UX Animator

UX Animator (Only W2, no C2C/1099)
San Francisco, CA - Hybrid
6-months contract role

Read on to fully understand what this job requires in terms of skills and experience If you are a good match, make an application.

Overview
The Team focuses on making products more engaging, expressive, and enjoyable. The goal is to transform user experiences from functional to memorable by creating moments of surprise, delight, and emotional connection across search and emerging AI-driven surfaces.
As a UX Animator, you will ideate, design, and deliver motion and visual experiences that enhance product storytelling and elevate user engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Ideate, execute, iterate, and deliver visual assets for static and interactive delight features across search and AI-driven surfaces
Collaborate closely with engineers to communicate, negotiate, and refine design intent for implementation
Develop and guide design specifications including mockups, design systems, and product models
Drive design improvements based on UX testing, data insights, and stakeholder feedback
Build alignment across cross-functional teams and influence design strategy decisions
Apply and evolve motion and visual design frameworks including principles, patterns, and systems
Translate product requirements into high-quality motion prototypes and visual narratives
Ensure adherence to accessibility standards, design systems, and platform guidelines
Propose innovative ideas by anticipating user needs and solving product/design constraints

What Makes This Role Unique

Focus on crafting emotionally engaging, delightful user experiences at scale
Work in deeply collaborative environments involving designers, engineers, product managers, and cross-functional partners
Opportunity to influence experiences seen by hundreds of millions of users globally
Emphasis on experimental, expressive, and unconventional motion design thinking
Strong culture of design storytelling and post-launch user impact visibility (“joy-driven impact feedback loops”)
High creative ownership with space for artistic exploration and independent thinking

Top Skills & Requirements

4+ years of experience in animation and/or motion design
Strong portfolio demonstrating motion design and animation expertise (web/vector-based work preferred)
Strong visual design sensibility with modern aesthetics and expressive style
Proficiency in animation tools such as After Effects, Rive, and vector-based animation tools
Experience designing interactive experiences for web or product interfaces
Fluency across multiple illustration and motion styles
Understanding of gaming UX principles and interactive flow design (preferred)
Ability to independently create prototypes and design explorations
Strong creativity, originality, and ability to bring personality and humor into design work
Portfolio must demonstrate:
Web-based motion design and animation (vector focus)
Modern visual design sensibilities
Range of visual tone, style, and experimentation
Independent/self-initiated creative work

Role Description (UX Design Level Expectation)

This role sits within a senior UX design scope where you are expected to own outcomes for complex or emerging product areas. You will define scalable design approaches in areas with limited precedent and help shape long-term product and experience strategy. xsgimln
You will influence across teams by guiding design direction, challenging assumptions, and introducing alternative perspectives that improve product outcomes.

Core Responsibilities (Expanded UX Scope)

Collaborate with engineers to define and refine design implementation details
Use data and metrics to evaluate design impact and understand user behavior, trends, and ecosystem dynamics
Drive UX improvements through testing, research insights, and stakeholder collaboration
Build consensus across teams and communicate design rationale effectively
Contribute to prioritization and planning of design work aligned with product goals
Create solutions based on user needs, business goals, and market trends
Lead holistic design systems, frameworks, or languages across products or teams
Conduct or guide UX research to inform design direction and validation
Translate insights into prototypes, concepts, and scalable design solutions
Ensure accessibility, usability, and consistency across all deliverables
Continuously improve UX practices by identifying opportunities and constraints

Core Competencies

Data analysis, synthesis, and planning
Product design principles and systems thinking
UX research methodologies
Understanding product development lifecycle
Strong aesthetic and visual craftsmanship
User behavior analysis
Presentation and storytelling skills
Interactive technology awareness
Ability to balance creativity with product and business constraints
Design system thinking and scalability mindset

Thanks,
Nandit