Animation Director — AAA Game Studio (Hybrid)

DEMONWARE (CANADA) , INC.; San Mateo (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Sledgehammer Games—a leading studio in the Call of Duty franchise—seeks an Animation Director to lead a world-class team in San Mateo, CA. You will shape animation vision, collaborate across disciplines, and drive immersive player experiences for AAA titles, with a mix of on-site and remote work days.

Lead a high-performance team, define standards, and partner across global studios to deliver cutting-edge animation content in a fast-paced development environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12+ years of professional animation experience in game development.
• Significant leadership experience directing animation teams on AAA titles.
• Deep understanding of animation principles, gameplay animation, cinematics, and motion capture.
• Strong expertise with Maya and modern animation workflows.
• Proven ability to lead across Art, Design, Engineering, Narrative, and Production.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Define and champion the overall animation vision and creative direction.
• Lead and develop Animation Leads and team members.
• Partner with studio leadership to set animation strategy and staffing.
• Collaborate with Art, Design, Narrative, Engineering, and Production to support gameplay and storytelling.
• Drive world-class character, gameplay, cinematic, and AI animation experiences.
• Oversee integration of animation content within tools and pipelines.
• Establish workflows to improve quality, scalability, and efficiency.
• Guide performance capture and motion capture strategies.
• Review animation content and provide actionable feedback.
• Coordinate with outsourcing partners to maintain quality.
• Stay informed on industry trends and drive innovation.

Skills

Animation leadership

AAA titles

Maya

Gameplay animation

Cinematics

Motion capture pipelines

Leadership development

State machines

Tools

Maya

Job description

Sledgehammer Games—a leading studio in the Call of Duty franchise—seeks an Animation Director to lead a world-class team in San Mateo, CA. You will shape animation vision, collaborate across disciplines, and drive immersive player experiences for AAA titles, with a mix of on-site and remote work days.

Lead a high-performance team, define standards, and partner across global studios to deliver cutting-edge animation content in a fast-paced development environment.