Associate Animation Director, Living World Elsewhere Entertainment

Elsewhere Entertainment is looking for an Associate Animation Director Living World to help shape the animation vision for an exciting new IP.

In this role you will define and champion the animation vision for the living world creating believable reactive and memorable experiences that bring the game world to life. You will partner closely with Animation Design Engineering Art Audio and Narrative teams to guide the development of systemic behaviors ambient character interactions and authored world vignettes that enrich player immersion and support the games creative vision.

As a senior creative leader you will align teams around a shared vision drive cross-disciplinary collaboration mentor animators and help ensure that living-world experiences achieve the highest standards of quality authenticity and player impact.

Youll help us by...

• Defining and driving the animation vision for living-world systems ambient behaviors environmental interactions and authored vignettes.
• Establishing and maintaining a high creative and quality bar for content that makes the world feel alive reactive and full of character.
• Leading cross-functional teams to deliver cohesive living-world experiences from concept through implementation and polish.
• Partnering with Design Engineering Art Audio and Narrative to ensure animation enhances gameplay systems worldbuilding storytelling and player immersion.
• Translating high-level creative goals into clear direction priorities and actionable plans for development teams.
• Guiding the development of scalable animation systems that support emergent gameplay contextual behaviors and dynamic world interactions.
• Reviewing work in context providing creative feedback and helping teams solve complex artistic technical and production challenges.
• Mentoring animators and animation leads while fostering a culture of collaboration craftsmanship and continuous improvement.
• Identifying creative risks dependencies and opportunities early and aligning teams around effective solutions.
• Driving improvements to workflows tools and production practices that enable the creation of high-quality systemic content at scale.
• Collaborating with animation leadership to ensure a consistent animation vision across gameplay narrative creatures cinematics and living-world experiences.
• Representing living-world animation in planning reviews milestone assessments and cross-department decision-making.

Youre awesome because you have...

• Extensive experience in game animation including leadership responsibilities on one or more shipped AAA titles.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing creative direction across departments.
• A deep understanding of how animation AI gameplay systems narrative audio and environmental storytelling work together to create immersive worlds.
• Experience directing or developing systemic content such as ambient behaviors contextual interactions social systems crowds environmental storytelling or living-world features.
• Strong creative vision and the ability to communicate that vision clearly to diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Exceptional collaboration communication and relationship-building skills.
• A strong foundation in animation principles acting physicality timing staging and visual storytelling.
• Experience working with game engines animation systems state machines blending procedural techniques and implementation pipelines.
• The ability to balance creative ambition with technical constraints scalability requirements and production realities.
• A thoughtful and constructive leadership style that inspires trust ownership and team growth.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate ambiguity while maintaining forward momentum.
• Proficiency with Maya and familiarity with modern motion-capture and game-animation pipelines.

Not sure you meet all the qualifications

Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other underrepresented groups often choose not to apply unless they meet every qualification. We know great candidates come from many different backgrounds and experiences. If youre excited about the opportunity wed love to hear from you.

Our World

At Activision we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. Were driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy together.

Were home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises in the industry and continue to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment through world-class talent creativity and technology.

Ready to Activate Your Future

#elsewhere

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical emotional and financial well-being for Every World - weve 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.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting the U.S. the standard base pay range for this role is $126800.00 - $234580.00 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 roles range details for your local geography during the hiring 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.