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Graduate Animator Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

Art Adjunct

Richmond, VA · On-site

$793 - $1.6K/wk

Courses offered in the discipline include 2-D Design, 3-D Design, Animation, Ceramics, Foundations ... Minimum of a master's degree in the discipline or master's degree in related field with 18 graduate ...

High School Graduate , GED Licenses, Certifications, or Quals Description Working Conditions Office ... Applying Transitions and Animations, Creating, Managing, and Saving Presentations, Formatting ...

BIM Manager (Bentley)

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$99K - $127K/yr

Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate ... Experience in graphic design, modeling, rendering, animations and other visualization development.

Process Assistant I/II/III

Chester, VA · On-site

$52K - $68K/yr

High School Graduate , GED Licenses, Certifications, or Quals Description Working Conditions Office ... Applying Transitions and Animations, Creating, Managing, and Saving Presentations, Formatting ...

Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate ... Experience in graphic design, modeling, rendering, animations and other visualization development

Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate ... Experience in graphic design, modeling, rendering, animations and other visualization development.

BIM Manager (Civil 3D)

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$82K - $105K/yr

Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate ... Experience in graphic design, modeling, rendering, animations and other visualization development

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

... and Dreamworks Animations, we connect hundreds of thousands of "pals," hosts, and gyms through ... Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate ...

Showing results 21-40

Graduate Animator information

See Virginia salary details

$10

$39

$69

How much do graduate animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for graduate animator in Virginia is $39.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.68 and $63.41 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is 30 too late to become a graduate animator?

Age is not a barrier to becoming a graduate animator. Many individuals start or switch careers later in life, and success depends on acquiring relevant skills such as proficiency in animation software like Adobe After Effects or Blender, and building a strong portfolio. Employers value skills and experience over age, so starting at 30 can still lead to a successful career in animation.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a graduate animator expect in their first role?

As a Graduate Animator, you can expect to work on a variety of tasks, such as creating character animations, developing storyboards, refining motion graphics, or assisting with visual effects for TV shows, commercials, games, or online content. Entry-level roles often involve collaborating closely with senior animators, designers, and other creative professionals to support larger projects and learn best practices. You may also participate in team meetings, present your ideas, and revise your work based on constructive feedback. This hands-on experience helps build your professional portfolio and deepens your understanding of industry workflows, positioning you for future career growth.

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

To thrive as a Graduate Animator, you need a solid understanding of animation fundamentals, creative storytelling, and a relevant degree or diploma in animation or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software such as Adobe After Effects, Maya, Blender, or Toon Boom is typically required, along with a strong portfolio demonstrating your work. Attention to detail, time management, and effective communication are key soft skills that help you excel in collaborative production environments. These abilities are crucial for producing high-quality animations, meeting project deadlines, and integrating feedback from clients and team members.

What is a graduate animator?

A Graduate Animator is an entry-level role for recent graduates looking to start a career in animation. They typically assist in creating animations, storyboarding, and refining character movements under the guidance of senior animators. This role provides hands-on experience with industry-standard software and workflows while developing key skills in 2D or 3D animation. Graduate Animators often work in film, television, advertising, or gaming companies. It's a great opportunity to build a portfolio and gain industry exposure for future career growth.

What can I do with a degree in animation?

A degree in animation prepares graduates for roles such as animator, character designer, story artist, or visual effects artist in industries like film, television, gaming, and advertising. It provides skills in software tools like Adobe After Effects, Maya, or Blender, and often requires a strong portfolio and understanding of storytelling and design principles.

Is there a high demand for graduate animators?

The demand for graduate animators remains steady as the entertainment, advertising, and gaming industries continue to grow, requiring fresh talent with skills in animation software like Adobe After Effects and Maya. Entry-level positions are available, but competition can be strong, and building a strong portfolio is important for securing jobs in this field.
Infographic showing various Graduate Animator job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,271 per year, or $39.1 per hour.

Product Manager Internship

Sweatpals

Richmond, VA

Full-time, Internship

Posted 18 days ago


Job description

About Sweatpals

Sweatpals is the community-first fitness platform turning workouts into social experiences. 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 social features. We're still scrappy at heart, but scaling fast.

We believe working out should be joyful, social, and inclusive, not just a solo grind. From run clubs and beach pilates to pickleball leagues and cold plunge socials, Sweatpals turns everyday workouts into meaningful social experiences.

Sweatpals also gives local leaders the tools to grow their fitness communities from side hustles to full-time, even million-dollar businesses. Hosts use our platform to run their business, from ticketing and memberships to marketing tools.

We're an AI-forward company. If you're excited about building real products for real communities at the intersection of technology and human connection, you'll fit right in.

The Role

We're bringing on a PM intern to support the Host Squad product team during a high-velocity summer. The Host Squad owns the core product experience for fitness and wellness professionals - the community hosts, gym and studio owners, and instructors and who run their business on Sweatpals. Think ticketing, memberships, scheduling, co-hosting, campaigns, and the analytics that help hosts grow.

This is a hands-on PM role - not a research or ops role. You'll work directly with a Senior Product Manager and own specific deliverables end-to-end, collaborating daily with Engineering, Design, and QA across areas like core flow quality, backlog prioritization, and product strategy.

Responsibilities

1. Core Product Ownership

Get deep into the most critical parts of our host product - the flows and features that drive revenue, retention, and day-to-day operations for fitness professionals. You'll identify what could be better, what's broken, then own driving improvements from idea to shipped.

  • Dig into high-impact areas including experience/appointment creation, ticket transfers, co-hosting, and beyond
  • Identify gaps, edge cases, and failure states with a structured, user-centered lens
  • Propose and prioritize improvements, then partner with engineering and design to execute them
  • Where scope allows, own new feature work end-to-end - from problem definition and spec to launch

2. Product Strategy & Analytics Projects

Take ownership of discrete research and strategy work streams:

  • Define and drive analytics for recently launched features - identify what to measure, work with engineering to ensure tracking is in place, and synthesize early signal into actionable takeaways
  • Own a competitive analysis workstream for growth-adjacent features (referrals, PLG, network effects) and synthesize findings into clear product recommendations
  • Data analysis and synthesis to support roadmap decisions
  • Where relevant, contribute to 0-to-1 discovery work for upcoming features - user research synthesis, problem framing, or lightweight spec writing

3. Backlog Triage & Prioritization Support

Help bring order to a complex backlog:

  • Develop and apply a bug priority rubric for revenue-generating and operations-critical workflows
  • Maintain backlog health: consolidate duplicates, triage stale items, and ensure active issues have the right context, owners, and priorities
  • Support roadmap sequencing discussions by helping surface tradeoffs, dependencies, and effort/impact signals

What We're Looking For

  • Currently enrolled in an MBA, master's, or other graduate program - or a strong undergraduate candidate with relevant experience
  • Prior experience in product management, engineering, or a fast-moving startup role is highly preferred
  • Strong product instincts: you think