Graphic Designer and Animator

OPB; Portland (ME); Hybrid; USD 37,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

OPB, a public media organization based in Portland, Oregon, is seeking a Graphic Designer and Animator to support its expanding digital content needs. The role focuses on creating thumbnails, editorial motion graphics, and data visualizations for programs like Oregon Field Guide and OPB’s news shows.

The position reports to the Director of Content Innovation, is SEIU-represented, benefits eligible, and hybrid, based at OPB's Portland location.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating range across design, illustration, and animation including maps, data visualizations, and thumbnails.
• Advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills, particularly After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, and Illustrator.
• Ability to work quickly across teams and manage competing deadlines.
• Ability to translate vague briefs into compelling visuals.
• Comfort working with a consistent visual language while breaking patterns when needed.
• Demonstrated journalistic values and editorial judgment.

Responsibilities

• Create compelling thumbnail images and variants for OPB feature videos (approx. 30% of time).
• Produce editorial motion graphics and animated sequences for OPB video shows (approx. 30% of time).
• Turn around quick animated maps and data visualizations for the news visuals team (approx. 30% of time).
• Handle production planning and asset management (approx. 5% of time).
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices (approx. 5% of time).

Skills

Adobe After Effects

Adobe Premiere

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Motion graphics

Data visualization

Thumbnail design

Education

Design/visual arts degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Blender

Cinema 4D

Job description

OPB is a public media organization based in Portland, Oregon, producing journalism, documentary programming, and digital content focused on Pacific Northwest stories. It distributes content across television, digital platforms, social media, and its own video streaming app.

The role

The Graphic Designer and Animator supports OPB's expanding digital content needs, with a primary focus on creating graphics and animations for programs such as Oregon Field Guide and OPB's news shows. The position reports to the Director of Content Innovation, is SEIU-represented, and is benefits eligible. It is a hybrid role based at OPB's Portland location.

What you would do

• Create compelling thumbnail images and variants for OPB feature videos on YouTube and the OPB video app (approximately 30% of time).
• Produce original editorial motion graphics and animated sequences for OPB video shows (approximately 30% of time).
• Turn around quick animated maps and data visualizations for the news visuals team on tight deadlines (approximately 30% of time).
• Handle production planning and asset management (approximately 5% of time).
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices (approximately 5% of time).

What they are looking for

• A portfolio demonstrating range across design, illustration, and animation, including maps, data visualizations, and thumbnail images.
• Advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills, particularly After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, and Illustrator.
• Ability to work quickly across a variety of teams and manage competing deadlines effectively.
• Ability to give shape to vague briefs and arrive at a compelling visual solution.
• Comfort working within a consistent visual language while breaking patterns intentionally when needed.
• Demonstrated journalistic values and editorial judgement.
• A degree in design, fine art, documentary, journalism, or a related field, or equivalent experience; 1-2 years of professional experience.
• Preferred: experience in journalism or documentary production; physical animation skills such as stop-motion; advanced video editing; 3D animation in Blender, C4D, or similar; sound design skills.

Working arrangements

This is a hybrid role located at OPB's Portland, Oregon office. Work is performed on a Mac or PC. Standard weekday hours apply, with occasional non-standard hours required for breaking news. Local travel is possible. Occasional lifting of equipment up to 10 pounds may be required.

Pay and benefits

$32.69 per hour (approximately $67,995 annually). Compensation depends on the qualifications of the selected candidate. The position is benefits eligible.