Animator

Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)

Duration: 08+ Months

Team Mission

This team's mission is to make digital products fun. If you've ever enjoyed a playful or surprising moment on a search results page, that was likely the work of this group. Their goal is to surprise users, celebrate the things they care about most, and create magical moments that shift the experience from "it works" to "I love it."

Key Initiatives & Projects

• Main Focus (60–70%): Lead ownership of a large-scale, playable Easter egg project from concept to completion. This will include game progression mechanics such as a digital scavenger hunt.
• Secondary Focus (30–40%): Rapid ideation and execution of small-to-medium reactive Easter eggs tied to pop culture moments and the current zeitgeist. Deliverables may range from text marquees to animations across the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
• Platform Ecosystem: Work spans traditional search experiences while experimenting with new interactive features in emerging AI-driven modes.

Responsibilities

As a UX Animator, you will:

• Ideate, execute, iterate, and deliver visual assets for static and interactive features across search and AI surfaces.
• Collaborate with engineers to communicate, negotiate, and influence design intention. Guide design specifications (e.g., design specs, mock-ups, product models) for implementation.
• Drive improvements in design based on UX testing and stakeholder input, engaging stakeholders to achieve product goals.
• Build consensus across teams and gain support for design strategy. Communicate design approach to stakeholders, anticipating challenges and questions.
• Apply, adapt, and define motion and visual design frameworks for user experiences, including principles, patterns, and systems.
• Leverage writing and design tools to visualize ideas, develop mock-ups or prototypes, and tailor deliverables based on platform requirements.
• Propose ideas to improve motion and visual design by analyzing user needs and solving constraints in product or technology.

Candidate Requirements

Top 3 Required Skills

• 2D Animation: Highest priority — all deliverables require motion.
• Illustration Range & Versatility: Ability to adapt to multiple art styles; no fixed "house style."
• Interactive/Game Design Fluency: Understanding of how assets function dynamically in interactive environments (not just static or linear outputs).

Technical Deliverables & Tools

• Software-agnostic provided assets meet engineering requirements.
• Must be able to export Ping Sequences or JSON files (Lottie and Rive exports).
• Team norms: After Effects, Photoshop, Flash.

Top Skills

• 4+ years' experience in 2D animation and/or motion design.
• Strong visual design skills in modern aesthetics and expressiveness.
• Fluency in a wide range of illustration styles and practices.
• Proficiency in modern animation tools for web deployment (vector graphics, After Effects, Rive).
• Background in crafting interactive experiences.
• Basic understanding of gaming UX needs and flows.
• Portfolio required: Include a viewable link showcasing animation/motion design for the web, modern visual sensibilities, humor/quirk, wide stylistic range, and independent project ownership.

What Makes This Role Unique

• Joy-Scrolling: When the team does its job well, part of the role involves scrolling through social media after a launch and reading post after post about how people love the work.
• Deep Collaboration: You'll work with engineers, artists, PMs, marketers, and partner managers — learning their distinct roles and mindsets to create a team greater than the sum of its parts.
• Creative Freedom: This is a role that celebrates artistic bets, surprising approaches, and unconventional thinking.
• Impact: Your work will be seen by hundreds of millions of users worldwide.