Research Assistant (Senior 3D Motion Designer & UX Video Researcher - Podcast Series)

Job Title: Research Assistant (Senior 3D Motion Designer & UX Video Researcher - Podcast Series)

University-Level Unit: School of Computing

Faculty/Department-Level Unit: Department of Computer Science

Employee Category: Research Staff

Location_ONB: Kent Ridge Campus

Posting Start Date: 30/04/2026

Job Description

The National University of Singapore invites applications for a Research Assistant (Senior 3D Motion Designer & UX Video Researcher) to own the visual identity and episode production for a new long-form podcast series that is being run by Horizons Office, School of Computing NUS.

You will handle the entire visual pipeline of each episode – from concept and design to final delivery – and also lead experimentation and research into new formats, UI/UX patterns, and audience interaction models for video-first content.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end visual production for each podcast episode: pre-production, opening titles, lower thirds, interstitials, animated explainer segments, and overall visual system.

Design and animate high-quality 3D and 2D motion graphics that match the polish and storytelling of top-tier podcasts and studios.

Develop and maintain a consistent motion language and visual identity for the series (typography, colour, transitions, camera style, lighting).

Own the full motion pipeline: concept, moodboards, styleframes, storyboards, animatics, 3D lookdev, animation, rendering and compositing.

Edit podcast episodes (multi-cam if needed), integrating motion graphics, b-roll, captions and other visual elements for YouTube and social platforms.

Create reusable templates for episode assets (intro/outro, guest name straps, chapter markers, social cutdowns).

Collaborate with the host/producer on narrative structure and identify opportunities where motion/3D can clarify complex ideas or data.

Research & experimentation (UI/UX focus)

Explore and prototype new ways viewers interact with long-form video and podcasts (chaptering, on-screen prompts, overlays, interactive annotations).

Run lightweight experiments (A/B tests) on different visual treatments, layouts, and interaction patterns (e.g. title card designs, lower-third systems, thumbnail approaches, chapter UI).

Translate podcast and research insights into visual systems: information hierarchy on screen, legible layouts for data/diagrams, and accessible typographic choices.

Document findings and build internal guidelines for motion, layout, and interaction patterns across YouTube, web, and social.

Stay up to date with emerging trends in motion design, UI/UX for video, and creator/podcast ecosystems; regularly bring new ideas for us to test.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Job Requirements

Requirements

4–7+ years of experience in motion design, animation, or related roles (agency, studio, production house, or in-house content team).

A strong portfolio/reel showcasing:

Strong 3D motion graphics (lighting, texturing, camera work, simulations, or abstract 3D scenes).

Polished 2D/3D motion for brand films, title sequences, explainers, or product stories.

Any work that shows thinking about user experience in video (chapter systems, information overlays, UI/visual frameworks).

Deep proficiency in:

Filmography: Multiple Angle, Lighting, Color Grading, Timeline management

3D: Cinema 4D or Blender with a modern renderer (Redshift, Octane, etc.).

Motion & compositing: After Effects (or similar).

Editing: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro.

Strong design fundamentals: composition, typography, colour, pacing, and visual storytelling.

Demonstrated ability to take projects from concept to final delivery with minimal hand-holding. Comfort working with basic research methods: framing hypotheses, designing small experiments, interpreting simple metrics or qualitative feedback, and iterating based on results.

Excellent communication skills; able to explain creative and UX decisions, and collaborate with non-design stakeholders.

Nice to have

Experience collaborating with UX or product teams, or background in interaction design / HCI.

Experience designing visual systems for data, technical topics, or abstract conceptual content.

Familiarity with YouTube analytics or other metrics to evaluate visual/UX experiments.

Basic audio knowledge (syncing, cleaning, mixing) is a plus, though we can support this.

What you’ll get

Ownership of a flagship content series, with the mandate to define both its visual language and how audiences interact with it.

Space to experiment with high-end 3D and motion graphics, plus UI/UX ideas in an ongoing, narrative-driven podcast format.

A collaborative environment that values craft, experimentation, and long-term learning.

Competitive compensation and benefits, with potential to grow into a lead or creative director role as the series scales.

How to apply

Please share:

Your portfolio/reel (with timestamps for 3D-heavy and title/brand pieces).

2–3 projects that best show your motion work and any UX/interaction thinking in video.

A short note on a visual or UX experiment you’ve run before (even informal) and what you learned.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Organization: School of Computing

Department : Department of Computer Science

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 32685