{"jobs":[{"absolute_url":"https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/athinkingape/jobs/8203048","data_compliance":[{"type":"gdpr","requires_consent":false,"requires_processing_consent":false,"requires_retention_consent":false,"retention_period":null,"demographic_data_consent_applies":false}],"internal_job_id":3550288,"location":{"name":"Remote"},"metadata":null,"id":8203048,"updated_at":"2026-09-14T19:44:33-04:00","requisition_id":null,"title":"Software Development Engineer Co-op (Jan. 2027)","company_name":"A Thinking Ape","first_published":"2026-09-14T19:44:33-04:00","language":"en","application_deadline":null,"content":"\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Who we are\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;A Thinking Ape builds communities through mobile games with emergent social play and original IP. We released our first game in 2009 and have been profitable and growing every year since. We are a bottom-up driven company with small teams that have a big focus on ownership and data driven decision making. Our portfolio of games are growing. We are scaling our infrastructure and entering new markets to capitalize on this growth and bring our games to more players. Compensation for this position is $6,667 / month.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;The job\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;As a Software Development Engineer Co-op, you will be helping build our live mobile games, including but not limited to Single City, Kingdoms of Heckfire, and Party in my Dorm, as well as the tools and infrastructure needed to run these massively multiplayer online experiences.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You will work closely with artists and designers to help grow our games. You will implement scalable, reliable, and maintainable technologies for both client and server.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You will have a major impact on the end product, and will be involved in every aspect of its development. Millions of people will use what you create.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We are only considering students who will be enrolled in an accredited degree program in the winter of 2027.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What you will do\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;You will be responsible for implementing features, systems, and tools for our games in live operation. The game backends are built with a Django + MySQL server architecture, while the frontend clients are built using Unity or native iOS/Android, depending on the product. You will also:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Build entire features from front-end client code to back-end server support.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Become involved in every aspect of product development, from design to implementation to playtests to metrics analysis.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Construct systems that let everyone at the company deploy to our distributed backend without worry.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Create tools to automate and optimize processes across disciplines. These might be adding additional player management tools for our community team, data pipeline optimizations for our game designers, or even content pipelines for our art team.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Who we are looking for\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;You are a tech generalist, a full stack engineer with the desire to work on both client and server side implementations of entire features.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures and algorithms.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;You communicate your thoughts and ideas clearly in code and in writing\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;You have an interest in and play mobile gaming products.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Past co-ops have worked on..\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Guild management improvements like the ability to invite people, open clubs that players can join without approval, better club search, and other tools to keep our most active players engaged.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Implemented a scalable group leaderboard event system full stack. The system guarantees consistency and availability while dozens of players try to contribute progress to their group frequently.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Revamped data deploy tool to enable multiple game designers to work simultaneously.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Setup metrics tracking and funnel analysis and experimented with different UI polishes to improve retention.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Worked on upgrading our data pipeline: processing data and creating different data representations and visualizations to help ATA to make marketing and product decisions.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Revamped the realm map overview to include real time positions of ongoing marches, key locations on the map and user bookmarked pins!\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Implemented the entire stack for our Second Builder subscription purchase, which included interfacing with both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, as well as client support.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Optimized particle systems in-game to significantly reduce peak memory usage.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Developed leaderboard-assigned classes for Shrines to grant players additional perks.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Interview process\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ol\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Resume + screening questions review\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Two 30-minute technical interviews, back to back with our engineers - expect to write code!\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;30-minute Team Fit interview\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Offer\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ol\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Remote\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We have committed to a remote approach. This means our roles are currently open to candidates who are \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;legally eligible to work in, and located in\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Canada\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; between the core hours of 11am - 4pm PST.