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Animator Contract Jobs (NOW HIRING)

US AI

Contract Animator

Rockville, MD

Contract / Freelance Duration: [e.g., 13 months, with potential extension] Hours: [e.g., 2040 hours per week] Role Overview We are seeking a talented Contract Animator to bring ideas, products, and ...

TechLink Systems

Flash - Animator

Torrance, CA · On-site

In regards to a contract job with one of our client in Torrance, CA. They are looking for a FLASH1- Animator/Developer with Knowledge in ActionScript, CSV, XML, and HTML5. Please feel free to get in ...

TechLink Systems

Flash - Animator

Torrance, CA

In regards to a contract job with one of our client in Torrance, CA. They are looking for a FLASH1- Animator/Developer with Knowledge in ActionScript, CSV, XML, and HTML5. Please feel free to get in ...

Stahl Companies

Audio-Visual Animator

Port Hueneme, CA · On-site

Contract / Temp Location: CSPMSADD-NAVSEA-SEAPORT-CA Description Audio-Visual Animator WHO WE ARE: STAHL Companies provides the Program Management for its Channel of Commercial Technology companies ...

Crafty Apes

Animator - Los Angeles

El Segundo, CA · On-site +1

$112.90K - $128.90K/yr

Position Overview Mid - Senior Animator - Los Angeles (6 month contract position) What We Need We are seeking talented Mid to Senior Animators to join our team in Los Angeles. This role involves ...

VG Systems

Animator / 3-D Modeler

Huntsville, AL · On-site

... contract. * Substitution 1: Associate's degree in 3-D Modeling, Animation, or a related arts discipline with 7 years of experience providing creative animation and modeling support on a DoD or ...

craftyapes

Animator - Los Angeles

El Segundo, CA · On-site +1

$112.90K - $128.90K/yr

Mid - Senior Animator - Los Angeles 6 month contract position Who we are Crafty Apes is a full-service global visual effects company operating in Canada, UK ,US and now Los Angeles with a roster of ...

VG Systems

Animator / 3-D Modeler

Huntsville, AL · On-site

... contract. * Substitution 1: Associate's degree in 3-D Modeling, Animation, or a related arts discipline with 7 years of experience providing creative animation and modeling support on a DoD or ...

Akraya

$63 - $65.31/hr

... Contract Type: W2 Duration: 6 Months Location: Remote(#LI-Remote) Pay Range: $63- $65.31 #LP Job Summary: We are looking for a Video Editor / Animator to create engaging video content that ...

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Animator Contract information

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How much do animator contract jobs pay per hour?

As of May 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for animator contract in the United States is $39.41, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.88 and $63.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an Animator Contract job?

An Animator Contract job is a temporary or freelance position where an animator is hired for a specific project or duration. These roles typically involve creating 2D or 3D animations for films, games, advertisements, or other media. Contract animators may work remotely or on-site, depending on the employer's needs. The contract terms, including duration, payment, and project scope, vary based on the company's requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Animator Contract position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animator Contract, you need proficiency in animation principles, strong drawing or modeling abilities, and a portfolio showcasing relevant work, often supported by a degree in animation or a related field. Experience with leading animation software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, or Toon Boom Harmony is typically required, and familiarity with collaborative project management tools can be beneficial. Strong time management, adaptability, and effective communication are key soft skills for meeting project deadlines and collaborating remotely with clients or creative teams. These capabilities ensure high-quality deliverables, seamless teamwork, and the ability to meet diverse client needs in a fast-paced contract environment.

What are the typical responsibilities of a contract animator during a project?

As a contract animator, your main responsibilities typically include creating character animations, developing storyboards, and collaborating closely with directors or other creative professionals to achieve the desired visual style. You may also be asked to revise or iterate on animations based on client feedback and adhere to project timelines and deliverables. Daily tasks often involve both independent work and virtual meetings to stay aligned with the team’s vision. Contract animators should expect to manage their own schedules and maintain clear communication with clients to ensure successful project completion. This role offers valuable exposure to a variety of projects and the chance to build a diverse professional portfolio.
More about Animator Contract jobs
What cities are hiring for Animator Contract jobs? Cities with the most Animator Contract job openings:
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Animator Contract jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animator Contract job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 6% As Needed, 6% Temporary, and 88% Contract. Highlights an 100% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,974 per year, or $39.4 per hour.

