Introducing Level Up: A Program for Graduates

We are thrilled to announce our new program designed to bring together the brightest minds and upcoming talent in Finland's mobile gaming industry. Through this program we’re offering six game developers-to-be a unique opportunity to make games the Supercell way.

Level Up is for students, graduates and anyone else interested in making mobile games. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity in the right environment to make free-to-play games for a fixed term of six months.

“TELL ME MORE!”

While not a traditional internship, game jam or academy, you will learn how we make mobile games – and hopefully we'll also learn from you! Beginning in January 2022, you can think of it as a paid internship where we provide everything you need to make a mobile game the Supercell way: equipment, work space, your dream team and support from some of the best game developers in the industry. You will need to work together as a team to make one (or multiple) free-to-play mobile games that Supercell employees will try out and give feedback on. And it will all happen at our brand new office in Helsinki.

“COOL! BUT WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?”

By offering students and others interested in game development the chance to see how we make games and try it themselves, we hope it will benefit not just them but the Finnish mobile games industry as a whole.

“I’M INTERESTED! WHERE DO I SIGN UP?”

You can apply to be a part of the team of the Supercell Level Up Program. Doesn’t matter if you code, draw, design - game developers come in all shapes and sizes and we welcome them all. Send your application to the program by October 10, 2021, at the latest. See below for more information. Update: The application window has now closed. We are stunned by the sheer number, the high quality and diversity of your applications. Thank you for sharing your passion with us!

READ BEFORE APPLYING

Level Up brings together a team of six people who want to make mobile games. Together you will be just like any other game team at Supercell: you’ll have your own team space, equipment and you get a front row seat to see how global mobile games are made.

Applicants should have a sufficient level of knowledge and skills in their own discipline. In other words, we won't teach you how to code, draw or design. What we will do is show you how games are made at Supercell and give you the opportunity to work together as a team to make decisions such as which stack to use, what game you want to develop and everything that comes with it.

You won't be on your own though as we have created a dedicated team of game developers who are here to support you. As part of the program you'll have six months to deliver at least one company playable to all of Supercell’s employees - and get feedback from arguably the best mobile game developers in the world as well as insights into how we think about data, marketing and players. Just as with any other team at Supercell. YOU make the decisions, but you need to do it as part of a team. Excited already? We are!

Requirements

• Experience in making games – at home, school, university or at your friend’s aunt’s garage, it doesn’t matter where

• Technically sufficient skills with code (C++, C#, java), art (concept, 2D, and/or 3D) or design (game design, balancing, game economics) to independently work on your craft

• Passion or interest in mobile games

• Experience working in a team environment

• Communication skills

• English skills

How to apply

• Send your application through supr.cl/LevelUpNow

• Your application should include a CV/resume where we can see what your level of experience is, what projects and games you have worked on, and what technical skills you have, including what tech stack you are familiar with (eg unity, unreal engine)

• Send us examples of your work - anything from finished games to concepts or WIP

• Fill in any other information requested in the application form

The deadline for applying is Sunday October 10th, 2021 at 23:59 EEST. After that, we will let you know if you have been chosen for follow up interviews or not. We aim to respond to everyone who has submitted a real genuine application. Final decisions on who will be selected for the program will be made by the end of November.

FAQ

What skills will these positions require?

• Experience in making games - at home, school, university or at your friend’s aunt’s garage - it doesn’t matter where

• Technically sufficient skills with code (C++, C#, java), art (concept, 2D, and/or 3D) or design (game design, balancing, game economics) to independently work on your craft

• Passion or interest in mobile games

• Experience working in a team environment

• Communication skills

• English skills

• Technical skills for software engineers, artists, etc.

Check the application page for more on requirements.

I’m not a student. Can I still apply?

Yes you can.

How many participants will you hire to the program?

We are looking to hire up to six people to join Level Up.

Will the participants get paid during the program?

Yes, they will and the monthly gross salary will be 2500 EUR. On top of that, there will be some great employee benefits, like subsidized lunches and access to the company gym free of charge.

I would like to apply but I don't live in the Helsinki region. Will you be able to offer accommodation and relocation support?

Selected participants will need to secure and pay for their own accommodation. In certain situations we may be able to assist with finding a place to live, but it's not something we can guarantee.

Unfortunately we can't offer relocation support from other countries, as this program is open only for applicants with the necessary permits to live and work in Finland.

Are the start and end dates for the program fixed, or are they negotiable?

The dates are fixed. This program is based on a 6-month team effort that brings together a number of people with their variety of skills, and we believe all selected interns will be an indispensable part of the team. That's why we ask that only people who can commit for the full duration of the programme apply.

Can I work part-time or is this only a full-time gig?

This is a full-time commitment. Since you will work in a tightly-knit team, it would be difficult to accommodate different team members whose working hours don’t align.

Do I need to have professional experience to be considered?

No. However, we hope that your application includes examples of anything that you have done – in a job, at school or in your spare time – that showcases your skills and talent, to help us determine if this program might be right for you.

Are there any age limits to applying? Who is this program internship for?

We expect applicants will mostly be students at the end of their studies or recent graduates. However, we invite people from all walks of life to apply, if they have the right skills and motivation. You will have to be over 18 years of age.

Can I get study credits for joining this program?

You need to speak to your teacher or educational institution. We can help provide any necessary information to help with that.

Can I join the program remotely?

This is not a remote program. We expect everyone to work together in person, but given the current pandemic we of course follow any governmental restrictions and guidelines at the time.

I don’t have an online portfolio. What do I do?

You can easily showcase your work on a free online platform. Eg artists use artstation.com a lot. If you don’t want to do that, you can also just compile a little “mood board” of examples of your work, save it as a pdf and send it with your application through the application page.

I’ve never written a CV and I don’t really have any experience to add to it anyway. Help?!

We don’t expect you to have a ton of professional experience. Instead you can add whatever projects, games and teams you’ve been working with at school or with your friends. Any other work experience such as summer jobs can be added too, as well as your hobbies, language skills and education. We’ve made this template that you can copy/download and use for this program specifically, but feel free to use any CV template you like. The internet is full of them!

Can I send my application in Finnish?

Please send your application in English. All the material is in English, the program will run in English and the people working with you will be speaking English.

Woop, I got through to the next round of the application process! How should I prepare for the next steps?

Please be prepared for 1 to 3 rounds of interviews. The first round will be with a Supercell recruiter, and the next ones will be with some game developers from Supercell. For example, if you’re interested in being an artist on the Level Up team, you will be interviewed by a couple of our game artists in the Level Up mentor’s group.

When will I know if my application has been successful or not?

We accept applications until October 10th, and you can expect to hear back from us the latest in the beginning of November. The final decisions will be made by the end of November.

I’m interested but I can’t apply this year. Will there be another Level Up next year?

Level Up is a one-off program and unique opportunity, starting in January and ending in July of 2022.