Service Designer (New Graduate Position) - Mercari Group

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer (New Graduate Position)

Company: Mercari, inc.

Location: Minato City, Tokyo, Japan

Job Type: Full-Time (Temporary position for new graduates)

Category: User Experience & Design Operations

Date Posted: October 10, 2025

Experience Level: New Graduate (0-2 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Focus on designing holistic customer experiences that transcend individual services like Mercari, Merpay, and Mercoin, encompassing both online and offline touchpoints.

• Analyze business challenges and customer needs to define the core problems and strategic direction for new service initiatives.

• Visualize and map customer journeys across multiple business domains to identify friction points and opportunities for improvement.

• Develop service concepts and design underlying operational processes to deliver seamless and engaging customer experiences.

• Collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including Product Managers, Engineers, UX Researchers, Customer Support, and Corporate teams, to drive project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Mercari Group's design organization, with a specific emphasis on cross-domain service design. While titled "Service Designer," the responsibilities extend beyond traditional UX/UI to encompass broader business strategy, operational process design, and a strong focus on connecting customer value with business objectives. The "new graduate position" designation, coupled with the requirement for Japanese language proficiency, suggests a structured entry-level program designed to cultivate future leaders within Mercari's design and business functions. The temporary employment type is noted, but the role is described as a full-time position for new graduates, indicating a potential pathway to permanent employment after a probationary period or internship.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth analysis of business challenges and customer needs through research, defining the critical "questions" to be addressed and setting project direction.

• Create comprehensive customer journey maps and other visualizations to identify pain points and opportunities across various business domains.

• Conceptualize and design overarching service experiences that support the ideal customer journey, including the underlying operational mechanisms.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, engaging Product Managers, Engineers, UX Researchers, Customer Support, and Corporate teams to ensure alignment and successful project execution.

• Design and propose integrated customer experiences that bridge online platforms (app, web) with offline interactions (packaging, shipping, physical retail collaborations).

• Contribute to the overarching mission of Mercari Group by designing services that facilitate the circulation of all kinds of value and expand everyone's potential.

• Leverage insights from customer usage of the Mercari app to inform service design decisions and identify opportunities for innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic, end-to-end approach to service design. The emphasis on "defining the 'questions' to be solved" and "connecting business strategy with customer value" indicates a role that requires strong analytical and strategic thinking, not just execution. The inclusion of both online and offline touchpoints suggests a complex ecosystem where seamless integration is key.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user experience, business strategy, or a related field is expected.

Experience:

• This is a new graduate position, so extensive prior professional experience is not a prerequisite.

• Demonstrated potential and a strong desire to engage in "concept-making" are highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Concept Development & Strategic Thinking: Ability to define core problems, formulate essential questions, and develop innovative service concepts.

• Customer-Centricity & Research: Proficiency in analyzing customer needs and business challenges through research methodologies.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent communication and facilitation skills to effectively engage and lead diverse teams (Product, Engineering, UX Research, CS, Corporate).

• Problem-Solving & Analytical Skills: Capacity to structure complex issues, identify root causes, and devise effective solutions.

• Ownership & Initiative: A proactive approach, taking ownership of projects and driving them forward with a leadership mindset.

• Adaptability & Resilience: Enthusiasm for change, a willingness to tackle unfamiliar territories, and the courage to "Go Bold" in challenging situations.

• Cultural Alignment: Empathy with Mercari Group's mission and values.

Preferred Skills:

• Human-Centered Design & Design Thinking: Formal training or practical experience in these methodologies.

• Service Design Tools: Practical experience with Figma for design and visualization.

• Marketing & Branding: Knowledge or experience in marketing and branding principles.

• Leadership Experience: Proven ability to lead projects involving multiple stakeholders, potentially from internships or entrepreneurial ventures.

• Visual Communication: Skills in graphic recording or using diagrams to visualize and convey complex information.

• Business Acumen: Experience in designing with business outcomes in mind, including KPI design.

• UX Research: Demonstrated experience in enhancing user experience through UX research.

• Agile Development Collaboration: Experience co-creating with engineers and PMs in an app development environment.

• Leadership Aspirations: Interest in growing into a leadership role within Mercari Group's organization and design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize a blend of strategic thinking, collaborative ability, and a proactive, growth-oriented mindset, typical for entry-level roles in innovative tech companies. The preference for candidates who have used the Mercari app suggests a desire for intrinsic understanding of the product ecosystem. The "Go Bold" value is directly integrated into the required attributes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Concept-Making Process: A portfolio showcasing the thought process behind developing service concepts, including research, problem definition, ideation, and strategic rationale.

