Job Description
We are seeking a Visual Interaction Designer to join D4V (Design for Ventures) in Tokyo.
Responsibilities
Once here you will participate in design sprints to accelerate the growth of our Portfolio Companies. As a Visual Interaction Designer, you will:
- Understand our Portfolio Companies’ business needs and identify opportunities to support them through design
- Do great UX / UI design work alongside our portfolio companies to improve their products and services
- Articulate the value of design and work closely with the Portfolio Companies’ founders to show its potential for business impact
- Educate and help out Portfolio Companies in recruiting design talent, building their own design capabilities and establishing a culture of design within their organization
Qualifications
The ideal candidate
- Is fluent in both English and Japanese
- Has a strong portfolio showcasing UI / UX design work
- Has a bias for making, iterating and visualizing
- Has experience working with startups
As a Visual Interaction Designer at D4V, you will have the opportunity to work closely with startups across multiple industries in a collaborative environment. You will primarily work hands-on alongside our Portfolio Companies (i.e. the startups we have invested in) designing and developing world-class products and services.
Note: This is a role with D4V, working directly with the D4V Team and selected IDEO members. Learn more about D4V at d4v.com.
Relevant experience and mindset:
- Strong Japanese and English verbal and written skills
- Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related field
- Experience working with startups and shipping products
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in a UX/interaction design role, with a strong portfolio showcasing design work
- Strong understanding of UX principles, for both consumer-facing and b2b applications
- Bias for making, iterating and visualizing
- Proficiency in design and digital prototyping tools
- Ability to work with cross-functional teams, including engineers and product managers
- Passion and pulse for the Japanese startup ecosystem and its culture
- High comfort level in working within a self-directed culture and navigating ambiguity
- Openness to critique from other disciplines and curiosity to learn from a spectrum of perspectives
About the Company
D4V (Design for Ventures) is a Tokyo-based early-stage venture capital firm that invests in disruptive, consumer and enterprise technology startups. Partnering with the global design company IDEO, D4V provides both hands-on assistance and coaching to help startups create value via human-centered customer experiences and interactions.
We help startups deliver not only financial returns but also positive impact on the world. Our work aims to support and strengthen the culture of entrepreneurship in Japan and beyond, accelerating the growth of a more entrepreneurial economy.