Motion Designer - The Heist

Lever, Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401k matching

Dog-friendly office

Unlimited coffee

Flexible time off

Office lunches

Job summary

The Heist, aThinkingbox studio in Chicago, is seeking an Intermediate Motion Designer who combines strong 2D and 3D skills with a focus on typography and UI-driven storytelling. You will collaborate with directors, designers, and creative leads to deliver high-end motion for brand campaigns, product stories, and experiential work.

Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in a studio/agency, showcase After Effects and Cinema 4D proficiency, and bring thoughtful design craft to every project.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of motion design experience in a studio or agency setting.
• Strong 2D and 3D design and animation skills; comfortable shifting between both.
• Demonstrated strength in type animation, UI motion, and clean composition.

Responsibilities

• Design and animate motion content across 2D and 3D workflows for brand campaigns, product stories, and experiential work.
• Create elegant type-driven animation, transitions, and UI motion for digital experiences.
• Develop boards, style frames, and motion references that bring concepts to life.
• Collaborate with directors, designers, and leads to deliver elevated visual systems and storytelling.
• Contribute to pitches and visual directions for new projects.
• Participate in reviews and maintain a high craft bar.
• Stay curious about emerging motion trends and tools.

Skills

Motion design

2D/3D crossover

Type animation

Collaboration

Tools

After Effects

Cinema 4D

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Unreal

Job description

Who We Are

Hi! We’re The Heist, the motion design, live action, and post production studio within Thinkingbox, the Brief-to-Built agency.

We bring together directors, designers, animators, editors, and technologists to create work that moves. From brand films to broadcast spots to social campaigns and experiential content, our team blends craft and curiosity to push ideas further. Across our studios, collaboration is real, feedback is open, and culture matters. We take the work seriously. Ourselves, a little less so.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an Intermediate Motion Designer to join our growing team. You are a versatile motion generalist with strong foundations in both 2D and 3D (leaning 2D), however your superpower lies in thoughtful type, composition, and UI-driven storytelling. You bring curiosity, initiative, and craft to everything you touch, and love collaborating with other designers, animators, and creative leads to push ideas further. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about high-end motion, visual identity systems, and polished UI animation across a range of mediums.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design and animate motion content across 2D and 3D (leaning 2D) workflows for brand campaigns, product stories, and experiential work
• Create elegant type-driven animation, transitions, and UI motion for digital experiences
• Develop design boards, style frames, and motion references that bring concepts to life
• Work closely with creative directors, art directors, and designers to deliver elevated visual systems and storytelling
• Contribute to pitch decks, mood boards, and visual directions for new projects
• Participate in reviews, share feedback with teammates, and help maintain a high craft bar
• Stay curious about emerging motion trends, tools, and techniques

What You'll Bring

• 3 to 5 years of motion design experience in a studio or agency environment
• Strong 2D and 3D (leaning 2D) design and animation skills; you can shift between both comfortably
• Demonstrated strength in type animation, UI motion, and clean composition
• Proficiency in After Effects, Cinema 4D (or similar), and Adobe Creative Suite; familiarity with Figma and Unreal is a bonus
• Confident in building styleframes, motion tests, and visual explorations
• Ability to take creative direction and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams
• Strong attention to detail and a passion for thoughtful design craft
• A portfolio showcasing a range of motion work including 2D, 3D, UI, and type-led pieces

Bonus Points!

• Experience with Redshift or Octane
• Experience with Houdini or procedural workflows
• Knowledge of accessibility and UX best practices in motion

Additional Info

• Monday - Thursday in office (Fridays are remote optional)
• Flexible time off, including paid vacation and sick days
• Consistent culture and team-building events
• Employee recognition and incentive programs
• Seasonal celebrations and gatherings throughout the year
• Office lunches
• Branded company swag
• Access to industry events, learning opportunities, and non-profit outreaches
• Dog-friendly offices
• Unlimited coffee, drinks, and snacks
• Flex work and travel options
• Comprehensive extended health benefits
• 401k matching

$80,000 - $90,000 a year

Placement in the salary range will be based on factors such as internal equity, candidate experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role. If your compensation expectations fall outside of this range, we still welcome your application.

Equal Opportunity

At The Heist, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive. We believe that diversity is our creative strength – it's the range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds that fuels our best ideas and most innovative solutions. We welcome and encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, identities, abilities, ages, sexual orientations, and backgrounds to apply. Your voice matters here.