UX Researcher - Crossborder, Mercari

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher - Crossborder, Mercari

Company: Mercari, Inc.

Location: Minato City, Tokyo, Japan

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience (UX) Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-09

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (with potential for international fieldwork)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive continuous insights for Mercari's Global Product rollout by planning and executing tactical UX research studies, including usability testing, concept evaluations, and customer feedback analysis.

• Own and optimize research operations, including participant recruitment, repository management, and contributing to the Voice of the Customer (VoC) program to ensure timely dissemination of user insights.

• Leverage and explore AI tools across the entire research workflow, from planning and synthesis to communication, to enhance research speed, quality, and scalability in an AI-native environment.

• Foster an international mindset by understanding cultural nuances and local market differences to inform product decisions for a global marketplace.

• Collaborate openly with cross-functional teams (Designers, PMs, Engineers) to integrate user feedback seamlessly into product iteration cycles and contribute to the development of global research best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is listed as UX Researcher, the emphasis on "Research Operations," "Voice of the Customer (VoC) program," and "streamline and scale global research practices" indicates a strong overlap with Product Operations and Operations Management functions. The role requires a blend of user research expertise and operational efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and analyze ongoing usability tests, user interviews, concept evaluations, and design validation studies for Mercari’s Global App.

• Utilize remote testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting, Maze, UserZoom) to efficiently conduct unmoderated studies at scale and collect user feedback.

• Design lightweight research frameworks and rapid testing cycles in close collaboration with product designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Synthesize research findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations that directly inform product design and feature iteration.

• Support participant recruitment and manage logistics for qualitative and quantitative studies across various international markets.

• Maintain and enhance research repositories, user databases, feedback trackers, and documentation for recurring research initiatives.

• Contribute to the Voice of the Customer (VoC) program by managing feedback reporting and visualizing insights for product teams.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to streamline and scale global research practices, ensuring insights are accessible and actionable across different markets.

• Actively explore, test, and apply AI tools across the research workflow to improve efficiency, quality, and communication of insights.

• Identify and propose practical ways to integrate AI into Mercari’s product development and research cycles to accelerate learning and decision-making.

• Collaborate with senior researchers and design leads on strategic research initiatives and the development of research playbooks.

• Participate in in-person international research fieldwork, potentially in markets like Hong Kong, Taiwan, or the U.S.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: core UX research execution and proactive research operations management. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a forward-thinking approach to research methodologies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 2+ years of dedicated UX research experience, gained within an in-house, agency, or freelance capacity.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in planning and conducting various UX research methodologies, including usability tests, in-depth user interviews, and concept evaluations.

• Familiarity and hands-on experience with remote user research tools such as UserTesting, Maze, UserZoom, or similar platforms.

• Demonstrated ability in participant recruitment, screening, and coordination for research studies.

• Strong command of English communication, both verbal and written, with the ability to articulate complex insights clearly (C1 level).

• Experience experimenting with and applying AI tools within a research workstream to enhance efficiency and output.

• Proficiency with basic survey tools, including Google Forms, Qualtrics, or Typeform.

• A strong international mindset, with curiosity about cultural nuances and local market differences across regions. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience working on global or cross-cultural products, with an understanding of international user needs.

• Familiarity with research operations (ResOps) processes, including managing research infrastructure, tools, and workflows.

• Experience with Voice of the Customer (VoC) program management and feedback aggregation.

• Proficiency in Japanese, Mandarin, or Cantonese is a significant asset, though not mandatory.

• Understanding of the e-commerce industry landscape and consumer behavior.

• Familiarity with the ACGE (Anime, Comics, Games, and Entertainment) product space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred skills, particularly language proficiency and industry-specific knowledge (e-commerce, ACGE), suggest that candidates with these backgrounds will have a competitive edge, especially for a role focused on cross-border expansion. The "AI Tools" requirement is explicitly listed as required, indicating its importance.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of research methodologies and their application through case studies showcasing end-to-end research projects.

• Provide examples of how research insights directly influenced product decisions, design iterations, and feature development, highlighting measurable impact.

• Showcase experience with various research tools, including remote testing platforms and survey tools, with an emphasis on efficiency and scalability.

• Include examples of research operations contributions, such as process improvements, documentation, or participant management strategies.

• Highlight any experience integrating or experimenting with AI tools within research processes. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to designing and executing lightweight research frameworks for rapid iteration cycles.

