Animation Design Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Emergent Order Foundation has retained the recruiting firm Big Fish on this search. Please contact Angel Fimbres-Barceló at angel@recruitbigfish.com for any questions or referrals regarding the role.

Big Fish is a boutique recruiting firm specializing in the talent needed to drive mission-driven storytelling. Learn more at recruitbigfish.com.

Design Fellow

Organization: Emergent Order Foundation

Title: Design Fellow — Year 1 Fellowship
Location: Austin, TX (on-site and on-location required)
Reports To: President & COO, Justin Bergeron

About the Organization

Emergent Order Foundation (EO.F) is a non-profit, for-purpose media studio based in Austin, TX built on decades of award-winning entertainment and educational content creation. Its core team's experience includes work at Paramount, Spike TV, Nickelodeon, MTV, and its sister production company Emergent Order. Through heroic storytelling that embodies classical virtues and moves audiences to purposeful action, EO.F's mission is to build a bottom-up movement that champions civilization and the potential it unlocks in each of us.
Learn more at eo.foundation.

Position Summary

EO.F is looking for a full-time Design Fellow to participate in a year-long fellowship program geared towards identifying talents and solidifying skills within the discipline, dramatically improving critical thinking, creativity, and operational literacy around branding and visual design.

We seek a Design Fellow to join our team as a visual artist with a minimum of 2 years of experience. You are passionate about the craft of design, have experience thinking conceptually, are able to collaborate across disciplines, and can generate and update basic graphics, animation, and other visual materials. A portfolio is required, ideally with examples that speak to your design process and approach.

The Design Fellow should be proficient in After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator, with an array of commonly used plug-ins and tools in their arsenal. Candidates should be passionate about keeping up with trends and tools in production and post-production and expanding their knowledge. The Design Fellow will work closely with the President & COO and provide design support at all levels of the business.

At Emergent Order Foundation, our work and culture spring from a deep belief in the power of ideas — we're nerds and idealists who believe creative content can change the world. We genuinely love our audience, we respect our co-workers, and if we ever fall out of love with our work, then we're doing it wrong.

Essential Skills

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively across all departments.
• Excellent time management and high problem-solving skills.
• Must be adaptable to change.
• Ability to research and present information in a clear and concise manner.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Comfort experimenting with AI tools as part of the design process is a plus.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design and create visually compelling graphics for social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Substack, and X — including eye-catching graphics, thumbnails, infographics, and social media posts that align with brand guidelines and messaging.
• Collaborate with the Designer to ensure all designs align with brand guidelines and messaging, working closely with Producers and the Designer to understand their needs and develop creative solutions.
• Work with the internal design and production team, managing deliverables and ensuring quality control ahead of approval.
• Assist with basic motion design tasks, including creating simple animations and video edits — animated graphics, short video clips, and simple animations for social media posts and other digital marketing materials.
• Create original concepts and presentations based on direction from the internal design and producing team.
• Stay up-to-date with design trends and technologies, including AI, to ensure content is fresh and engaging.
• Create assets and design templates for the internal team to use, building a library of assets that can be used across all departments with your guidance.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute to the creative process to develop new and exciting ideas.
• Maintain the digital asset file management system and make updates as needed.
• Under the direction of the Designer, collaborate with other departments in support of design requests.
• Manage multiple projects, work flexible hours, and meet deadlines.
• Rise to every new design challenge, no matter how large or how small.

Requirements

Must be able to provide a portfolio, ideally with explanations and examples of design process.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a paid, full-time fellowship with benefits. As an entry-level position, compensation is structured accordingly and salary will be commensurate with experience. Benefits include robust group PPO health insurance with a wide range of plan options via United Healthcare's Choice Plus Network, plus wellness and other benefits. Must be able to work legally in the US.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.