Senior Animator I, Gameplay - Overwatch | Irvine, CA

Team Name: Overwatch
Job Title

Senior Animator I, Gameplay - Overwatch | Irvine, CA
Requisition ID

R027396
Job Description

Blizzard Entertainment is seeking a

Senior Gameplay Animator

to join the Overwatch development team based in Irvine, California.
As a key member of the development team, you will play a direct role in shaping the future of our hero roster by driving the end-to-end hero creation process from animation through implementation. In this role, you’ll create exceptional gameplay animation and partner closely with designers, engineers, artists, and other collaborators to bring heroes to life and deliver on Overwatch’s high-quality bar.
This role offers a flexible hybrid work week, with a mix of remote and on-site days, based out of our Irvine, CA. While hybrid is the standard arrangement, candidates may also choose to work on-site full-time if preferred.
Responsibilities
Own gameplay animation work across the hero creation process, from early exploration and prototyping through final implementation and polish.
Create high-quality animations for real-time characters that support responsiveness, clarity, personality, and overall gameplay feel.
Drive technical execution for hero content, including rig and pose testing, facial setup, and the creation and implementation of first-person and third-person animations.
Partner closely with design, narrative, concept, tech art, modeling, VFX, sound, engineering, and production to bring heroes to life and ensure they meet Overwatch’s quality bar.
Contribute to strike teams, reviews, and playtests, helping solve animation and implementation challenges while balancing gameplay, visual quality, and performance.
Help elevate the team’s craft by improving workflows and pipeline processes, providing feedback, and supporting the growth of junior animators.
Minimum Requirements
8+ years of experience in game development with a strong focus on character animation using Maya or a comparable 3D animation package.
Proven ability to create high-quality, hand-keyed gameplay animation that brings clarity, personality, and a strong game feel to real-time characters.
Strong understanding of animation fundamentals and how they apply to gameplay readability, responsiveness, timing, and player experience.
Experience creating third-person character animation for games, with the ability to deliver polished work that supports both gameplay and character identity.
Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across a highly cross‑functional development team.
Proactive, adaptable, and organized approach to development, with the ability to manage time effectively and contribute to a fast-paced, iterative environment.
Positive team‑first mindset, with a willingness to incorporate feedback, support others, and help move work forward.
Comfortable working through playtests, reviews, and cross-discipline feedback to refine and improve animation quality.
Bonus Points
Experience shipping a AAA game as an animator.
Experience working in Unreal Engine or a similar game engine.
Experience with first-person animation, facial setup, or related animation pipeline workflows.
Application / Portfolio requirements
Resume.
Demo reel and shot breakdown demonstrating hand‑keyed character animation, including human bipedal movement and other organic forms.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.
Rewards
We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well‑being for 'Every World' - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:
Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.
In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $80,800.00 - $149,400.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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