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What\u0026#39;s in it for you\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;At ATA you’re offered a flexible, safe, inclusive environment in which you have the autonomy to do your best work, surrounded by a strong team and with the encouragement of supportive leadership that doesn’t just care what you’re doing, but how you’re doing. You’re trusted, respected, listened to, cared for and valued. You take on thought-provoking projects and tackle fun problems alongside people who are equally invested in making meaningful contributions and seeing new ideas come to life. You know how your work aligns with the company’s goals. Your career is given the space and resources to progress. You accomplish things that make you proud. You are compensated competitively, your health and wellbeing are top priorities and you enjoy plenty of perks. At A Thinking Ape, we believe curiosity is a superpower, we make things people truly want, and we pursue gritty ambition with kindness, care, and radical alignment to growth—by thinking, acting, measuring, repeating, over-communicating, and never forgetting to play. You don’t just work for ATA, you are an integral part of ATA.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;Our commitment to inclusio\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;n\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We build communities. To do this to the best of our abilities, we need a workforce that reflects the diverse player communities we serve. We believe a variety of perspectives and experiences allows us to make better decisions and understand the needs of our players. We work hard to create an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work and feel like they belong at ATA.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Please consider applying even if you don\u0026#39;t meet every qualification and let us know if you require any accommodations or support during the recruitment process.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;See our\u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://athinkingape.com/careers/\u0026quot;\u0026gt; careers page\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt; or our\u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFzli2eSJvc\u0026quot;\u0026gt; short video\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt; to learn more about who we are and why you should join our team.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;","departments":[{"id":21121,"name":"Engineering","child_ids":[],"parent_id":null}],"offices":[{"id":14485,"name":"Vancouver","location":"Vancouver, BC, Canada","child_ids":[],"parent_id":null}],"ai_disclaimer":null,"include_ai_disclaimer":null,"ai_opt_out_request_url":null},{"absolute_url":"https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/athinkingape/jobs/8180841","data_compliance":[{"type":"gdpr","requires_consent":false,"requires_processing_consent":false,"requires_retention_consent":false,"retention_period":null,"demographic_data_consent_applies":false}],"internal_job_id":3540104,"location":{"name":"Remote"},"metadata":null,"id":8180841,"updated_at":"2026-09-10T18:40:33-04:00","requisition_id":null,"title":"System \u0026 Economy Designer (Intermediate/Senior)","company_name":"A Thinking Ape","first_published":"2026-09-10T18:40:33-04:00","language":"en","application_deadline":null,"content":"\u0026lt;h1\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Systems \u0026amp;amp; Economy Designer (Intermediate/Senior)\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h1\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;The Team\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;A Thinking Ape is a remote mobile game studio focused on building social games that people play for decades. This role sits on the Game Design team within our world-class Live Ops organization, which leads the industry in supporting and growing long-running live games.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Our designers are expected to dig into problems, understand what’s driving them, and take ownership of solutions through launch and beyond. The team isn’t afraid to try new things, take risks, and learn quickly. Decisions are metrics-driven and player-informed, balancing data with deep community insight to deliver meaningful, lasting experiences for our player community.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;The Games\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Party in my Dorm is a highly successful free-to-play game with a community of over 100,000 dedicated players. The game has the population of a small city, with a player-driven trade economy, a passionate community, deep progression, and years of layered content. While its themes focus on fashion, relationships, storytelling, and home decor, it’s also one of the most competitive PVP experiences in mobile, surprising many players with the depth and intensity of its gameplay.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Kingdoms at War is a classic free-to-play war game with a passionate, highly engaged community and a constant cadence of live events. With years of progression, currencies, content, and player-driven systems layered together, it presents complex economy and systems design problems that evolve alongside the community.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;As our portfolio grows, our designers may also have opportunities to work on different games and genres over time.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;The Job\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;As a Systems \u0026amp;amp; Economy Designer, you’ll tackle some of the most complex design problems in our live games. You’ll work with mature systems and economies that have evolved over many years, identifying where things aren\u0026#39;t working as intended, understanding why, and designing solutions that improve the game for the long term.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;This work is rarely one-and-done. You’ll establish hypotheses, build models, design solutions, launch changes carefully, measure their impact, and continue iterating as you learn more. You’ll need to understand not only the numbers, but also how changes affect player behaviour and how they are likely to be received by a passionate community.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We’re open to hiring this role at either the Intermediate or Senior level depending on experience. A Senior designer will be expected to take on broader and more ambiguous problems with greater autonomy, while also sharing their expertise and supporting other designers on the team.