Software Development Residency

About Pocket Worlds:

At Pocket Worlds, we are building bleeding-edge technology that enables creators to develop the next generation of social experiences. Our flagship platform, Highrise, is where millions of people express themselves, engage in shared experiences, and create deep friendships. Over 40 million people have already joined the world of Highrise, and it’s growing faster every day. Through Highrise, we are connecting the world through shared community created experiences and realizing the positive potential of the internet.

About the Role: 

We are excited to introduce the Highrise Studio Residency, an intensive two-year initiative aimed at newly graduated top university students interested in game development and entrepreneurship. Selected candidates join the two-year program as full-time employees of Pocket Worlds with the sole objective of building their own games and experiences using Unity-powered Highrise Studio. Successful residents will be given the opportunity and support to take their creations and create independent companies, becoming startup founders of products generating immediate real revenue.

When you join Pocket Worlds as a Studio Resident, you join a company and program that will challenge you and invest heavily in your professional development to accelerate your growth. You will join a cohort of the best prospective game entrepreneurs in the world eager to seize the opportunity to own their futures and give their all for ultimate success.

The Goal: 

The overall goal of the Highrise Studio Residency is to foster the next generation of great game developers and entrepreneurs. We provide training and support to early career creators, helping them bring their creativity to life using Highrise Studio, while guiding them through the challenges of scaling a product and finding product market fit. Throughout the entire journey, the program participants own their creations and can choose to start their own companies with our help and support.

For new college graduates entering the program, this translates to three things:

1. The opportunity and upside of being a high-growth tech entrepreneur. If your creations succeed, take them and build your own company with our support.

2. The financial support of a full-time job removes the downside risk of starting your own company.

3. At the end of the program, top performers will be promoted to join the Highrise development team. You will get the opportunity to work directly on the tools and platform you’ve been using.

Responsibilities: 

• Rapidly design, develop, and publish games using Highrise Studio

• Work in the style of a continuous hackathon or game jam

• Form teams with your cohort mates to explore successful ideas and build further

• Build on weekly cadences with daily deliverables to ship fast

• Collaborate with the broader Highrise creator community on ideas and share your learnings

• Iterate through ideas, find what works, and grow them into successful products

What you should expect: 

• Intense and rewarding pace and culture. This is a program designed for hungry new grads craving ownership and intent on making a huge impact

• Lots of freedom and responsibility to manage yourself. You are in charge of your destiny and success

• Continuous feedback from the Highrise founders on how to succeed

• Mentorship from the Highrise team on how to build and grow successful games and experiences

• Support to turn your successful creation into your own successful business

Additional Details: 

• Duration: 2 Years

• Location: Our Office in East Austin

• Compensation: Incredibly competitive salary with benefits. 

Why work with us:

• Impact: Your work will directly affect millions of users around the world.

• Growth: Your growth isn’t capped by a career ladder. Show us you can deliver the impact, and we’ll respond with recognition and reward.

• Elite team: You’ll be a member of a small and elite team with a lot of freedom to go after opportunities you identify.

• Culture: High trust, high intensity, low process and bureaucracy. We pride ourselves in being a Silicon Valley startup with a laser focus on the mission, and we’ll happily remove all roadblocks in your path to success.

• Office and team: Directly work with the cofounders in our office located in Downtown Austin.

Pocket Worlds Core Values:

• Be an Owner (Not a Renter)

• Experts leading experts

• Always be shipping

• Focus on Impact

• Take every unfair advantage

• Love what you do

Benefits (Full Time Employees):

• Competitive Compensation

• Meaningful equity - we’re here to do amazing work, and we share in our wins together.

• Equipment allowance - choose what you need to work at your best.

• Healthcare, 401k (US only)

• Unlimited PTO.

• Education/Training stipend - we’ve set aside a budget for every employee to continue to learn and grow their skills.

Pocket Worlds is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Any communications from Pocket Worlds will only come from an @pocketworlds.com or @everskies.com domain. If you receive any communications, offers, etc. from any other domain, it is likely a scam.