SAN FRANCISCO — Google veteran Gabriel Stricker is returning to the search giant for a product role supporting the search team.

Last year, Stricker joined Niantic, the AR gaming company behind Pokémon Go, as its VP of communications, reporting to its CEO and founder John Hanke, with whom Stricker worked at Google before Niantic was spun off into its own company. Yesterday was Stricker's last day with Niantic before he rejoins Google in August.

For Stricker, this move marks a transition away from communications into a product development role on Google's search team, which is led by longtime Google veteran Ben Gomes.

Sticker's first stint at Google was from 2006-2012, during which he served as director of communications. In 2012, he joined Twitter as its chief communications officer before rejoining Google in 2015 as VP of public policy and communications for the now defunct Google Fiber.

Confirming his appointment in a tweet, Stricker said: "Next month, I'll be joining the @google search product team to work with @tweetbez and @bengomes on the search ecosystem. Can't wait to join the team!"