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What You Will Do\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Design, balance, maintain, and iterate on progression systems, currencies, reward structures, monetization systems, and other core game systems\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Investigate complex system and economy problems to uncover root causes and develop solutions\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Build spreadsheet models to simulate progression, balance economies, and forecast outcomes\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Lead design initiatives from problem definition and scoping through implementation and launch, working closely with Product, Engineering, Creative, Community, and other designers\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Use data, player behaviour, and community feedback to guide decisions, define success metrics, and evaluate outcomes\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Improve the tools, frameworks, documentation, and processes we use to design and maintain our games, including scripting, AI, and automation\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Participate in our live-ops on-call rotation for several days per month, helping the team respond quickly to urgent issues as they arise\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Stay closely connected to player sentiment, community discussions, and trends in the free-to-play mobile market\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Share your expertise and support other designers through mentorship, feedback, and collaboration\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Who We Are Looking For\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;3-5 years of experience in game design, with a focus on systems or economy design\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience working on free-to-play games, preferably live service mobile games\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;A strong understanding of F2P economies, progression, monetization, and retention mechanics\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong familiarity with the free-to-play mobile market and genuine interest in understanding the games, systems, and player behaviours within it\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong spreadsheet skills and experience building models to simulate balance, progression, or economic outcomes\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong data literacy, including familiarity with F2P KPIs and using data to investigate problems and evaluate design changes\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience owning design projects through implementation, launch, analysis, and subsequent iteration\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex systems and design rationale clearly across disciplines\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Nice to have:\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience with strategy, farming, puzzle adventure/exploration, or match-3 games\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;SQL query and/or Looker experience\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What’s in it for you\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;At ATA you’re offered a flexible, safe, inclusive environment in which you have the autonomy to do your best work, surrounded by a strong team and with the encouragement of supportive leadership that doesn’t just care what you’re doing, but how you’re doing. You’re trusted, respected, listened to, cared for and valued. You take on thought-provoking projects and tackle fun problems alongside people who are equally invested in making meaningful contributions and seeing new ideas come to life. You know how your work aligns with the company’s goals. Your career is given the space and resources to progress. You accomplish things that make you proud. You are compensated competitively, your health and wellbeing are top priorities and you enjoy plenty of perks. At A Thinking Ape, we believe curiosity is a superpower, we make things people truly want, and we pursue gritty ambition with kindness, care, and radical alignment to growth—by thinking, acting, measuring, repeating, over-communicating, and never forgetting to play. You don’t just work for ATA, you are an integral part of ATA.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Location\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We’re building a distributed team across Canada! For this role, we are open to candidates based in either British Columbia or Ontario. We’ll provide the equipment you need, and support setting up your home workspace. We have a flexible work schedule, three weeks of vacation to start, flexible sick days, and a generous health benefits package. \u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;At A Thinking Ape, we believe in fairness and pay transparency. That’s why we offer a set salary for each role, ensuring that all employees in the same role are compensated equitably regardless of negotiation skills or background. This means you’ll know exactly what to expect from the start, without the stress of back-and-forth negotiations. For candidates located in Canada, the salary range for this role is \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;CAD $109,000–$124,500\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; reflecting our commitment to competitive and fair pay. Level and compensation will be determined based on the scope and experience appropriate to the successful candidate.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h2\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Our Commitment to Inclusion\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h2\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;We build communities. To do this to the best of our abilities, we need a workforce that reflects the diverse player communities we serve. We believe a variety of perspectives and experiences allows us to make better decisions and understand the needs of our players. We work hard to create an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work and feel like they belong at ATA.\u0026amp;nbsp; Please consider applying even if you don\u0026#39;t meet \u0026lt;em\u0026gt;every\u0026lt;/em\u0026gt; qualification and let us know if you require any accommodations or support during the recruitment process.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;See our \u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://athinkingape.com/careers/\u0026quot;\u0026gt;careers page\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt; or our \u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFzli2eSJvc\u0026quot;\u0026gt;short video\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt; to learn more about who we are and why you should join our team.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;","departments":[{"id":335620,"name":"Design","child_ids":[],"parent_id":null}],"offices":[],"ai_disclaimer":null,"include_ai_disclaimer":null,"ai_opt_out_request_url":null}],"meta":{"total":2}}