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Animator Contract Jobs (NOW HIRING)

US AI

Contract Animator

Rockville, MD · On-site

Contract / Freelance Duration: [e.g., 1-3 months, with potential extension] Hours: [e.g., 20-40 hours per week] Role Overview We are seeking a talented Contract Animator to bring ideas, products, and ...

Red Games Co.

Freelance Animator

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

We're seeking a talented and imaginative Contract A nimator to bring our mobile games to life! You ... Develop and maintain animation systems within game engines (Unity, Unreal, or others)

Aston Carter

Technical Animator

Seattle, WA

$45 - $46/hr

Technical Animator Join a team focused on developing next-generation animated avatars for employee ... Job Type & Location This is a Contract position based out of Seattle, WA. Pay and Benefits The pay ...

Red Games Co.

Freelance Animator

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site

We're seeking a talented and imaginative Contract A nimator to bring our mobile games to life! You ... Develop and maintain animation systems within game engines (Unity, Unreal, or others)

Big Shot Pictures

Mocap Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

This is a contract role which would report in-person at our studio in Los Angeles Responsibilities ... Strong animation fundamentals: you understand timing, weight, and performance even when working ...

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 ...

Big Shot Pictures

Previs Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

About Big Shot Pictures Big Shot Pictures is a next generation animation company founded by Brian ... This is a contract role which would report in-person at our studio in Los Angeles Responsibilities

Big Shot Pictures

Senior Animator

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$114K - $130K/yr

This is a contract role which would report in-person at our studio in Los Angeles Responsibilities * Execute character animation for episodic productions from layout through final delivery * Animate ...

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 ...

VG Systems

Animator / 3-D Modeler

Huntsville, AL

... 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 ...

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 ...

Bolt Graphics

Screenwriter (Contract)

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$60/hr

Craft an engaging story that leverages stylized animation to convey important adult themes ... Contract role for two (2) months with potential to extend based on business needs. Benefits:

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Animator Contract information

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$10

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How much do animator contract jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 31, 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 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.

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 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.

More about Animator Contract jobs
What cities are hiring for Animator Contract jobs? Cities with the most Animator Contract job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Animator jobs? The most popular types of Animator jobs are:
What states have the most Animator Contract jobs? States with the most job openings for Animator Contract jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Animator Contract jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Animator Contract jobs are:
Animator Contract jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animator Contract job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 40% Full Time, and 60% Contract. Highlights an 80% In-person, and 20% 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

Re-posted 19 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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