Freelance Animator / Motion Designer

amika • New York, NY

8h • Onsite

About The Position

amika is looking for Animators / Motion Designers at various levels to join our in-house creative team’s roster. This role is ideal for motion creatives who are self-starters, thrive in fast-paced environments, and love bringing brands to life through movement, typography, and visual storytelling. You’ll work across social-first animations, campaign extensions, product storytelling, and brand moments—collaborating closely with video editors, art directors, and the director of video production to create dynamic motion work across platforms like ctv, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, paid media, e-commerce, and retail. This is a great opportunity to grow your motion craft while contributing to a globally loved beauty brand with a strong creative POV.

Requirements

• 3+ years of professional animation or motion design experience (level calibrated based on portfolio)
• NYC-based and able to work Eastern Time hours
• Proven self-starter who can work independently and take ownership of motion tasks
• Experience working in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments
• Strong proficiency in After Effects
• Solid understanding of motion fundamentals: timing, spacing, easing, and visual hierarchy
• Strong eye for typography, composition, and brand-driven motion systems
• Experience creating social-first motion content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts

Nice To Haves

• Experience in beauty, fashion, lifestyle, or culture-driven brands
• Familiarity with Adobe Premiere Pro for motion/video integration
• Experience / familiarity with video editing
• Experience with 2D animation, animated typography, or graphic-led storytelling
• Knowledge of Cinema 4D, Blender, or other 3D tools
• Illustration skills or experience animating illustrations
• Familiarity with Photoshop and Illustrator

Responsibilities

• Translate creative briefs, storyboards, and static designs into compelling motion graphics and animations
• Create social-first animations, animated typography, transitions, and graphic systems for digital campaigns
• Support video editors with motion overlays, title cards, transitions, and animated assets
• Collaborate closely with the Associate Art Director, Video & Animation to ensure motion work aligns with amika’s brand identity and creative vision
• Adapt animations for multiple formats and aspect ratios (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube, paid media, web, retail screens)
• Prepare motion assets for delivery using best practices for file structure, exports, and platform specs
• Maintain a high bar for timing, easing, rhythm, typography, color, and polish
• Stay current on motion design trends, social formats, and evolving animation styles—especially within beauty, fashion, and culture

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees