Pokémon professors are a foundational part of Pokémon. They are experts that know everything there is to know about the Pokémon in their region. Because of their knowledge, they serve as core characters in each and every player’s journey. On the topic, The Pokémon Company is doing something pretty interesting to add a spark of realism to the beloved game. They are hiring people with a PhD in ecological studies as real life Pokémon professors.
If you have a PhD in science, engineering, or agriculture, good news! You may qualify to be a Pokémon professor. A job listing on the Japanese recruitment platform HRMOS is where the news broke. According to the listing, the company is seeking PhD holders with “experience in research related to the ecology of plants and animals.” Applicants will be considered for roles at each of The Pokémon Company’s businesses, dependent on skill and expertise.
Why is The Pokémon Company going through all this trouble to hire real Pokémon professors, you may ask? The simple answer is research. The vibrant, fictional world of Pokémon is popular for mirroring the real world through animal behavior, regional differences, and day/night cycles. It makes sense that extensive research has to done in order to make it realistic. A more exciting answer is that maybe this research is hinting at an unannounced release in the works.
The burning question—how much does it pay to be a full-time Pokémon professor? The listing suggests that each role comes with an annual income of 6 million yen to 10 million yen ($37.8K – $63K USD), with an annual salary boost every March.
It’s no secret that Pokémon has become increasingly modern and more realistic over the years. Hence, why The Pokémon Company feels the need for real life Pokémon professors with PhDs. Poképark Kanto just opened its doors in Japan. The Pokémon theme park is an immersive experience into the Pokémon world, so maybe other exciting things are on the way. If only we could sweet talk the Pokémon professors into telling us.