Senior 2D Animator - Khan Academy Kids

Salary: $60/hr (depending on experience) Employment Type: Contract (40 hours/week for 12 months) Location Type: Not Specified

About Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Our learning platform offers high-quality, free supplemental learning content and practice for Pre-K through 12th grade and early college, with a focus on math and science. We serve over 181 million registered learners globally and are committed to improving learning outcomes, particularly for students in historically under-resourced communities.

Our Community

Our team is as diverse as our learners, comprising individuals from academia, traditional and non-traditional education, big tech, and startups. We believe that hiring great people from diverse backgrounds strengthens our company. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as essential to achieving our mission and impacting the communities we serve. We are committed to investing in our people and fostering professional development.

About Khan Academy Kids

Khan Academy Kids is a free and engaging learning program for children aged two to eight. Guided by Kodi Bear and a cast of animated characters, children embark on a personalized educational journey featuring fun, standards-aligned activities in early literacy, math, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills. Developed by a dedicated team, Khan Academy Kids is used by millions of children worldwide in homes and classrooms.

The Role

The Khan Academy Kids team is seeking a Senior 2D Animator with strong animation skills and a deep understanding of engaging young children through motion, character performance, and playful design. In this role, you will bring charming characters, interactive interfaces, and joyful learning moments to life using modern animation tools, pipelines, and technologies. This is a 12-month contract position with the potential for conversion to full-time based on business needs.

Responsibilities

• Bring to life charming characters, dynamic interface components, and captivating visual elements using Rive software. (Experience with Rive is not required, but adaptability to learn new tools is essential.)
• Collaborate cross-functionally with 2D artists, product managers, engineers, and other animators to deliver playful, engaging animations.
• Drive creative brainstorming and narrative strategies that connect meaningfully with young learners.
• Harmonize animations with audio elements including music, sound effects, and narration.
• Maintain consistency with the Khan Academy Kids visual style and brand guidelines.
• Review work of others on the team and provide thoughtful feedback.

What You Bring

• 5+ years of experience in 2D animation for mobile apps, games, or media.
• Familiarity in developing animations for early childhood audiences (ages 2-8).
• Proficiency in modern animation tools. Experience in Rive or state machines is preferred.
• Ability to balance creative vision with technical and production constraints in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
• Comfort working with engineers to ensure animations are efficiently integrated into interactive products.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for technical and non-technical collaborators.
• Passion for early childhood education and children’s media, with an attentiveness to what kids and families find fun and efficacious.
• Motivated by the Khan Academy mission: “to provide a free world-class education for anyone, anywhere."

NOTE: Submitting a portfolio or demo reel with your application is required. Please be sure to include passwords, if applicable. We're looking for a portfolio/demo reel that highlights your animation work.