Associate Art Director, Preschool Animation

Location: Hybrid / Century City, Los Angeles (in office Tuesdays and Thursdays, subject to change)

About Pinkfong USA:

Pinkfong USA is part of The Pinkfong Company, an award-winning global entertainment company with offices in Los Angeles, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul. We are the creator of beloved preschool brands including Pinkfong, Baby Shark, and Bebefinn; the producer of the Baby Shark Dance, #1 most-watched video in YouTube history; and the operator of leading kids YouTube channels with over 190M subscribers. Powered by world-class creative talent, designers, engineers, and operators, we are reimagining how kids and families engage with content.

See our website at: https://www.pinkfong.com/en/

Role:

Pinkfong USA is seeking an Associate Art Director with proven experience in animation production and a strong foundation in character design to help shape the visual style of our growing slate, including series in development with major streamers, YouTube-first projects, and new franchise ventures.

Reporting to the Head of Studio, this role will help define and execute the visual direction of preschool-focused properties across characters, worlds, color, and style. This is a hands-on role that requires both strong creative execution and the ability to direct external artists and partner studios.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research, develop, and communicate a clear artistic vision for new franchises and series based on franchise strategy, audience insights, and creative goals
• Develop concept artwork and pitch materials that convey the story, world, and visual identity of new properties for presentation to major buyers and partners
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of style guides, model packs, key art, and production assets across characters, costumes, environments, backgrounds, props, and color, working hands-on or with freelance talent as needed
• Lead design and color reviews, provide clear feedback and drawovers when needed, and ensure cohesive, on-model, production-ready execution
• Guide storyboard, animatic, and production as a key visual stakeholder for our YouTube content
• Maintain strong awareness of freelance talent and external partners, and identify the right creative collaborators for each project
• Collaborate on creative assets for marketing, PR, and consumer products as needed

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in animation, including character design, visual development, production design, and/or art direction
• Art direction experience in children’s media, with strong sensibilities for toddler and preschool content
• Experience as an art director and/or production designer on an animated series
• Strong painting and drawing skills, with a solid understanding of form, design, and color principles
• Experience contributing to a show’s broader visual identity, including style guides, color bibles, and related materials
• Experience directing external artists and studios, communicating artistic vision, and providing clear, actionable feedback
• Experience with graphics and motion graphics (GFX) is a plus
• Self-starter with a collaborative mindset who takes ownership, moves with urgency, and thrives in a small, ambitious, fast-paced team
• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills in a fast-paced environment
• Curious and proactive, with a strong drive to learn, iterate quickly, and continuously improve

Portfolio requirements (to be submitted with application):

• Please attach or include a link to your portfolio. Your portfolio should include any style guide or on-model pages you’ve built or maintained, character explorations and final designs, and additional work that demonstrates your contribution to production-ready design or visual development.

*If your best work is under NDA, include what you can, and describe your role and constraints clearly.