• Customer Journey Mapping & Service Blueprinting: Examples of visually mapping customer journeys and designing service blueprints to illustrate end-to-end experiences and operational flows.

• Cross-Stakeholder Project Examples: Demonstrations of how you have collaborated with various teams (product, engineering, marketing, etc.) to bring a service idea to fruition or solve a complex problem.

• Problem-Solving Case Studies: Clear articulation of a problem faced, the analytical approach taken, the proposed solution (service design), and the potential or realized impact.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of structured approaches to understanding and visualizing existing processes.

• Examples of designing new processes or refining existing ones to improve efficiency and customer experience.

• Documentation that demonstrates the ability to connect strategic goals with operational execution through process design.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a new graduate role, the portfolio is less about extensive professional achievements and more about demonstrating potential, thought process, and foundational skills. The emphasis on "concept-making thinking process" and "cross-stakeholder collaboration" signals that Mercari is looking for candidates who can think strategically and work effectively in a team, even if their experience is primarily academic or from internships.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• As this is a new graduate position in Tokyo, Japan, the salary will be commensurate with industry standards for entry-level roles in the tech sector. Based on typical new graduate compensation in Tokyo for similar roles in large tech companies, an estimated annual salary range would be approximately JPY 4,500,000 - JPY 6,000,000.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Coverage for medical, dental, and vision care.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Commuting Allowance: Support for transportation costs to the office.

• Employee Stock Options/Purchase Plans: Opportunities to invest in Mercari's growth.

• Professional Development Support: Access to training, workshops, and conferences to enhance skills.

• Wellness Programs: Initiatives to support employee well-being and work-life balance.

• Maternity/Paternity Leave: Supportive policies for new parents.

• Employee Discounts: Benefits related to Mercari's services.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, totaling approximately 40 hours per week.

• While the role is on-site, Mercari often offers some flexibility within core working hours to accommodate individual needs, though specific arrangements will be discussed during the hiring process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on publicly available data for new graduate positions in major tech companies in Tokyo, Japan. Benefits are typical for large, established tech firms and are tailored to attract and retain talent. The "temporary" employment type for this new graduate position is unusual for a full-time role and may indicate a structured internship or a probationary period before full permanent conversion.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce, Fintech, Cryptocurrency, Marketplace

Company Size: Over 1,000 employees (Mercari Group)

Founded: 2013

Company Description: Mercari Group is a global technology company with a mission to "create value in a global resource-limited world." It operates the popular C2C marketplace app "Mercari" and provides payment services through "Merpay" and cryptocurrency services via "Mercoin." The company is committed to circulating value and expanding possibilities for everyone through technology.

Team Structure:

• The Service Designer will be part of the Mercari Group's design organization, reporting into a design leadership role.

• This organization works across multiple service domains (Mercari, Merpay, Mercoin), fostering a matrixed environment where designers collaborate on initiatives spanning different business units.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using data and research to inform design decisions and validate hypotheses.

• Iterative Design & Development: A culture of continuous improvement and agile methodologies, allowing for rapid prototyping and iteration.

• Cross-Functional Teamwork: Strong belief in the power of diverse teams working together to achieve common goals.

• User-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and serving the needs of Mercari's vast user base.

• "Go Bold" Mindset: Encouraging ambitious ideas and calculated risks to drive innovation.

Company Website: https://careers.mercari.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Mercari's culture is defined by its mission, values (especially "Go Bold," "All for One," "Be Professional," "Embrace Differences"), and a commitment to innovation and user value. The integration of multiple services (e-commerce, fintech, crypto) creates a unique environment for service designers to work on complex, interconnected experiences.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Entry-Level/New Graduate Service Designer. This role is designed to provide foundational experience in complex service design within a large-scale tech environment. It's an opportunity to learn and apply core design thinking, research, and collaboration skills.

Reporting Structure: The Service Designer will report to a lead designer or manager within the Mercari Group's design organization. They will work closely with project teams composed of Product Managers, Engineers, UX Researchers, and other cross-functional partners.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer will directly influence the customer experience across Mercari's diverse platforms, impacting user engagement, satisfaction, and potentially conversion rates and transaction volumes. By designing seamless and valuable experiences, they contribute to the overall growth and success of Mercari Group's ecosystem.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as customer journey mapping, service blueprinting, user research, or experience strategy.

• Cross-Domain Exposure: Gain experience designing for distinct yet interconnected services (e-commerce, payments, crypto), broadening service design scope.

