Motion Designer

Awwwards; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Awwwards is seeking a driven Motion Designer to craft fluid, high-impact digital experiences. You will bring interfaces, brands, mockups, and concepts to life, partnering with design and development teams to translate ideas into compelling motion systems.

You will own your workflow in a fast-paced environment, balance priorities, and deliver refined work that elevates the final output, while contributing to motion strategies across campaigns and products.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of motion design experience in fast-paced environments
• Strong portfolio/showreel demonstrating craft, timing, and storytelling
• Proficiency in English communication with clients and internal teams

Responsibilities

• Define Motion Systems including languages, styleframes, animation systems and standards
• Translate concepts into storyboards, styleframes, and visual explorations
• Shape project directions from concept to delivery and contribute to reviews and pitches
• Collaborate with Creative Directors, Designers, Developers and Producers to craft end-to-end experiences
• Explore AI-assisted workflows and stay updated on design trends

Skills

Adobe After Effects

3D software

UI motion

Video editing

English proficiency

Tools

Cavalry

Rive

Figma Motion

Job description

Role Summary

We are seeking a driven Motion Designer with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for crafting fluid, high-impact digital experiences. In this role, you will bring interfaces, brands, mockups, and concepts to life, partnering closely with design and development teams to translate ideas into compelling motion systems.

You bring a distinct creative voice to every project while maintaining an open, collaborative approach to feedback and creative direction. Thriving in a fast-paced environment, you take ownership of your workflow, balance competing priorities, and consistently deliver refined work that elevates the final output.

Core Responsibilities

Concept Development & Motion Strategy

1. Define Motion Systems: Establish motion languages, styleframes, animation systems, and visual standards to guide work across campaigns, UI interfaces, digital products/experiences, and branded content.
2. Visual Storytelling: Translate creative concepts into storyboards, styleframes, and visual explorations that effectively communicate vision and strategy to clients and internal teams.
3. Project Delivery & Pitching: Shape project visual and motion directions from initial concept through delivery, contributing directly to creative reviews, client pitches, and studio innovation initiatives.

Design Execution & Production Craft

1. Multi-Format Animation: Conceptualize and execute high-quality interface animations, UI motion, product prototypes, and typographic animation.
2. Brand Consistency: Ensure all deliverables align strictly with client brand guidelines while optimizing assets for platform-specific technical requirements and latest design trends.
3. Content Production: Edit short- and long-form video content for diverse channels, adding motion graphics, typography, transitions, sound design, color grading, and visual effects.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Client Engagement

1. Integrated Partnership: Work closely with Creative Directors, Designers, Developers and Producers to craft cohesive end-to-end user experiences.
2. Stakeholder Communication: Articulate design decisions clearly to a wide range of clients—from early-stage startups to established global brands.

Innovation, R&D & Process Optimization

1. AI & Workflow Integration: Explore and implement AI-assisted motion workflows, automation, and emerging technologies to boost production efficiency and expand creative boundaries.
2. Motion Thought Leadership: Maintain a deep curiosity for emerging tools, techniques, and visual design trends to continuously elevate team standards and output.

Job Requirements

The following are qualifications, experience, and skills required to be successful in this role:

1. 3–5+ years of motion design experience within a fast-paced agency or corporate environment (or equivalent practical experience), backed by a strong portfolio or showreel demonstrating exceptional craft, timing, narrative storytelling, and styleframe creation.
2. Mastery in Adobe After Effects, expertise in 3D software and alternative animation tools such as Cavalry, Rive and Figma Motion is a strong plus.
3. Outstanding skills in 2D animation, interface motion, and video editing for maximum engagement across platforms;
4. Strong visual judgment and confidence contributing to creative concepts, motion languages, and visual systems from initial direction to final delivery.
5. Active curiosity and openness to exploring AI-assisted creative workflows, automation tools, and modern post-production techniques to elevate output.
6. Excellent organizational, presentation, and interpersonal skills with full English proficiency, capable of articulating creative decisions clearly to internal teams and diverse clients.