Full Time Jobs
Runners
Freelance Opportunities
Optimus is currently seeking sharp, motivated, friendly and hard-working individuals for the position of RUNNER in our Client Services department. We have a few slots to fill.

This is a paid 5 day a week entry-level position, lasting for a four-month term. This next session will run from roughly March thru July.

Responsibilities include stocking, running errands, relief reception and general client services support throughout our production and post-production facility.

A great attitude is a must and an interest in advertising/production/post-production is a bonus. Experience in the hospitality industry is also beneficial.

Please submit your resume and cover letter directly to for consideration.

Thanks,
Optimus


Today's creative community requires flexibility. Dependable freelance talent allows us to take on jobs when we are already busy, and take on jobs that demand extra help beyond what we have available. We love building relationships with talented creatives and we are happy to bring in people who help us deliver amazing work to our clients.
  • 2D/3D Motion Designer
    • Applicants with 2-5 years of professional experience in design and animation are preferred. Students and entry-level artists should steer their portfolios to our internship program.

    Proficiency in After Effects and/or Cinema 4D is a must. Maya, Real Flow or Final Cut experience is a bonus. Show us your talents by sharing your [required] online reel. Don't be shy about your specific strengths - alert us to your prowess in character animation, typography, photo-real CGI, etc. You must be able to work quickly and take direction from Optimus leaders and clients. While we love meeting new people, we'd much rather rely on (and continue to call on) people we like and trust. Divas need not apply. Please include your general day rate and any other considerations you think may apply.

  • Styleframe Artist
    • Applicants with 2-5 years of professional experience in concept art and storyboarding are preferred.

    We are looking for people who are able to help tell a "story" with a single image or a short series of images. An online portfolio is required. Because many of our clients are telling "brand" stories, you must be able to find creative ways to showcase the artistic side of a brand. Artists should be able to work independently or remotely, but on occasion on-site work might be required. Please be specific about how you prefer to work, about when you are comfortable showing works-in-progress, and your general pace for turning around work. Artists should be expected to work quickly and to take direction from Optimus leaders. Please include your rates and any other considerations you think may apply.

  • Assistant Editors
    • We are always looking for talented Assistant Editors, to join our team on a freelance basis.

    Applicants with 2-4 years of professional experience working as an Assistant Editor within a commercial post-production facility are preferred. Proficiency in Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere and After Effects is a must. Students and entry-level candidates should steer their inquiries to our runner program.

    Duties include assisting Assistant Editors and Editors alike, on all manner of creative editorial projects, primarily for agency/brand clients. Responsibilities include transcoding multiple HD file formats, logging and loading of dailies footage, screening, rough cutting, graphic creation and integration, music and sound design acquisition, web encoding/posting, finish prep, and fostering close communication with Editors, post producers and other post operators regarding project workflow, schedule and priorities. Client service and rapport is also a crucial part of the job.

    In sum, the position requires the ability to multi-task, deliver under pressure, communicate effectively and to work collaboratively within a team. A positive attitude and a sense of humor go a very long way too.

    Please submit cover letter, resume and reel to:

    Please note: Freelance terms vary greatly depending on the current project workload and staffing needs.

JUNIOR ANIMATOR

Location: Chicago, IL

Objective:

Optimus Design is looking for a dedicated, passionate, and driven animator to join our team as a Junior Animator. The ideal candidate should have a working knowledge of Cinema 4D and the main components of CGI: modeling/texturing/lighting/rendering and also have an intense desire to expand those skills in a professional environment. You will work closely with other animators and designers in creating visually compelling projects for a wide range of agency and brand clients.

Candidates should be familiar with the work shown at design.optimus.com and should apply with cover letter, resume and links to examples of relevant work.

Primary Duties:

  • Create dynamic, original, and inspired animated elements to be integrated into edited videos.
  • Work alongside other animators, designers, editors, finish artists, and others involved in the entire post-production process.
  • Collaborate within project files as well as in meetings, brainstorms, and discussions of the overall project scope.
  • Be unafraid to take a lead on a job when our project load demands independence. Don’t worry, senior artists are here to help if needed!

