2D Character Designer

Job Title: 2D Character Designer (Interactive Media)
Company: Auxerta
Location: Wilmington, DE (Remote-friendly)
Job Type: Full-time / Contract
Salary Range: $75,000–$110,000 annually | $65–$95/hour contract
Visa Sponsorship: Not available / No sponsorship provided

About the Role

Auxerta designs interactive web experiences that replace traditional interfaces with expressive, gamified 2D characters. We’re expanding our visual team to develop new avatar systems that respond dynamically to user inputs and conversational flows.

We’re seeking a Character Designer with authentic Japanese cultural fluency to create characters that feel native to anime/manga/visual novel traditions—not just stylistically, but behaviorally. You’ll own the visual personality layer: designing characters, building emotion-state libraries, and optimizing assets for real-time web rendering.

Requirements

Education:
Bachelor's degree in Animation, Game Art, Illustration, Entertainment Design, Interactive Media, or related visual arts field with focus on character development.

Authorization (Required):

U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) only

Must have valid, existing work authorization without sponsorship

Professional Skills:

Fluent English (written and verbal) for daily collaboration

Deep cultural familiarity with Japanese visual media (anime, manga, VTuber aesthetics) and the behavioral/social nuances they encode (hierarchy dynamics, seasonal motifs, indirect communication gestures)

Portfolio demonstrating characters with multiple expression states or rigged animation (not just static illustrations)

Proficiency in Spine, Live2D, DragonBones, or equivalent skeletal 2D animation tools

Understanding of web optimization constraints (file size, transparency, browser rendering)

Preferred:

Experience with interactive media, visual novels, game UI, or avatar systems

Gamification design background (reward loops, behavioral feedback)

Japanese language skills

Application Requirements

Submit:

Resume

Portfolio link (mandatory) showing:

Characters with minimum 4 distinct emotional/behavioral states

Animation rigs or state transitions (Spine/Live2D exports, GIFs, or video demonstration)

Interactive or real-time character work preferred

Applications without animated character samples will not be considered.

About Auxerta

Auxerta is a Delaware-based technology company specializing in human-computer interaction. We develop interface layers that make complex digital workflows feel intuitive, visual, and culturally resonant. Based in Wilmington, DE with distributed team members nationwide.

EEO Statement:
Auxerta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Note: This position requires U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. We are unable to sponsor employment visas or consider candidates requiring future visa sponsorship.