The Pokémon Company is actively recruiting PhD holders with backgrounds in ecology to work in Tokyo. This is perhaps the closest chance Pokémon fans have to channel their inner Professor Oak in real life.
As posted on Japanese recruitment site HRMOS, The Pokémon Company is specifically looking for those with research experience in animal and plant ecology, with Japanese and English language skills on top. In addition to the salary, there’s a PhD holder bonus of 1 million yen (approx. $6,300) upon joining the company, plus another 1 million annually each March. The job listing doesn’t give specific duties, just that candidates will be considered for positions across the company’s different business units.
Although this seems a bit out of left-field at first glance, having employees with a solid understanding of real-life ecosystems and how animals and plants interact within these systems could help the Pokémon series continue to develop in a way that feels realistic and organic. Real world knowledge of predator-prey relationships, habitats and how creatures adapt to their environment are all things that could come in handy when advising on the designs of regional Pokémon and their evolutions. The job listing does not ask for any game development-specific skills like programming, the only requirements listed are for PhD holders with ecology-related research experience, and Japanese and English language ability.
Pokémon Pokopia, the franchises’ new venture into building/life sim territory, starts off by dropping players into a drought-ravaged Kanto region, which they then need to restore. The game gives the player the ability to design habitats to attract certain Pokémon, with these Pokémon themselves having varied wants and needs depending on their species. With the Pokémon series continuing to evolve in more detailed and vibrant ways, it makes sense that The Pokémon Company would want to hire experts that can make sure the Pokémon world feels as vibrant and real as our real world.
Of course, the Pokémon universe itself is full of experts and their assistants who study Pokémon for good and sometimes nefarious purposes. Professor characters pop up in nearly every game in the franchise, even in the spinoffs, from Pokémon Go’s Professor Willow, who studies the regional distribution of Pokémon, to Pokémon Sleep’s Professor Neroli, who researches their snoozing habits.
In the most recent mainline entry Pokémon Legends Z-A, players can assist Pokémon Research Lab’s acting director Mable by capturing specific Pokémon types to aid her with her research. But working at the actual Pokémon Company in real life and potentially using your years of PhD study to shape future Pokémon ecologies and evolutions may sound like a dream come true to some avid Pokémon fans.
Wondering which Pokemon you’ll be able to live alongside? Check out our list of all the Pokémon in Pokopia, and take a look at our Things to Do First in Pokopia guide to make the most of your first few days. To help you get started, we’ve also got a list of 17 things that Pokopia doesn’t tell you, plus How to Raise the Environment Level and How to Raise Pékemon Comfort Level.
Photographer: Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
