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Animator Jobs in Rochester, NY (NOW HIRING)

Senior Visual Designer

Rochester, NY · On-site

$70K - $90K/yr

Proficiency with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grok, Google Gemini, Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, and other emerging platforms to accelerate creativity, production, retouching, animation, versioning ...

Backed by a16z speedrun, Patron, Kevin Hart, Pear VC, and founders of Instacart and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through events, memberships, and ...

Backed by a16z speedrun, Patron, Kevin Hart, Pear VC, and founders of Instacart and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through events, memberships, and ...

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Animator information

See Rochester, NY salary details

$10

$38

$69

How much do animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for animator in Rochester, NY is $38.89, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.59 and $63.08 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What jobs can animators get?

Animators can work in various fields such as film, television, video game development, advertising, and web design. They create animated content using tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender and often collaborate with directors, designers, and clients to produce visual storytelling. Many animators also pursue roles in character design, storyboarding, and visual effects production.

Are animators still in demand?

Animator roles continue to be in demand in industries such as entertainment, advertising, and gaming, especially for those skilled in digital tools like Adobe Animate or Maya. The job market favors candidates with strong portfolios, technical proficiency, and adaptability to new animation technologies.

Is animator a well paying job?

Animator salaries vary based on experience, location, and industry, but generally, the median annual wage is above the national average for all occupations. Skilled animators with proficiency in industry-standard tools like Maya or Adobe After Effects and a strong portfolio tend to earn higher salaries, especially in entertainment, advertising, or gaming sectors.

What does an animator do?

An animator is a creative professional who designs and creates moving images for films, television, video games, and other forms of media. They use computer software or traditional hand-drawn techniques to bring characters, objects, and scenes to life. Animators often work closely with other artists, directors, and writers to ensure their animations fit the vision of a project. Their work involves storyboarding, character design, and creating sequences that convey emotion and action. Attention to detail and a strong understanding of movement are essential skills for animators.

What is the difference between Animator vs 3D Modeler?

AspectAnimator3D Modeler
Required CredentialsAnimation courses, portfolio3D modeling courses, portfolio
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, game companiesDesign studios, game development
Industry UsageBrings characters to life through movementCreates 3D assets and models

While both roles work closely in the animation and gaming industries, an Animator focuses on bringing characters and objects to life through movement, whereas a 3D Modeler specializes in creating the detailed 3D models used in animations and games. Both require similar technical skills and often collaborate on projects, but their core responsibilities differ significantly.

What jobs are there for animators?

Animators can work in various fields including film and television production, video game development, advertising, and web design. They create visual effects, character animations, and storyboards using tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender, often working in studios or freelance settings. Many roles require a strong portfolio and proficiency in animation software.

What are some typical challenges animators face when working on collaborative projects?

Animators often collaborate with teams of artists, directors, and sound designers, which can present challenges such as maintaining consistent visual style and meeting tight production deadlines. Communication is key, as feedback and revisions are frequent, requiring adaptability and strong interpersonal skills. Additionally, animators need to be proficient in various software and workflows to ensure their work integrates smoothly with other departments, such as modeling or lighting. Balancing creative vision with technical requirements is a common aspect of the role.

What Do Animators Do?

Animators create moving images for television, movies, video games, websites, multimedia platforms, and other forms of media. As an animator, your duties are to design illustrations to match characters and settings described in scripts. Sometimes an animator comes up with a new character before developing a script or role for it, while other times animators work closely with writers to collaborate on character development. After the creation stage, your responsibilities shift to rendering the image for whatever medium you work in, such as feature-length computer animated films or short graphic descriptions of news for an online magazine.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Animator, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animator, you need strong artistic ability, a solid understanding of motion, timing, and storytelling, often supported by a degree in animation or a related field. Proficiency in animation software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, or Blender, and familiarity with digital drawing tablets are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help animators collaborate well and bring ideas to life. These skills are vital for producing high-quality, engaging animations that meet project goals and client expectations.
What are the most commonly searched types of Animator jobs in Rochester, NY? The most popular types of Animator jobs in Rochester, NY are:
What are popular job titles related to Animator jobs in Rochester, NY? For Animator jobs in Rochester, NY, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Animator jobs in Rochester, NY look for? The top searched job categories for Animator jobs in Rochester, NY are:
What cities near Rochester, NY are hiring for Animator jobs? Cities near Rochester, NY with the most Animator job openings:
Infographic showing various Animator job openings in Rochester, NY as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Contract. Highlights an 100% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,881 per year, or $38.9 per hour.
Archives Assistant

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago


Rochester Institute Of Technology rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 32 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