• Leadership Development: Through project leadership and stakeholder management, develop skills essential for future team or project lead roles within the design organization.

• Mentorship: Access to experienced designers and leaders within Mercari Group for guidance and career development.

• Potential for Permanent Role: Successful performance and cultural fit may lead to conversion to a permanent position within Mercari Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a stepping stone for aspiring service designers. The growth path emphasizes learning through doing, exposure to diverse business areas, and developing leadership capabilities within Mercari's established design framework. The potential for permanent employment is a significant growth incentive.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at Mercari's Roppongi office, which is described as a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and teamwork.

Office Location(s): Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo, Japan. This location is a prime business district, easily accessible by public transportation.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to encourage interaction, brainstorming, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (like Figma) and other necessary technologies to support design and research activities.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with team members, project stakeholders, and other design professionals within Mercari Group.

• Innovation-Focused: The workspace likely supports an environment where new ideas can be explored and developed, aligning with Mercari's "Go Bold" philosophy.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is on-site in the Roppongi office.

• While the role is primarily office-based, Mercari may offer some degree of flexibility within core business hours to facilitate work-life balance, depending on team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on an on-site role in a central Tokyo location indicates a preference for in-person collaboration and immersion in the company culture. The office is positioned as a hub for innovation and teamwork, crucial for a role that requires extensive stakeholder engagement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Document Screening: Initial review of applications, with a strong emphasis on the submitted portfolio.

• Interviews (3 rounds): Expect multiple interview stages designed to assess skills, experience, cultural fit, and potential.

  • Round 1: Likely focused on assessing core skills, understanding of service design principles, and initial cultural fit. May involve discussing portfolio pieces.
  • Round 2: Deeper dive into problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and experience with collaboration. Could involve a case study discussion.
  • Round 3: Final interview, potentially with senior leadership, to assess overall potential, leadership aspirations, and long-term fit with Mercari's mission and values.

• Assignment: A practical assignment may be required during the selection process to evaluate problem-solving and design skills in a more hands-on manner.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Thought Process: Clearly articulate your thinking behind each project. Explain why you made certain decisions, not just what you did.

• Highlight "Concept-Making": Prioritize projects where you were involved in defining the problem or concept from an early stage. Demonstrate your ability to ask the right questions.

• Illustrate Collaboration: If possible, show how you worked with others, managed feedback, and integrated different perspectives.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): Even for academic projects, articulate the intended or potential impact of your design solutions.

• Tailor to Mercari: Briefly explain how your skills and interests align with Mercari's mission, values, and services.

• Organize Clearly: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate, with clear headings and concise descriptions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Mercari's Ecosystem: Familiarize yourself with Mercari, Merpay, and Mercoin, and consider potential user needs and business challenges.

• Practice "Go Bold" Scenarios: Think about how you would approach a complex, ambiguous problem with a desire for innovative solutions.

• Prepare for Collaborative Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would engage with different stakeholders and facilitate discussions to achieve consensus.

• Articulate Your "Why": Be prepared to explain your motivations for pursuing a career in service design and at Mercari specifically.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured with multiple rounds, indicating a thorough evaluation. The portfolio is a critical component, especially for a new graduate role, serving as the primary demonstration of potential and foundational skills in concept development and problem-solving. The inclusion of an assignment suggests a practical assessment of candidate capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a preferred tool for design and prototyping. Proficiency is highly desired.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience with other prototyping and wireframing tools may be beneficial.

• Collaboration Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Slack, Miro, or similar for team communication and ideation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Tools: Exposure to tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude for understanding user behavior and product performance is a plus.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, experience with tools that can help visualize data for research insights would be advantageous.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how customer data is managed and utilized to inform service design is important. Familiarity with customer support platforms or ticketing systems might offer relevant context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma indicates it's a core tool for this role within the design team. While other tools aren't detailed, a general understanding of the tech stack used in product development and analytics within a company like Mercari would be beneficial for a service designer.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• "Go Bold": Encouraging ambitious initiatives and taking calculated risks to drive innovation and achieve significant impact.

• "All for One": Fostering a strong sense of teamwork, mutual support, and collective responsibility towards company goals.

• "Be Professional": Maintaining high standards of work, accountability, and integrity in all actions and decisions.

• "Embrace Differences": Valuing diversity in backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas to foster a rich and inclusive environment.

• Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to Mercari's mission of circulating value and expanding potential for everyone.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Service Designers are expected to be active collaborators, working closely with diverse teams to achieve shared objectives.

