Popstock Educational Services | Volunteer 3D Animator (Unreal Engine) – Remote, U.S. Only

Volunteer 3D Animator (Unreal Engine) – Remote, U.S. Only

Part-time · Unpaid · Ideal for Recent Grads & STEM OPT Students

About PopStock

PopStock is a mission-driven nonprofit that makes financial literacy fun and accessible for K–12 learners through a simulated stock market where kids trade music-artist “stocks.” Your animation work will help bring our educational lessons to life in Unreal Engine—making money skills feel like a game, not a lecture.

What You’ll Do

• 
  Animate Stylized & Realistic Characters
  
  : Bring life to music-inspired characters through expressive, polished animation cycles (idle, walk, run, emote, etc.).
• 
  Rig Characters for Real-Time
  
  : Build or refine control rigs with clean deformation and support for expressive performance (blendshapes, secondary motion, etc.).
• 
  Implement in Unreal Engine 5
  
  : Use Control Rig, Animation Blueprints, Sequencer, and Niagara (for animated effects) to integrate your work into live gameplay and cutscenes.
• 
  Collaborate Across Disciplines
  
  : Work closely with concept artists, instructional designers, and developers in agile sprints to iterate on feedback and elevate storytelling.
• 
  Document Your Process
  
  : Help future team members (and potential employers) understand your pipeline with clear notes and video walkthroughs.

What You Bring

Must-Have

• 
  Animation Fundamentals
  
  : Strong grasp of body mechanics, timing, weight, and performance in 3D animation.
• 
  Rigging Experience
  
  : Capable of creating or adjusting rigs for biped and/or quadruped characters using Blender or Maya.
• 
  Unreal Engine Skills
  
  : Comfortable importing animation into UE5 and using its animation systems (Control Rig, Blueprints, Sequencer).
• 
  Portfolio
  
  : Online reel that shows off at least two rigged and animated character projects—gameplay or cinematic.
• 
  Work Authorization
  
  : Must be located in the U.S. and legally allowed to volunteer with a U.S. nonprofit.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Metahuman rigging or facial animation
• Knowledge of cloth physics, Niagara VFX, or secondary motion animation
• Python or MEL scripting for animation workflows
• Passion for ed-tech, fintech, or gamified learning

Why This Is Great for You

• 
  OPT & STEM OPT Friendly
  
  : PopStock participates in E-Verify, so eligible STEM grads may use this role for the 24-month OPT extension and stay in valid employment during standard OPT.*
• 
  Real-World Credits
  
  : See your animation work in a live Unreal Engine educational product used by real learners and educators.
• 
  Mentorship
  
  : Collaborate with senior artists, engineers, and educators who provide feedback, portfolio reviews, and industry advice.
• 
  Flexible Remote Schedule
  
  : Volunteer 10–15 hours per week from anywhere in the U.S.
• 
  Resume & Recommendation Boost
  
  : Receive a formal letter of recommendation upon successful completion and we’ll support you if academic credit is needed.

*Always confirm eligibility with your Designated School Official (DSO) or immigration advisor.