ICON Creative Studio is hiring: Animator (On-Site) in Vancouver

Salary: $50,000.00 - $90,000.00 annually

Company Overview

ICON Creative Studio is Canadas largest independently owned animation entertainment company, located in the historic Gastown district of Vancouver, BC. Our talented team includes specialists across the entire animation pipeline, working alongside creative and management professionals to deliver outstanding animated content.

Known for our commitment to quality, efficiency, and timely deliveries, ICON has partnered with distributors, broadcasters, and leading streaming platforms worldwide to create and produce noteworthy, impactful projects.

We operate from a holistic philosophy, leveraging the unique skill sets of our team members to maximize production efficiency while maintaining an optimal balance of creativity and quality on-screen.

Why work at ICON?

• Collaborate on top-tier feature and episodic CG franchises for major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon, Peacock, and Paramount+.
• Be part of a diverse team of artists from around the globe who have joined us here in British Columbia.
• Work with the latest tools and software, ensuring you're always equipped to do your best work.
• Be part of a studio that upholds a premium standard of quality across all productions, putting every resource into whats on-screen.
• Enjoy flexibility, autonomy, and a supportive workplace culture.
• Access direct deposit and a generous benefits package.
• Grow with us through continuous learning opportunities, mentorship, and empowering you to achieve your professional goals.

Junior Animator

Job Overview

Were looking for a Junior Animator to join our growing animation team and develop their skills while contributing to exciting animated productions. Youll work alongside experienced artists and supervisors, applying the 12 Principles of Animation to craft clear, appealing, and expressive performances. This is a learning-focused role ideal for animators looking to build strong fundamentals, improve speed and polish, and gain confidence in a studio setting.

Responsibilities:

• Animate shots using the 12 Principles of Animation, developing strong timing, posing, and performance.
• Compose and animate cameras with an understanding of basic photography and cinematography rules.
• Work within the established pipeline and workflows, maintaining clean scenes and thoughtful organization of keys and curves.
• Meet weekly quotas and revise work based on notes from Directors or Supervisors.
• Participate in dailies, weeklies, and team discussions to learn and apply feedback.
• Ask questions and seek help from senior artists and mentors when faced with technical or creative challenges.
• Communicate regularly with Leads and Supervisors to stay aligned with production goals.
• Actively work on improving speed, efficiency, and animation quality with each new shot.

Qualifications:

• 1 year of experience in an animation production environment or relevant academic/training program.
• Familiarity with Autodesk Maya or other industry-standard 3D animation software.
• Understanding of animation fundamentals and interest in performance-based character animation.
• Receptive to feedback and eager to learn in a collaborative environment.
• Strong communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Positive, team-focused attitude and a willingness to take on challenges.

Intermediate Animator

Job Overview

Were looking for an Intermediate Animator to join our production team and help bring stories to life with polished, high-quality character animation. In this role, youll be responsible for handling a wide range of shots - including technically complex or group shots - while maintaining consistency and clarity across your work. You'll play a key part in supporting the shows creative vision while ensuring your work is efficient, clean, and production-ready.

Key Responsibilities

• Consistently produce animation at a high quality and output level, aligned with production expectations.
• Animate a variety of shot types, including technically challenging, action-heavy, or multi-character scenes.
• Apply strong animation fundamentals and polish to assigned shots.
• Understand and follow the shows visual style, ensuring your work gets approved with minimal revisions.
• Maintain clean, organized scenes and workflows that support smooth production.
• Contribute to overall scene continuity and integration across sequences.
• Problem-solve technical or creative issues in collaboration with Leads or Supervisors.
• Flag larger issues in assets or rigs when they impact workflow or quality.

Qualifications

• 1+ year of experience in TV, film, games, or other media production environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Autodesk Maya is required.
• Completion of an animation diploma or certificate is a plus.
• Solid understanding of animation principles and character performance.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team setting.
• A keen eye for detail, timing, and posing.
  

Senior Animator

Job Overview

Were looking for a Senior Animator to join our production team and help drive the creative and technical excellence of our animated shows. As a Senior Animator, youll take on some of the most complex and challenging shots while also mentoring junior and intermediate artists, sharing best practices, and contributing to a collaborative and supportive team culture. You'll bring a holistic approach to your work, helping maintain style consistency and overall animation quality across entire sequences.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality 3D character animation that exceeds established standards for performance, polish, and clarity.
• Take ownership of complex shots, including technically demanding sequences and large-scale group animations.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to Junior and Intermediate Animators, helping to guide their growth and maintain team performance.
• Demonstrate deep understanding of the show's style, ensuring all shots align with the overall artistic direction.
• Streamline feedback implementation and reduce revisions by anticipating notes and addressing them efficiently.
• Maintain clean and organized scenes with consistent file management and animation workflows.
• Ensure shot and sequence continuity across the show, taking a big-picture approach to storytelling.
• Troubleshoot both technical and creative challenges with a proactive mindset.
• Communicate effectively with Leads, Supervisors, and the Director to ensure alignment across departments.
• Contribute to ongoing animation process improvements by identifying larger issues in assets, rigs, or workflows.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience in 3D animation for TV or film using Autodesk Maya.
• Proven ability to animate to a high level in a variety of styles (cartoony or stylized is a plus).
• Experience handling technically complex or high-priority shots, including crowds, creatures, or effects integration.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, posing, timing, and performance.
• Comfortable using reference footage and developing acting choices.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills with a proactive and supportive attitude.
• Experience mentoring or leading other artists is an asset.
• Familiarity with pipelines and production tracking tools (e.g., ShotGrid) is a plus.

--

The wage range for this role reflects compensation across all of ICONs projects. The final salary will be determined based on the specific position, the current show assignment, and the applicants experience and portfolio. This range accounts for varying levels of experience and responsibilities.

In compliance with British Columbia provincial mandates, we are posting this broad wage range to meet wage transparency requirements.

--

ICON Creative Studio is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.