253rd of 555 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
  • Monitors, organizes, and maintains library stacks to ensure accurate shelving, accessibility, and preservation of materials
  • Assists with collection assessment projects, identifies duplicate items, and coordinates removal or relocation as needed
  • Processes incoming donations and transfers by creating accession records, labeling materials, and ensuring proper documentation
  • Updates and manages collection management systems, tracking the location, condition, and status of archival and library holdings
  • Prepares materials for exhibitions, displays, and external loans under supervision. Assists in installation and deinstallation of exhibits, event setup, and public program logistics
  • Participates in library committees, working groups, and outreach initiatives. Helps during tours, instructional sessions, or community engagement programs to promote awareness of archives and special collections
  • Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
  • Knowledge of archival principles, practices, tools, and systems
  • Knowledge of management, preservation, and archival of for born-digital and digitized materials
  • Skill in appraising, processing, and describing archival collections
  • Skill in transferring content from legacy media for archival purposes
  • Ability to work as a part of a team
  • Ability to develop and maintain effective and positive working relationships

Minimum Education & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in related field
  • 3 years of relevant experience
  • Equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered

Job Level Overview
Operations, Administrative, Service, or Technical Support Level 3 - Senior level role with considerable knowledge and skills. Performs complex tasks and project work. Work is typically not routine and requires troubleshooting and analysis. Mentors or guides less experienced staff.
Additional Job Details
The Vignelli Center for Design Studies Archives Assistant will assist with the management of the design archives of renowned designers Lella and Massimo Vignelli, comprised of over 500,000 artifacts documenting their 50-year career across all areas of design. The Archives Assistant position is a rare opportunity to assist a small busy team with multifaceted duties in all aspects of archives management. The Archives Assistant processes archival collections, digitizes artifacts, and helps researchers access the collections. They contribute to department planning and provide public services and outreach through tours, class visits, and social media. Additionally, the Archives Assistant oversees the Archives when the Archivist is out of the office. This position is funded for 5 years with the possibility of continued funding. This is a 35 hours a week, benefits-eligible position.
Key Job Responsibilities:
  • Arrange, describe and otherwise process archival collections according to local and professional standards.
  • Assist in preventive preservation practices, including rehousing objects and digital preservation.
  • Provide public services for the department, including reference guidance, class presentations and public outreach, including contributing to our social media channels.
  • Digitally photograph and scan archival materials to create high-quality digital images to be used in publications, online presentations, or other purposes by both Archives staff and patrons, including adding digital collections in Google Arts & Culture.
  • Assist in preparing displays of collection materials, both in real and virtual exhibition spaces, such as Open House events.
  • Oversee Archives when the Archivist is not in the office, supervising student assistant as needed.
  • Collaborate on special projects as needed.

Department/College Description:
The Vignelli Center for Design Studies is a hub of research, education, and creative inspiration that houses over 750,000 artifacts across all fields of design. Iconic works by Lella and Massimo Vignelli are featured at the heart of our collection and their legacy forms the foundation of design excellence and innovation that the Vignelli Center celebrates today. Learn more about the center at rit.edu/vignellicenter
RIT's College of Art and Design is a professional art and design school at the forefront of technology, art, and design. Spanning more than 230,000 square feet, our facilities feature state-of-the-art studios and labs that foster a collaborative, hands-on learning environment. We are a dynamic community of artists, designers, and creative technologists. The College includes nearly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 140 full-time faculty, 60 creative staff, and numerous part-time faculty-all contributing to our collaborative ecosystem.
Our five schools-Art, American Crafts, Design, Film and Animation, and Photographic Arts and Sciences-offer a diverse range of BFA, BS, and MFA programs. As part of a top national technical university, our students benefit from unique opportunities to collaborate across disciplines in science, engineering, liberal arts, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, as well as through RIT's global campuses. Learn more at rit.edu/artdesign.
Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.
FLSA Category
Non-Exempt
Work Location
On Campus
Compensation
$19.65-$27.50
Application Materials
When you are ready to complete an application for this position please be prepared to submit the below requested information. This will be required to ensure your application is processed in a timely manner.
Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.
Additional Details
In compliance with NYS's Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is listed above. Rochester Institute of Technology considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law.
If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to careers@rit.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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About Rochester Institute of Technology

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a preeminent institution in the education services industry, located in Rochester, NY, US. Renowned globally for its innovative and industry-aligned education, RIT was established in 1829 and has since then been committed to offering academic rigor in fields of study with an emphasis on applied learning. This is evidenced by their broad spectrum of undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as engineering, science, business, and fine arts. RIT's mission centers on providing technology-based educational programs for career-minded students.

Industry

Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Rochester, NY, US

Year founded

1829

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