Job Description

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