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

Volunteer 3D Modeler & 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 for K‑12 learners through a simulated stock‑market game where kids trade music‑artist “stocks.” Your 3D art will bring our interactive lessons—built in Unreal Engine—to life and help the next generation master money skills in an engaging, immersive way.

What You’ll Do

• 
  Model & Texture
  
  stylized and/or realistic characters, props, and environments optimized for real‑time performance.
• 
  Rig & Animate
  
  assets (bipeds, quadrupeds, props) with clean deformation, corrective blendshapes, and polished motion cycles.
• 
  Integrate in Unreal Engine 5
  
  using Control Rig, Animation Blueprints, LODs, Niagara VFX, and Sequencer.
• 
  Collaborate
  
  with concept artists, devs, and instructional designers during agile sprints, iterating on feedback.
• 
  Document & Present
  
  your pipeline so future volunteers (and hiring managers) can follow your workflows.
  

What You Bring

Must‑Have

Details3D Packages – Proficiency in

Blender or Maya

(both a plus)

Rigging & Skinning – Experience building production‑ready control rigs

Animation – Solid grasp of weight, timing, and appeal in real‑time motion

Unreal Engine – Comfortable with UE5 asset/import pipeline and basic Blueprint setup

Portfolio – Online reel showcasing at least two rigged/animated assets

Work Authorization – Located in the U.S. and legally able to volunteer for a U.S. nonprofit

Nice to Have:

Metahuman/cloth or Niagara experience, Python/MEL tool scripts, love for ed‑tech or fintech.

Why This Is Great for You

• 
  OPT & STEM OPT Friendly:
  
  PopStock participates in
  
  E‑Verify
  
  , so qualifying STEM graduates may count this volunteer role toward the 24‑month STEM OPT extension and maintain valid employment during standard OPT.*
• 
  Portfolio Power:
  
  Ship assets that appear in a live Unreal Engine product used by real learners.
• 
  Mentorship:
  
  Work alongside senior artists, engineers, and product leaders glad to review reels and offer career feedback.
• 
  Flexible Schedule:
  
  10–15 hrs/week remote.
• 
  Recommendation & Credit:
  
  Formal reference letter upon completion; we’ll coordinate with your program if you need academic credit.

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