What is RistoCat?
RistoCat is a Pokémon-meets-finance game to help young adults learn financial strategies, purely through gameplay. Taking inspiration from Animal Crossing and Club Penguin, players engage with their real-world finances through an immersive, cat-themed world filled with characters they can grow, customize, and care for – think Tamagotchi meets money management. We’re building toward a public launch and are looking for a talented animation intern to help us define the visual soul.
About the Position
This is a hands-on, creative role with real impact on the product. You’ll work directly with the founder to design and animate the characters and world that players will spend time inside every day. The centerpiece of the work is a cast of expressive, customizable cat companions – characters that players genuinely bond with and want to return to. You’ll also contribute environmental animations that make the game world feel alive and inviting.
The internship is eligible for 3 hours of course credit, pending submission and approval of a BDP Connecting Experience proposal, and is structured as approximately 18-20 hours per week over 8 weeks during Summer 2026. This internship is also remote-friendly with async flexibility.
Responsibilities
- Design and animate customizable cat characters with distinct expressions, idle states, and reactive animations
- Create modular asset sets (outfits, accessories, color variants) that support a player-facing customization system
- Develop environmental animations that bring warmth and life to the game world
- Collaborate with the developer to ensure assets are export-ready and optimized for the game engine
- Participate in regular check-ins to review work-in-progress and align on visual direction
Required Qualifications
- Portfolio demonstrating character illustration and/or 2D animation work
- Proficiency in at least one animation or rigging tool (Spine, Adobe Animate, DragonBones, or equivalent)
- Strong sense of character, personality, and expressiveness through motion
- Ability to work independently and manage time across a flexible schedule
- Clear and proactive communication
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience with Spine 2D (our primary tool), but it’s not necessary if you’ve used other rigging tools
- Familiarity with cozy or casual game aesthetics (Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Club Penguin)
- Interest in or experience with character customization systems
- Exposure to mobile or indie game development pipelines
- Interest in game design, fintech, or educational technology
What You’ll Gain
- Portfolio-ready work on a real, actively developed product
- End-to-end experience, taking characters from concept to in-engine implementation
- Direct mentorship from an indie developer across the full product cycle
How to Apply
Please send a portfolio link, your resume, and a brief note about why this project interests you to shiva@ristocat.com by April 30th.
NOTE: This is an unpaid position and can be used for a BDP internship Connecting Experience.