Sr. UI Animator / Motion Designer

Overview

UI Animator / Motion Designer

Location: Cupertino area (Hybrid) Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in-office (non-negotiable)

We are seeking a senior UI Animator/Motion Designer to work on consumer software applications for major platforms. The ideal candidate has a solid foundation in all of the classic principles of animation and is a brilliant problem solver, quick study, self-starter, and excellent communicator with a passion for great design and the ability to achieve it.

From brainstorming through implementation, the Animator/Motion Designer will lead project workflows and collaborate with members of the Product & Design team, as well as our engineering, marketing, and QA groups. We are looking for a candidate who is ready to and capable of taking software design to the next level.

• Location: Culver City, CA or Cupertino, CA
• Hybrid Schedule: T-W-Th onsite, M and F remote
• Duration: 12 months 
• Max Pay Rate Culver City: $81.00/hour
• Max Pay Rate Cupertino: $91.00/hour
• Pay Comments:  W2, weekly pay, benefits, 401k w/ match
• Background screening required

Key Qualifications

• Experience: 4–10 years of dedicated experience in UI/interactive motion design (7–10 years preferred, but exceptionally talented candidates with a minimum of 4 years will be considered).
• Portfolio Requirement: A portfolio showcasing comprehensive, shipped UI/interactive motion work is strictly required for submission. Traditional motion graphics portfolios without clear user-interaction examples (e.g., app transitions, button states, expanding menus, or interactive game HUDs) will not be considered.
• Software Expertise: Expert in After Effects; fluent in prototyping tools (Principle, Figma, etc.).
• Workflow Comfort: Comfortable with modern “vibe coding” workflows and utilizing AI/scripting tools to lean into quick prototyping.
• Collaboration & Shipping: Proven track record collaborating directly with engineers to ship production motion (not just concept work).
• Platform Guidelines: Strong grasp of platform motion guidelines (iOS highly preferred, Android, Web) and core animation principles.
• Project Management & Leadership: Excellent project management instincts, able to set and hit deadlines across multiple concurrent projects while delegating smaller tasks to focus on the bigger picture.

Description

As a UI Animator/Motion Designer on our team, you will:

• Design and animate UI motion for new features, screens, and complex interactions (ranging from simple button behaviors to real-time particle effects) across our client’s applications.
• Lead specific app projects and help guide a small, collaborative team of designers and engineers to build out cohesive motion stories.
• Partner with product designers to translate static concepts into interactive, animated prototypes to validate the “feel” on-device before full engineering investment.
• Work directly with software engineers to hand off precise motion specs and ensure animations ship exactly as intended (timing, easing, physics, performance).
• Build and maintain a comprehensive motion design system/library for consistency across the product ecosystem.
• Balance creative polish and high-end visual storytelling with technical constraints (performance, platform guidelines, device capabilities).
• Communicate clearly with cross-functional teams on project scope, timelines, and technical trade-offs.

Nice to Have

• 3D Animation/Design experience.
• Basic coding or scripting knowledge to assist in building high-fidelity prototypes.
• Experience designing motion systems for complex interactive environments, such as video games.

About Aquent Talent: Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands. Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. More information on our awesome benefits! Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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