• Explain your methods for synthesizing complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable insights for diverse stakeholders.

• Illustrate your experience in maintaining and improving research repositories and documentation systems for knowledge sharing and accessibility.

• Showcase how you have partnered with cross-functional teams to streamline and scale research practices, ensuring insights are effectively utilized.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Researcher role with significant operations components, a portfolio should not only showcase research quality but also operational efficiency, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to manage research processes effectively. Demonstrating an understanding of scaling research and integrating new technologies like AI will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on Mercari's global presence and the mid-level experience requirement for this role in Tokyo, Japan, a competitive salary range is estimated between ¥7,000,000 - ¥10,000,000 JPY annually. This range reflects industry standards for UX Researchers in major tech hubs, adjusted for the Tokyo market and the specific responsibilities of this role.

Benefits:

• Full-time employment status with comprehensive social insurance and benefits.

• Full Flextime work schedule with no core hours, offering significant flexibility.

• Access to modern office space in Roppongi, Tokyo, facilitating collaboration and a productive work environment.

• Opportunities for international fieldwork and travel, contributing to global product strategy.

• Potential for professional development and learning through exposure to cutting-edge AI tools and global market research.

• Mercari's commitment to Inclusion & Diversity, fostering a supportive and equitable work environment.

• Access to the Mercari Group's careers site, Mercan, and social media channels for company insights.

Working Hours: Full Flextime with no core time, allowing employees to manage their schedules flexibly to meet work demands and personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry benchmarks for UX Researchers in Tokyo, Japan, considering the company's size and the role's mid-level experience requirement. Benefits are derived from common offerings for full-time employees in major tech companies and specific details mentioned in the job description (e.g., flextime, office location).

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce / Technology Platform. Mercari operates a leading marketplace app that facilitates the buying and selling of pre-owned goods, with a strategic focus on global expansion and leveraging technology to create value.

Company Size: Mercari Group is a significant global organization. While specific employee numbers for the Tokyo office are not provided, the company operates internationally, indicating a large employee base across multiple regions. This size offers stability and resources while allowing for specialized teams.

Founded: Mercari was founded in 2013 by Shintaro Yamada, born from a vision to circulate all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people. This foundational mission drives the company's innovation and global ambitions.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is part of the larger Engineering organization, adhering to Mercari's Engineering Principles (Passion For The Product, Grow Together, Solve Through Mechanisms, Collaborate Openly).

• This specific role is within the Cross-border UX research team, supporting the Mercari Global Product rollout.

• Collaboration is expected across product management, design, and engineering teams, both domestically and internationally. Methodology:

• Mercari emphasizes a data-driven approach, utilizing user insights to inform product decisions and drive continuous improvement.

• The "Solve Through Mechanisms" engineering principle highlights a focus on building scalable and efficient systems and processes.

• The "Collaborate Openly" principle underscores the importance of transparent communication and cross-functional teamwork.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is deeply rooted in its mission and engineering principles, which favor collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a passion for the product. The emphasis on "mechanisms" aligns well with operations-focused roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Mid-Level UX Researcher position (2-5 years of experience). It involves hands-on tactical research and operational ownership, with opportunities for strategic contribution under senior guidance. The role is designed for someone who can execute independently while also contributing to the broader research strategy and operations.

Reporting Structure: The role is within the Cross-border UX research team, likely reporting to a Senior UX Researcher or a Research Manager who oversees global research initiatives. Collaboration will be extensive with product managers, designers, and engineers on various product initiatives.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher directly impacts the global product's success by ensuring it meets the needs of diverse international users. Insights generated will inform critical product decisions, feature development, and user experience improvements, ultimately driving user acquisition, retention, and satisfaction in new markets. The operational aspects of the role contribute to the efficiency and scalability of the research function itself.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in cross-cultural research, specific market dynamics (e.g., APAC), and advanced research methodologies.

• AI Integration: Become a leader in applying AI tools within UX research, potentially shaping Mercari's AI-powered research strategy.

• Research Operations Leadership: Grow into roles focused on scaling research operations, managing research infrastructure, and developing global research best practices.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to larger strategic research initiatives, product strategy, and cross-border market entry planning.

• Fieldwork: Gain extensive experience through international fieldwork, providing direct exposure to global user contexts.

