Animation Director (Game Animation)

Location: San Mateo, California, United States. The role is based on-site in the San Mateo studio with a combination of in-studio and remote workdays.

Salary: $136,880–$253,260 annual base pay in the U.S.; incentive compensation may also apply.

Company

hirify.global is a video game developer, publisher, and distributor behind franchises including Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Guitar Hero.

What you will do

• Define the animation vision, quality bar, creative direction, and strategy for the project.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Animation Leads, Principal Animators, and wider animation teams.
• Collaborate with Art, Design, Narrative, Engineering, Production, and studio leadership on gameplay and storytelling goals.
• Oversee character, gameplay, cinematic, and AI animation content, systems, tools, and pipelines.
• Guide performance capture and motion capture strategies to achieve authentic character performance.
• Review internal and external animation work, manage outsourcing quality, and drive workflow improvements.

Requirements

• 12+ years of professional animation experience in game development, including significant leadership experience.
• Experience leading animation teams through the development and delivery of AAA titles.
• Deep knowledge of animation principles, character performance, gameplay animation, cinematics, and motion capture pipelines.
• Strong expertise with Maya, game engines, animation systems, state machines, blending, and technical animation pipelines.
• Experience building and mentoring high-performing teams and collaborating across multiple disciplines.
• Excellent communication, presentation, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice to have

• Experience shipping multiple AAA first-person action titles.
• Experience with performance capture direction and cinematic animation pipelines.
• Experience working with globally distributed development teams and external partners.
• Understanding of player-centered design and animation’s role in gameplay feel and immersion.

Culture & Benefits

• Work with teams across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK.
• Medical, dental, vision, healthcare spending, life, disability, and related insurance programs.
• 401(k) with company match, tuition reimbursement, and charitable donation matching.
• Paid holidays and vacation, sick time, parental leave, and other leave programs.
• Mental health, wellbeing, fitness, and discounted game programs.
• Relocation assistance may be available if geographic relocation is required for the job.