Help make the world a more playful place

We’re looking for creative, passionate people with big imaginations to join our team in Toronto.

About Pok Pok

Pok Pok is on a mission to raise the next generation of creative thinkers.

We’re the team behind the Apple Design Award-winning kids app, Pok Pok (Apple named us one of the world’s best apps in 2023, too)! We design educational, digital toys that empower kids to think outside the box, dream big and experiment freely. We believe in making digital play as accessible, creative and educational as the toys we grew up playing with on the floors of our living rooms.

Pok Pok is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage people of all races, religions, genders, abilities and sexual orientations to apply. We want the products we develop to reflect the diversity of the world we live in, and it starts with our own team.

Current Positions

Senior Animator (Full-Time Permanent)

Are you an artist with a passion for crafting charming, engaging illustrations and animations that resonate with audiences? Do you have an eye for colour, composition, and staging, paired with a strong understanding of animation principles? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

About the Role

As a Senior Animator, you’ll play a vital role in shaping and being a part of our creative vision. You’ll create charming visuals that captivate kids and families, creating memorable learning experiences for kids around the world. Working across departments, you’ll collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team to bring characters, environments, and stories to life through dynamic animation and vivid illustrations.

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, takes direction well, and has a keen eye for detail. If you’re a skilled artist with experience creating appealing and immersive content, this position is for you.

This is a full-time permanent role. While we are Toronto-based, and have a hybrid working model, we welcome candidates from across Ontario to apply.

Responsibilities

Create high-quality illustrations with an emphasis on charming design.
Produce 2D animations that demonstrate a strong understanding of animation principles such as timing, weight, and appeal.
Craft illustrations with a focus on characters, composition, and form.
Collaborate with a team to develop cohesive visuals across various projects, ensuring consistency and quality.
Work closely with Development and Audio teams to ensure proper implementation of artwork and assets.
Communicate and coordinate with multiple departments to meet creative and technical requirements.
Accept and implement feedback constructively.
Manage workload independently and effectively to deliver assets on time.

You Have

3-5 years of experience in animation, games, or a related industry.
Strong illustrative ability, with a focus on colour theory, composition, and staging.
Proficiency in 2D animation, with a strong grasp of animation principles.
Proficiency in Photoshop or equivalent software (CorelDRAW, Clip Studio Paint, etc.).
Working knowledge of Toon Boom Harmony or equivalent software (Krita, Moho, etc.).
Exceptional communication, organizational, and teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
Strong ability to take direction and implement feedback.
Proven ability to work independently, managing your time and tasks effectively to meet deadlines while maintaining high-quality standards.

Additional skills that will be very useful on the job

Experience with After Effects, including editing and compositing.
Familiarity with 3D tools and pipelines.
Basic Unity knowledge.
3-5 years of experience in animation, games, or a related industry.
Experience working with children’s products or IP

More About Pok Pok

We’re a small team of passionate, experienced creators based in Toronto. We love dogs, cats, music, travel, video games, kids, cooking, yoga, building robots, going to museums, talking about things we’re watching right now and playing with old toys. We’re from all walks of life and are convinced that’s our secret sauce. We’re a female and mom-founded company, too!

A few more awesome things about this role:

You’ll have the unique opportunity to build, grow and make your mark joining a fast-growing start-up early on
Enjoy flexible working hours and arrangements, including working remotely or from our beautiful brick-and-beam office in the downtown core within walking distance to the Eaton Centre, St. Lawrence Market and Union Station
We offer 3 weeks of paid vacation and a 2-week office closure during the holidays because life outside of work matters
Competitive compensation including health benefits
We love field trips and like to go playtest with kids in our community, go on fact-finding trips for toy research, and learn about cool stuff at science centres, museums and toy stores. We have no fun at all.

Our Hiring Process

To apply, send us your resume along with a link to your portfolio showcasing your animation and illustration work. Make sure your portfolio highlights projects that demonstrate your skills and creativity. Note: Applications without a portfolio included will not be considered.

Email jobs@playpokpok.com with a short paragraph explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role and share something interesting about yourself that isn’t on your resume.

If we’re interested in moving forward, we’ll reach out with an enthusiastic message to invite you to the next stage of the process. This may include an art test designed to give us a sense of your skills and approach to the kind of work you’ll be doing at Pok Pok.

We will only respond to applicants we are interested in, reaching out in early January with next steps.

We can’t wait to see your work and learn more about you!