• Mentorship: Potentially mentor junior researchers or contribute to training programs as experience grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth from tactical execution to more strategic research and operational leadership, particularly in the emerging area of AI-assisted research and global operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with a primary office located in Roppongi, Tokyo. This suggests a structured office environment designed for collaboration, team meetings, and focused work, complemented by remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo, Japan. This is a well-known business and entertainment district in Tokyo, offering excellent accessibility and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• The Roppongi office likely provides a modern and well-equipped workspace conducive to collaboration and innovation.

• Access to necessary research tools, technology, and potentially dedicated spaces for user testing or team discussions.

• The hybrid nature allows for a balance between in-person collaboration and focused remote work, catering to different task requirements.

• Opportunities for interaction with a diverse, international team of researchers, designers, and engineers.

Work Schedule: Full Flextime with no core time. This offers significant autonomy in managing work hours, enabling researchers to align their schedules with research participant availability across different time zones, or to optimize their personal productivity peaks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and full flextime indicate a modern work environment that prioritizes flexibility and employee autonomy, which is beneficial for researchers managing global studies and diverse stakeholder needs.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Screening: Initial review of resume and portfolio for relevant experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Skill Assessment: Potentially a UX research or operations-related assessment (e.g., case study analysis, survey design, or AI tool application scenario) to evaluate practical skills. This may be administered via platforms like HackerRank or

GitHub.

• Interviews: Multiple rounds of interviews, likely including:

  • Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: Focus on research experience, operational capabilities, and cultural fit.
  • Cross-functional Interview(s): Discussions with designers, PMs, or engineers to assess collaboration style and ability to integrate insights into product development.
  • Senior Researcher/Leadership Interview: Deeper dive into strategic thinking, problem-solving, and potential for growth.

• Reference Check: Online references will be requested, typically around the time of the final interview.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Cross-border Experience: Showcase projects that demonstrate understanding of international user needs, cultural nuances, and the challenges of global product rollouts.

• Demonstrate Research Operations: Include examples of how you've managed research logistics, improved processes, maintained repositories, or contributed to VoC programs.

• Showcase AI Integration: Present any projects where you've experimented with or effectively used AI tools to enhance research efficiency, analysis, or communication.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research on product decisions, user experience improvements, or business outcomes. Clearly articulate the problem, your approach, and the results.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project or by key skill area, ensuring each case study clearly outlines the research question, methodology, key findings, and actionable recommendations.

• Tailor to Mercari: Research Mercari's mission, values, and current global expansion efforts. Frame your experience and portfolio examples to show how you can contribute to their specific goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a specific research challenge for a cross-border product, perhaps involving a new feature or market entry.

• Practice articulating how you would integrate AI tools into your research process for efficiency and effectiveness.

• Prepare to explain your methodology for synthesizing findings from diverse international user groups.

• Think about how you would manage research operations for a global team and ensure insights are disseminated effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process includes a skill assessment, emphasizing practical application. Portfolio review is critical, with a specific need to demonstrate cross-border, operations, and AI integration experience.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Remote Testing Platforms: UserTesting, Maze, UserZoom, or similar tools for unmoderated usability studies and concept evaluations.

• Survey Tools: Google Forms, Qualtrics, Typeform, or similar for designing and distributing surveys for feedback collection and analysis.

• AI Tools: A broad range of AI tools for research planning, participant recruitment support, data analysis, synthesis, insight communication, and repository management. Specific tools are not listed but expect to explore and utilize emerging AI platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and clear reports.

• Potential use of dashboarding tools to visualize feedback and research findings for product teams. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM concepts for understanding user segmentation and feedback tracking.

• Experience with workflow automation tools or processes that can be applied to streamline research operations. Collaboration & Documentation:

• Tools for collaborative document creation, project management, and knowledge sharing (e.g., Google Workspace, Confluence, Notion).

• Experience with maintaining research repositories and user databases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tools as a required skill indicates a significant focus on leveraging these technologies. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and willingness to experiment with AI in research.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Passion For The Product: A deep commitment to understanding and improving the user experience of Mercari's products, particularly in the global marketplace context.

• Grow Together: A collaborative spirit, focused on mutual learning and development, both individually and as a team, especially in navigating new markets and technologies like AI.

• Solve Through Mechanisms: An emphasis on building efficient, scalable, and repeatable processes and systems to support research operations and insight delivery.

