What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animation/Motion Art Director position at Aquent?
Job Title: Animation/Motion Art Director
Client Location: Hybrid in Cupertino, CA (shuttle available)
Starting: ASAP
Pay Comments: W2, weekly pay, benefits, 401k w/ match
Minimum Pay (per hour): 98.10
Maximum Pay (per hour): 109.00
Hours: Full-time
Duration: 3 months (potential to extend)
Job Description:
The Visuals Studio supporting Services is a fast-paced, multidisciplinary creative team that defines how best-in-class graphic design, motion, and visual storytelling bring our clients Services products to life. This team is seeking a well rounded Animation/Motion Graphic Art director with a strong design and character/2D/3D animation background. This role is for a creative who is equally comfortable setting direction and executing work at a high level. You will partner closely with creative, editorial, and cross functional teams to shape ideas, resolve ambiguity, and deliver refined, compelling visuals across platforms. This is a contractor role for someone who thrives in complexity, takes ownership, and leads through craft, clarity, and collaboration.
Key Qualifications
- 10 years of experience as an Art Director, Motion Designer, or Animator, either at a leading creative agency, managing vendors, or in-house brand team.
- Exceptional portfolio demonstrating strong visual taste, mastery of animation principles, and hands-on execution across a wide range of styles. Portfolio required.
- Ability to concept and design styleframes.
- Ability to provide thoughtful creative feedback from early exploration through final delivery.
- Experience in directing character animation.
- Strong track record of translating abstract or evolving ideas into clear, cohesive, and visually sophisticated design systems and assets.
- High proficiency in Photoshop and After Effects, with working knowledge of 3D tools and workflows.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to clearly articulate creative rationale and effectively give and receive feedback.
- Strong visual judgment in cinematography, graphic design, storytelling and character animation.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to bring insightful concepts to the table and deliver effective feedback across multiple mediums and art styles, including illustration, character animation in both 2D or 3D style.
- Experience in photography or directing live-action sets is a strong plus.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity; proactive in seeking clarity, aligning stakeholders, and managing upward when needed.
- Naturally collaborative, responsive, and motivated, with team-first mindset.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects across time zones.
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.
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.