Graphic Designer II, Merchandise Development: Original Merchandise (12-Month Fixed Term)

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com .

Get to know the role

Job Title: Graphic Designer II

Job Summary: This role applies art, design, and layout skills to create visually engaging concepts and production-ready artwork for physical consumer products. The Graphic Designer develops original graphics, patterns, and visual assets for apparel, accessories, home goods, and related tangible goods. The role balances creative concepting with manufacturing-aware execution, ensuring artwork aligns with brand standards, communicates the intended message, and translates accurately across materials, scales, and production methods. This role is intended for a mid-level designer executing design work for physical products with growing independence and production expertise.

This role typically manages 2–4 product sets simultaneously with staggered milestones, proactively contributes design concepts, and operates with minimal oversight while proactively escalating risks to timelines or deliverables.

FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt

People Manager: No

Portfolio requirement: Examples of graphic focused product design for physical goods are required.

What you’ll do

Creative Concepting & Collaboration

Collaborate with the Merchandise Development team and cross‑functional partners to understand the project assignment, product brief, audience, and intended message.

Create original visual media—illustrations, graphics, patterns, and layouts—that support compelling, unified product stories.

Contribute to product line briefs, concept suggestions, and overall ideation for seasonal and capsule collections.

Manage 2–4 concurrent product design projects, ensuring alignment to briefs, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.

Design for Physical Goods

Primarily create graphic concepts for physical goods featuring a variety of Pokémon and product types by leveraging existing assets and creating new supporting graphics while ensuring all graphics respect product and production limitations.

Adapt artwork to manufacturing processes (e.g., screen print, embroidery, heat transfer/heat setting, appliqué, sublimation, embossing/debossing, specialty inks, woven/printed labels, molded elements).

Translate 2D artwork into production ready files that maintain integrity across various substrates, textures, and sizes (flat and 3D forms).

Brand Integrity, Layout, and Typography

Uphold brand standards and licensing requirements; ensure character accuracy and consistency across merchandise and packaging.

Choose appropriate graphics, clip art, and stock photography; enhance choices with custom drawings and vector illustrations as needed.

Select fonts and produce sample layouts/placements for approval; solve complex design problems involving brand integrity and diversified graphics.

Review, Routing, and Production

Route all stages of art concepts for cross department sign‑offs, ensuring work meets brand standards, briefs, and production expectations.

Prepare drafts and prototypes for review; revise based on collaborative feedback to reach final approval.

Support Production Design and on-time file deliveries.

Partner with development and vendor teams to review strike‑offs, proofs, and samples, providing clear feedback to ensure quality and fidelity.

Proactively identify and escalate risks to timelines, deliverables, or approvals to Manager and Project Manager.

Research & Trend Development

Research and create diversified, brand appropriate graphics and illustrations.

Research seasonal trends; identify new colors, fabrics, and silhouettes for conceptual development and product storytelling.

Occasionally work from pre‑existing style guides, problem solving for product design and production constraints.

Process, Standards & Teamwork

Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders to drive efficient processes and transparent communication.

Consult with the relevant manager, director, and/or team on complex or specialized projects.

Contribute design catelog submissions (6–12 per season) to strengthen catalog breadth and future product opportunities.

Meet all department and corporate business requirements, including those regarding work hours, conduct, and teamwork.

What you’ll bring

3–5 years of experience in graphic design for soft and/or hard goods (consumer products such as apparel, decor, packaging).

Working knowledge of product design constraints within a focused category, with the ability to collaborate with Production and Design partners to resolve unknowns.

Ability to navigate production templates, processes, and limitations with increasing independence.

Conceptual and practical knowledge of print technology for physical goods (including, but not limited to screen print, embroidery, heat setting, sublimation).

Experience preparing production ready files and working within manufacturing constraints/templates.

Proficiency creating design work aligned to brand and licensing requirements

Basic illustration and strong vector skills.

Expert proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite on macOS; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and similar design tools.

Basic knowledge of related areas: marketing, merchandising, and licensing.

High degree of originality and creativity, providing valuable design insights that support product strategy.

Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to present designs to stakeholders and proactively communicate risks/schedule impacts.

Ability to work collaboratively in a cross functional environment and independently with strong initiative, organization, and attention to detail.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between $86,215 - $102,285 per year. The full range is $86,215 - $150,844 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

How you’ll be successful

Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.

Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.

Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.

Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.

Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.

Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.

Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.

Competiti