Rive Motion Designer and Animator (Contract-to-Hire)

Rilla

New York, NY • On-site

$60 - $100/hr

Contractor

Posted 15 days ago

Job description

A Foundational Company
Rilla is on a mission to index the offline world.
Today, we've built the leading sales coaching software for organizations doing sales offline. We have over 1000 customers, including The Home Depot, KKR, Neighborly, and PulteGroup, using our product to enable AI sales coaching across their organization.
We are backed by Google Ventures, Bessemer Ventures, Crew Capital, and Broom Ventures, along with others.
We're an in office team in NYC with builders who operate like high speed reinforcement learners. We obsess over our customers, move at a high velocity, are not afraid of failure, and look to maximize our real-world impact.
If you want to build the products and systems for how billions of conversations in the real world are captured and indexed, Rilla is the place to do it.
The Role
At Rilla, you'll be at the forefront of transforming our product into an experience that feels as intuitive, playful, and rewarding as the best consumer games. You'll design UI animations, build out our character universe, and bring it all to life with bold, innovative motion and art styles.
As part of our Games team, you'll collaborate closely with engineering, product, and design to craft animations that don't just surprise and delight, but actively inspire our customers to hit their goals and celebrate every one of their wins along the way. You are a creative problem solver who will move fast, experiment constantly, and push the boundaries of what a product experience can be to keep it deeply engaging and retentive.
Your primary playground will be our mobile and desktop app. You will also have opportunities to extend Rilla's motion language into our website, marketing creative, and other key brand moments.
This role is perfect for someone obsessed with game mechanics, passionate about creating joyful, immersive product experiences, and ready to thrive in a high-autonomy, high-expectation environment.
What We Value
  • An infinite learner. Someone who is relentless in their curiosity.
  • A customer obsessive. Someone who deeply care about delighting customers and solving real pains, not vanity metrics.
  • A winning attitude. You thrive with extreme accountability, learning as a team, and both giving and receiving rapid feedback.
  • Extreme empathy. Our customers are not tech companies. They live and work in the real world. Empathy is critical to arriving at correct solutions.
  • Unafraid of failure. You take risks. You see failure as an opportunity to learn, grow, and be better the next time. In a weird way, you trick your brain into being excited when you fail, because it means you got a new opportunity to learn more.

What We Require
  • Summary: 2+ years of experience in motion design, interactive media, game development - or a strong portfolio of personal projects showcasing diverse styles and technical excellence.
  • Motion Design: Proficiency in Rive, Lottie, and After Effects, with a strong eye for detail and aptitude in learning new tools and hands-on experience in production-ready animations
  • Character Design: Skilled at bringing characters to life through AI-powered prompting and creative iteration, embracing video generation tools over traditional rigging, lighting, and shader pipelines
  • Technical Collaboration: Experience working with engineers on animation implementation, understanding technical constraints and optimization
  • Sound and Haptic Integration: Knowledge of how motion, sound, and haptic feedback work together to create cohesive user experiences
  • AI-Augmented Workflow: You're well-versed in AI tools and excited to experiment with new software to create compelling animations
  • Impeccable Taste and Brand Intuition: Ability to translate Rilla's dynamic brand energy and art style into a motion design language
  • Passion for Games: An understanding of game design principles and player experience, with a sharp eye for what makes interactions addictive, rewarding, and fun using animations that engage and delight

Nice to have (ordered):
  • Examples of motion design work similar to Duolingo or other consumer game platforms
  • Experience with performance optimization for web and mobile
  • General 3D skills like modeling, texturing, rigging, and animating

Compensation
This role is contract, open to remote, with the ability for full-time conversion to be in-person in NYC. Compensation: $60-$100/hr.

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