios. Get every opening delivered the morning it posts.

Get Technical Animator Job Alerts

$7/month · Cancel anytime

Live Job Feed

Latest Technical Animator Jobs

Fresh listings from the ArtBlast feed. Members see the studio, salary info, and direct apply link.

Technical Animator Jobs We Cover

ArtBlast curates every technical animator jobs opening at game studios and outsource companies worldwide.

⚙️

Technical Animator

🦴

Character Rigger

🔗

Animation Programmer

📐

Pipeline TD (Animation)

🐾

Creature Technical Animator

👑

Lead Technical Animator

🎮

Locomotion Specialist

🤖

Procedural Animator

Studios Hiring Technical Animator Jobs

Game studios and outsource companies regularly posting technical animator jobs roles.

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

Technical Animator Jobs Salary Guide

US market salary ranges for technical animator jobs at game studios.

Junior Technical Animator
$55K - $80K
Mid-Level Technical Animator
$80K - $120K
Senior Technical Animator
$110K - $160K
Lead / Principal
$150K - $200K+

US market data. Technical animators command a premium over generalist animators due to scripting and pipeline skills. Lead TAs at AAA studios often reach $180K-$200K+.

Skills Studios Look For

What hiring managers want to see from technical animator jobs candidates.

🔧 Core Software

  • Maya (rigging, skinning, animation)
  • MotionBuilder (mocap processing)
  • Unreal Engine or Unity (runtime animation graphs)
  • Python or MEL (pipeline scripting)
  • Houdini (procedural animation systems)

💻 Technical Skills

  • Character rig setup and weight painting
  • Blend shape and morph target creation
  • Animation state machine design
  • Motion capture cleanup and retargeting
  • Scripting custom tools for animator workflows

🏆 What Gets You Hired

  • Portfolio showing both rigs and animation quality
  • Experience with real-time game engine animation graphs
  • Python scripting samples (rigging tools, pipeline automation)
  • Creature rig experience is a strong differentiator
  • Understanding of bone hierarchies and IK/FK systems

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a technical animator do?
Technical animators bridge rigging and animation. They build character rigs, set up animation state machines in game engines, process motion capture data, and create pipeline tools that help animators work faster. They combine artistic sensibility with programming ability.
What is the difference between a technical animator and a technical artist?
Technical animators specialize in character rigs, mocap pipelines, and animation state machines. Technical artists have a broader scope covering shaders, tools, and pipeline across all art disciplines. Both roles require scripting skills, but technical animators focus specifically on movement and character setup.
What does a technical animator earn?
Technical animators in the US earn $55,000-$80,000 at the junior level, $80,000-$120,000 mid-level, and $110,000-$160,000 as a senior. Lead technical animators at major AAA studios often reach $180,000-$200,000 or more.
What programming languages do technical animators use?
Python is the most common. Maya uses Python (and MEL for legacy tools), Houdini uses Python and VEX, and most pipeline tools are Python-based. Some studios also use C++ for deeper engine integration. MEL is worth knowing for legacy Maya rigs, but Python is the priority.
Do technical animators need a showreel?
Yes. A technical animator showreel should include: rig demos showing range of motion and control systems, animation quality on your own rigs, tool demos or script examples, and ideally a breakdown video explaining your technical choices. Showing both the rig and animated output on the same character is very effective.

Browse Other Game Art Jobs

Explore all game art roles on ArtBlast.

Animation Jobs Technical Artist Jobs Rigging Artist Jobs Rigging TD Jobs Gameplay Animator Jobs Cinematic Animator Jobs Pipeline TD Jobs Game Artist Jobs 3D Technical Artist Jobs Remote Technical Animator Jobs

Get These Jobs Before They Fill Up

ArtBlast members see the studio, salary info, and the direct apply link the moment a job posts. Apply in the first 24-48 hours, when your odds are best.

Get Today’s Job List

Premium $7/month or $60/year (3 months free) · cancel anytime