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Associate Design Researcher (Contract, TKO)

Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan

Moon is hiring an Associate Design Researcher (Contractor) who is passionate, self-driven, and open to deepening their skills within Design/UX Research as well as expanding their skills in different areas within Design (e.g. Strategic Design, UX/UI, Product Design, etc.). The ideal candidate is infinitely curious, analytical, and creative.

You can work collaboratively with cross-disciplinary teams to bridge the gap between user needs/behaviors/aspirations, business priorities/strategy, and product development. As a contractor, you will work with Team/Design leads to define/refine and execute the scope of work across different stages of new product development/business creation for the project(s) at Moon.

This is a part-time contract role based in Tokyo for an initial term of 3 months, requiring a minimum of 20 hours per week. There is a possibility of contract extension based on the business needs and performance.

What You’ll Do at Moon 

  • Work closely with Design Leads, Business Creators, and Entrepreneurs in bringing a new product to life
  • Assist with/execute various aspects of Research planning to address project goals, business/product decisions 
  • Execute various research types of research, included but not limited to Market Research, Qualitative Research and User Studies (emphasis on Qualitative Research) 
  • Synthesize research, identify key insights, and collaborate with the team to define implications for key business/product decisions
  • Join brainstorming sessions, as needed, and be a thought partner to the broader team - expanding your thinking into different areas but bringing your unique POV/experience to the table (as both a researcher and beyond) 
  • Assist in defining opportunities for potential research projects and working with the team to prioritize what can/should be done
  • Experiment with proven and develop new research studies

While your main focus will be on supporting teams at moon on research you will also have a chance to experience: 

  • Design initial concepts, user flows, visual design, and prototypes on a small team
  • Leverage design and prototyping tools to bring ideas to life
  • Share experiences and tech know-how across project boundaries and team boundaries
  • Experience an early-stage startup environment first-hand with the safety net of the broader venture studio
  • Experience New Business Creation for large corporations 
  • Create human-centered future visions that enable stakeholders to experience the world we want to create 
  • Use creativity to inspire others and influence our way of working

The Must-Haves 

  • A degree with course work relevant to Design, the Scientific Process/Methodology, the Human Condition (e.g. Product/Service Design, Psychology, Sociology, etc) OR relevant experience in Design Research, Strategic Design, or UX Research 
  • Experience with Secondary research methods (Desktop/Market Research) 
  • Proficiency in common design tools, like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Sketch
  • A passion for human-centered design
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Figma
  • Proactive attitude, fast paced and self motivated; ready to take on tasks outside of role with strong agility to change and to be flexible/resilientDesire to learn new things
  • Exceptional listening skills and communication (written and verbal) skills. Strong Stakeholder management & Team collaboration skills.
  • Understanding of foundational principles of Design Research/Qualitative Research and a strong desire to experiment 
  • Critical thinking and problem solving skills
  • Experience creating actionable research “reports”/outcomes that can be leveraged/implemented by the team (willingness to break the mold of a classic report) 
  • Native level Japanese

The Nice-to-Haves 

  • Previous experience with Exploratory  Research in early stage product development/new business creation
  • Experience with Quantitative Research Methodologies / Synthesis 
  • Experience experimenting AI tools effectively to conduct research 
  • Experience working in deep-tech / AI 
  • Experience working with a cross-cultural/international organization
  • Experience in/understanding of other design areas (e.g. Product Design, Service Design, Brand Design, etc.) 
  • Business level English

Sounds Fun, Right?

If you identify with Moon's values and would like to contribute to our work, please submit your resume and optionally, a cover letter.

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