Senior Motion Designer

confidential; United States; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Koto in New York seeks an experienced motion designer who lives and breathes animation, storytelling, and systems thinking. You combine exceptional 2D animation craft with a sharp graphic design sensibility, creating motion that is imaginative, purposeful, and seamlessly integrated into brand worlds.

At Koto, you'll lead motion projects from concept through execution, collaborate across disciplines, and push the boundaries of what's possible through thoughtful storytelling, experimentation, and

Responsibilities

• Create brand-defining motion. You develop distinctive, high-quality 2D motion identities, animation systems, and brand expressions that balance creative ambition with strategic intent.
• Own the creative process. You confidently take projects from initial exploration and storyboarding through design, animation, and final delivery.
• Bring design to life. You have a strong command of typography, composition, timing, transitions, and animation principles.
• Collaborate across disciplines. You work closely with designers, strategists, and creative leadership to integrate motion thinking early.
• Present with confidence. You articulate your creative thinking clearly and persuasively to internal teams and clients.
• Lead through craft. You elevate the quality of work, share knowledge, and support the development of other designers.
• Stay hands-on and organized. Advanced proficiency in After Effects with working knowledge of Figma, Final Cut, and Pitch; 3D tools a plus.
• Bring the Koto spirit. You’ll join our New York studio and occasionally travel to collaborate with our global teams.

Job description

The Role

You are an experienced motion designer who lives and breathes animation, storytelling, and systems thinking. You combine exceptional 2D animation craft with a sharp graphic design sensibility, creating motion work that is imaginative, purposeful, and seamlessly integrated into brand worlds. You have a natural instinct for typography, composition, rhythm, and movement, and understand how motion can bring a brand's personality to life.

At Koto, you'll play an important role in shaping how brands move. You'll lead motion projects from concept through execution, collaborate across disciplines, and push the boundaries of what's possible through thoughtful storytelling, experimentation, and beautifully crafted animation.

Your Responsibilities

• Create brand-defining motion. You develop distinctive, high-quality 2D motion identities, animation systems, and brand expressions that balance creative ambition with strategic intent. You translate insights from our immersion and strategic phases into compelling motion principles and executions.


• Own the creative process. You confidently take projects from initial exploration and storyboarding through design, animation, and final delivery. You bring strong conceptual thinking, explore multiple creative directions, and maintain an exceptional standard of craft throughout.


• Bring design to life. You have a strong command of typography, composition, timing, transitions, and animation principles. You understand how to create expressive, cohesive motion systems that work across different formats, platforms, and brand touchpoints.


• Collaborate across disciplines. You work closely with designers, strategists, and creative leadership to integrate motion thinking into the brand process early and often. You contribute ideas beyond your immediate discipline, respond thoughtfully to feedback, and help create cohesive brand experiences.


• Present with confidence. You articulate your creative thinking clearly and persuasively, helping build compelling presentations and communicating the rationale behind your work to internal teams and clients.


• Lead through craft. You elevate the quality of work around you, sharing knowledge, offering constructive feedback, and supporting the development of other designers. You're curious, experimental, and continually exploring new techniques and approaches to animation.


• Stay hands‑on and organized. You spend significant time designing and animating, with advanced proficiency in After Effects and a strong working knowledge of Figma, Final Cut, and Pitch. Experience with 3D tools is a plus. You manage your time and priorities effectively, balancing creative exploration with project timelines.


• Bring the Koto spirit. You're excited to join our New York studio, contribute to our creative culture, and occasionally travel to collaborate with our global teams.

Our Responsibilities

1. We’ll ensure you have regular access to your manager and team leads to support your development and career path.


2. We actively reward strong performance with promotions, salary increases, and a discretionary annual bonus of up to 10%.


3. We’re committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees.


4. We support family leave and offer significant paid maternity and paternity time


5. We encourage you to take your time off: 25 vacation days annually, 10+ U.S. holidays, and a full studio closure between Christmas and New Year


6. We offer a 401(k) with a 4% company match


7. We provide a monthly $105 "employee wellness" budget through Juno.


8. We give you access to YCN and fund relevant training and development opportunities


9. We reward tenure with $5,000 and five extra days off at five years, and $10,000 and four weeks off at ten years


10. We support work‑from‑anywhere opportunities across our five global studios, with advanced planning.

Our Culture

At Koto, we encourage our team to be ‘rationally optimistic’ about the potential of our work, our clients, their businesses, and the power of brand.

We pursue the best briefs, aim to inspire meaningful work, and for those interested, provide an opportunity to make the work of their lives. We are actively cultivating leadership, culture, and spaces to encourage this.

We work in person with an optional WFH day on Friday, and an additional two weeks of remote work a year. We believe this produces the best work, mentoring opportunities, collective learning, and culture.

We encourage autonomy for each team member, allowing them to manage their time, hours, and personal commitments to complete their work.