Character Animation Design Jobs

1 job found

30d ago

Principal Product Designer, Robot Animation and Character

Amazon.com Services LLC New York, NY

New York, NY

30d ago Closed

$163k - $285k/yr Full time Animation Character Animation Design

This position is no longer accepting applications (closed Nov 4, 2026).

Job Description

Join Amazon.com Services LLC (Fauna Robotics, an Amazon company) to shape how robots feel in motion. In this onsite role in New York, NY, you will define a consistent robot character and build expressive, performance-ready animation language through iterative testing on real hardware.

As a Principal Product Designer focused on robot animation and character, you will own the creative bar for key performances, translating character intent into animation artifacts that other teams can build with. You will also refine motion vocabulary based on how the robot reads from different angles and how it performs within physical constraints.

What you’ll do

Craft the robot’s key performances from concept and blocking through final motion, setting the character and quality bar within the animation itself
Build an expressive motion vocabulary including locomotion styles, conversational gesture, emotional reactions, idle behavior, and the small moments that make the character feel alive
Define the robot’s personality, including point of view, emotional range, and behavioral signature, and keep it consistent as the product evolves
Iterate on real hardware by testing how performances read in person from every angle, refining timing and weight until the motion lands
Use motion capture and reference when helpful, then adapt and refine performances for the robot’s form factor and joint constraints
Create animation-ready artifacts that capture character intent, including performance references, motion studies, behavioral scripts, and concept videos

What you bring

12+ years of professional experience in character animation
A reel is required and must demonstrate authorship of character and personality through motion, including timing, weight, appeal, and performance
Mastery of animation craft across characters and emotional registers, from broad performance to subtle, quiet moments
Experience taking a character from concept through finished, polished animation
Ability to work within real production or technical constraints while preserving performance

Preferred qualifications

Background in feature, episodic, or games animation, or themed entertainment, where animation drives character and story
Experience animating stylized or non-human characters such as robots, creatures, or mascots where personality must come through a non-human form
Experience with physically embodied characters, including robots, animatronics, or real-time/interactive systems where motion plays out in the physical world
Experience with motion capture, including directing sessions, cleaning data, and retargeting to non-human characters
Comfort working within physical or real-time constraints (joint and timing limits, hardware platforms) without losing the performance
Experience defining character for a new product or franchise where no performance language exists yet

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this role is USD 162,600 to 284,600 per year.

Sign-on payments
Restricted stock units (RSUs)
Health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
Basic Life & AD&D insurance
Option for Supplemental life plans
EAP
Mental Health Support
Medical Advice Line
Flexible Spending Accounts
Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage
401(k) matching
Paid time off
Parental leave

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