Hornet is seeking a full-time Senior Designer to join our award-winning, interdisciplinary team. 

While this role is deeply hands-on and focused on the craft of design, we are looking for a true creative collaborator, someone who doesn't just execute a brief, but interrogates it to find the best possible visual solution. 

You should possess a strong creative POV and the confidence to advocate for ideas that make the work stronger. 

Whether you are exploring high-level concepts in a pitch or diving into the fine details of world-building, you will partner with our Directors to shape projects across all mediums, from 2D and CG to stop motion.

Responsibilities

• Design collaboratively under the guidance of Hornet Directors, CDs and Art Directors to translate the high-level vision into actionable design, providing technical and aesthetic guidance to other artists on the team to maintain visual consistency across the project.
• Create and explore designs in a variety of styles according to the wide range of visual languages present in agency and director briefs.
• Develop comprehensive art for 2D, CG, and Stop-motion projects. This includes strong character designs, style frames, concept exploration background designs and may include color keys, and matte paintings.
• Act as the senior designer on pitches, working quickly to create compelling visuals and assisting with the design of treatment layouts.
• Proactively contribute original ideas and distinct perspectives that build upon the initial vision of a project, working under the guidance of Directors and Art Directors to make the work stronger.
• Curate and gather references to enhance the vision of Directors and ADs.
• Proactively participate in internal creative initiatives by researching new styles, workflows, and tools—including consensual AI experimentation—ensuring the artist's hand leads the technology.
• Partner with department Leads to collaboratively and proactively solve production challenges, ensuring designs are optimized for the animation pipeline.
• Provide a critical eye on projects, mentoring staff towards an exceptional standard of finished work.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a 2D designer in animation, with at least 1+ years in a lead role.
• A portfolio that showcases diverse work and a high level of visual storytelling, including strong character design and the ability to design for different pipelines (2D, 3D, and Mixed Media).
• Mastery of shape language, color theory, light, and composition to create compelling 2D style frames.
• Well-versed in executing various design styles based on a Director’s vision, with the ability to advocate for your own creative ideas while staying open to feedback.
• Experience with 2d pipelines and software packages (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud)
• A growth mindset: you’re excited to step outside your comfort zone, try new workflows, and you're looking for a long-term studio home to build your career.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a positive, solutions-oriented attitude.
• Experience with Cinema 4D or Blender is a significant plus. 
• Based in New York (preferred) or able to work East Coast hours.