• Collaborate Openly: A commitment to transparent communication, active listening, and cross-functional teamwork to ensure user insights are integrated effectively into product development.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with designers, product managers, engineers, and potentially marketing or international expansion teams.

• Open to feedback and iterative improvement, both in research methodologies and operational processes.

• Emphasis on knowledge sharing and building a strong research practice that supports the entire organization.

• Proactive in seeking out information and building relationships across different teams and geographies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Mercari Engineering Principles are central to the team's culture, guiding how work is approached, how teams interact, and how problems are solved. These principles directly translate into expectations for collaboration, efficiency, and a user-centric mindset.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Cross-Cultural Complexity: Navigating diverse user needs, cultural nuances, and market-specific expectations across multiple international regions.

• Scaling Research Operations: Developing and maintaining efficient, scalable research processes and infrastructure to support rapid global expansion.

• AI Integration: Thoughtfully and effectively integrating AI tools into the research workflow to enhance speed and quality without compromising rigor.

• Balancing Tactical & Strategic Work: Effectively managing a workload that includes ongoing, hands-on research execution alongside contributions to broader strategic initiatives and operational improvements.

• International Fieldwork Logistics: Planning and executing research in unfamiliar international markets, requiring adaptability and strong logistical skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Cross-Cultural Research Expertise: Gain deep insights into user behavior and market dynamics in key global regions.

• AI in UX Research: Become a pioneer in applying AI technologies to UX research, developing specialized skills in prompt engineering, AI-assisted synthesis, and tool integration.

• Research Operations Mastery: Develop expertise in building and managing robust research operations frameworks for a global organization.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Influence the strategic direction of Mercari's global products through impactful user insights.

• International Exposure: Opportunities for travel and fieldwork, providing invaluable real-world experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the role's core responsibilities, particularly its global scope and the integration of new technologies like AI, offering significant opportunities for professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to adapt your research methodology for a specific cultural context. What were the challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on cultural sensitivity and methodological flexibility.)

• "How would you approach building a scalable participant recruitment process for research across three different Asian markets?" (Focus on research operations and global logistics.)

• "Imagine you need to synthesize findings from 500 open-ended survey responses and 20 user interviews for a new feature launch. How would you leverage AI tools to accelerate this process?" (Focus on AI integration and data synthesis.)

• "Walk us through a research project where your insights directly led to a significant product change or improvement. What was your process, and how did you measure the impact?" (Focus on impact and actionable insights.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Mercari's Engineering Principles (Passion For The Product, Grow Together, Solve Through Mechanisms, Collaborate Openly) align with your approach to UX research and operations?" (Prepare examples for each principle.)

• "What interests you most about Mercari's mission to 'circulate all forms of value' and its global expansion strategy?" (Show genuine interest and alignment.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in UX research, particularly regarding AI tools and cross-cultural research?" (Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation around 2-3 key projects that best showcase your skills in tactical research, research operations, and AI integration for a global context.

• Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your research objectives, the methodologies used (including any AI tools), key findings, and the actionable recommendations you provided. Emphasize the impact of your work.

• Operations Focus: Highlight specific contributions to research operations, such as process improvements, documentation, or efficient participant management.

• AI Demonstration: If possible, briefly demonstrate or describe how AI tools were used to enhance a specific part of the research process (e.g., theme identification, summarization).

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time and focus on the most impactful aspects of your work. Be prepared for follow-up questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely test for a blend of core UX research skills, operational thinking, global awareness, and forward-thinking adoption of technologies like AI. Demonstrating how you "solve through mechanisms" and "collaborate openly" will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position at Mercari:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Workable platform.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your UX research expertise, research operations contributions, and experience with AI tools in a cross-cultural context. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your approach, findings, and impact.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, such as "UX Research," "Crossborder," "Usability Testing," "Research Operations," "AI Tools," and "Global Product." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare for Assessment: If a skill assessment is required, practice common UX research tasks, such as survey design, data analysis, or scenario-based problem-solving. Familiarize yourself with tools like UserTesting or Maze.

• Research Mercari: Thoroughly understand Mercari's mission, values, engineering principles, and current global expansion efforts. Prepare to articulate how your skills and experience align with their goals.

• Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common UX research and operations questions, focusing on the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and incorporating examples of your international experience and AI tool usage.

⚠️ 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.