• Open Communication: An environment that encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and transparent information sharing.

• Facilitation-Focused: The role will involve facilitating discussions and workshops to align stakeholders and drive consensus on design decisions.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that embraces continuous feedback and iteration to refine designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mercari's core values are deeply embedded in its culture and are expected to guide the behavior and decision-making of its employees, including new graduate Service Designers. The emphasis on "Embrace Differences" and "All for One" highlights a commitment to diversity and inclusive teamwork.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Integrated Services: Designing for a complex ecosystem involving e-commerce, fintech, and cryptocurrency requires understanding interconnected user journeys and business logic.

• Balancing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Aligning the goals and expectations of multiple departments (Product, Engineering, CS, Marketing) can be challenging.

• Defining Ambiguous Problems: As a new graduate, tackling ill-defined business or customer problems and translating them into actionable design solutions will be a key learning curve.

• Navigating a Large Organization: Understanding internal processes and building effective relationships across a large company like Mercari Group.

• Transitioning from Academia/Internships to Professional Practice: Adapting academic knowledge and internship experiences to the demands of a fast-paced, real-world corporate environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Formal Training: Access to internal workshops and potentially external courses on advanced service design, user research, and design thinking.

• Mentorship Programs: Guidance from experienced designers and leaders within Mercari Group to navigate career development and skill enhancement.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Opportunity to learn about different business functions and how they integrate with design to deliver value.

• Industry Events: Potential to attend relevant industry conferences or meetups to stay abreast of design trends and network.

• Career Path Development: A structured path for growth within the design organization, with opportunities to take on more responsibility and leadership roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for entry-level roles in complex tech environments, emphasizing the learning opportunities available. Mercari's commitment to employee development suggests robust support systems are in place for new graduates to overcome these challenges and grow their careers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Problem Framing: "Describe a time you had to define an ambiguous problem. What was your process for identifying the core issue and formulating a question to solve it?" (Focus on your analytical and questioning skills.)

• Concept Generation: "Walk me through your process for developing a new service concept. How do you move from research insights to a tangible idea?" (Highlight your ideation and strategic thinking.)

• Collaboration & Influence: "Imagine you need to get buy-in for a new service concept from Product, Engineering, and Marketing. How would you approach this, and what potential challenges do you anticipate?" (Showcase your communication and facilitation skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Mission & Values: "How does Mercari's mission to 'circulate value' resonate with you? Which of Mercari's values (Go Bold, All for One, Be Professional, Embrace Differences) do you most identify with, and why?" (Demonstrate your research and alignment.)

• User Empathy: "As a user of the Mercari app, what is one experience you find particularly effective or could be improved, and how would you approach redesigning it?" (Show your user-centric thinking and practical application.)

• Growth Mindset: "This is a new graduate position. What are your expectations for learning and development, and how do you approach challenges when faced with unfamiliar territory?" (Assess your adaptability and learning capacity.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each portfolio piece, structure your presentation like a narrative: the problem, your approach, your solution, and the outcome/impact.

• Focus on Process, Not Just Polish: Emphasize your thinking, research methods, and decision-making process. For a new grad role, the "how" is often more important than the final visual polish.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, research methodologies, and how you handled challenges or feedback.

• Connect to Mercari: Where possible, draw parallels between your project experience and Mercari's business or user needs.

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough to ensure clarity, conciseness, and confidence. Be prepared to present in Japanese.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong grasp of Mercari's mission and values, a structured approach to problem-solving and concept development, and excellent collaborative skills. For a new graduate, showcasing potential and a learning mindset is crucial. Tailoring responses to Mercari's specific context and services will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer position:

• Submit your application via the provided link on Workable.

• Craft a compelling portfolio that clearly showcases your concept-making process, problem-solving skills, and ability to visualize complex customer journeys. Prioritize projects that demonstrate your thinking and collaboration, even if from academic work or internships.

• Tailor your resume to highlight relevant skills such as research, concept development, design thinking, collaboration, and any experience with tools like Figma. Ensure it aligns with the "new graduate" profile and Mercari's values.

• Prepare for the interview process by thoroughly researching Mercari Group, its services, mission, and values. Practice articulating your thought process and project experiences, ready to present your portfolio in Japanese.

• Research the Roppongi office location and consider your commute logistics and availability for on-site work.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions. The role is advertised as "Temporary" but is for a full-time new graduate position, which may indicate a structured internship period or probationary phase. Japanese language proficiency is essential.