Secondary Responsibilities:

  • Find inspiration for quick reference for new work. This will involve scouring Vimeo, YouTube, studio websites, design blogs, Behance, Pinterest, etc. As a project begins, having a sense of what else has been done and what can be done is essential to setting and then exceeding expectations.
  • Assist with prep work. On the 3D side, this can involve modeling, texturing, ZBrush, simulations, pre-lighting, etc. in support of the senior artist in the creation of realistic executions. This will also include pre-viz where needed, including rough tests of camera moves and simplified animations. On the 2D side, this can involve cutting mattes, rotoscoping, keying, etc. This can also involve editing selects in After Effects or Premiere to help senior artists begin projects.

Additionally, our Junior Animator can expect to:

  • Shadow our artists - and ask questions! We do not want any barriers to learning. You should feel comfortable asking about process and techniques, even opening projects and looking at how we do what we do!
  • Share your perspectives/opinions - We value feedback and we know that more input always beats less. Working individually can, at times, become so focused that we can’t see the bigger picture. If you have an idea on how to improve a design or a technique that could help simplify a process, speak up!
  • Listen in on client calls/Join client Zooms. This is critically important at Optimus as we pride ourselves on client service, and we know every successful project begins by truly listening for what the client wants to achieve.
  • Join us as we collaborate throughout the building. Meet the editors, assistants, audio engineers, colorists, etc. and learn how they contribute to our projects and/or how we support their work.
  • Learn even more. Utilize our professional accounts for tutorials and training in areas that you have never explored or in software that you hope to improve.

Qualities we are looking for:

  • Self-Awareness. It takes a healthy ego and a good amount of courage to want to create something from nothing. But none of us are experts. We’re always learning. Knowing your limitations and asking for help and guidance is not a flaw, it’s a sign of confidence in your own growth path.
  • Generosity of Spirit. Share your knowledge and put your learning into action. If you learned a tutorial, turn it into a 5 second piece and share it with all of us. If you open one of our projects, show us what you learned, or ask us procedural questions like "why did you do it THIS way?"
  • Curiosity. We are creative professionals. Let’s always remember which of those words come first: creative. If you have a chance to walk down some tangential path that yields something unexpected, do it! We have often been surprised at how detours on one project become clear paths on the next one.

Minimum Requirements. Candidates should:

  • Have a degree (or similar professional experience) in a relevant media field, i.e., Animation, Graphic Design, Motion Graphics, Editing, Film Production, etc.
  • Must possess a working knowledge of Cinema 4D as a primary tool of animation.
  • Some experience with additional CGI packages and software (i.e., Houdini, Blender, RealFlow, Blender, etc.) is preferred.
  • Additional abilities in the Adobe Suite as a base for Animation (After Effects) and Design (Photoshop, Illustrator) and Editing (Premiere) or other relevant tools is a plus.
  • A hunger and passion for animation, and curiosity in the art of animation even when outside of the computer (i.e., everything from supervising VFX, animating in stop-motion, hand-drawn animation, etc.)
  • Have excellent communication skills.
  • Be open to constructive criticism.
  • Have a "client comes first" attitude.
  • Be a team player.

Employment Status/Benefits:

  • Location: Chicago.
  • Employment status is non-exempt.
  • The position will start with a training period, either in-person or remote, and become mostly in-person when it is deemed safe to return to office work per company policy.
  • The position will report to the Animation Director.
  • General hours are from 9am to 6pm, Monday-Friday, but flexible as projects demand.

Company Summary:

Optimus is a leading commercial post-production company based in Chicago that represents a diverse team of award-winning editors, artists, designers and engineers, and that delivers top-notch commercial work and branded content. Together with production division One at Optimus, we offer all production services from shoot through post, under one roof - a singular, streamlined creative force.

Instructions:

Please send your cover letter, resume, and examples of your work to .

Optimus and One at Optimus are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

General Employment Info


We are always on the lookout for creative talent who want to do the best work of their careers in the greatest city in America, Chicago.

Experienced professionals looking to introduce themselves to us may do so by emailing .