Detailed information
Work location : Kanto district - Tokyo
Date of publication : 2025/05/23
Call for Professors,Associate Professors,Assistant Professors,Research Associates at UTokyo College of Design, The University of Tokyo(DESIGN)
D125051640
The University of Tokyo
Research field : Others - Others - DESIGN
Professor level : Regular employee - Tenured - Non-tenure track - Probationary period present
Associate Professor : Contract employee - Nontenured - Non-tenure track - Probationary period present
Lecturer level : Contract employee - Nontenured - Non-tenure track - Probationary period present
Assistant Professor level : Contract employee - Nontenured - Non-tenure track - Probationary period present
Job description
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Background of the recruitment and description of the project
In September 2027, the University of Tokyo will launch UTokyo College of Design (UTokyo Design) — a bold new educational program set to redefine how design shapes the future. UTokyo is seeking talented and passionate educators from around the world to be part of the founding faculty of the College of Design. Currently, we are seeking faculty members from across a range of roles: From emerging early-career scholars or practitioners to more established and experienced educators. We are hoping to hire approximately 20 new members through this call. Successful candidates should demonstrate enthusiasm for design education, a willingness to reside in Japan, and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams with diverse cultural backgrounds, professional experiences, and disciplinary approaches.
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Work content and job description
Faculty members are responsible for a range of educational activities (including but not limited to teaching undergraduate courses, mentoring students, participating in their extracurricular activities, etc.) and carrying out the administrative tasks (incl uding curriculum and organization management, and admissions) required to maintain an effective academic environment.
We will be recruiting a range of faculty members: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Research Associate. The faculty team will be made up of Japanese and international people who are from a range of different design-related expertise and interest areas.
Expertise areas include but are not limited to:
⚫ Industrial / Product Design
⚫ Design Engineering
⚫ Digital Fabrication
⚫ Mechatronics (Creative Technologists)
⚫ Interaction Design
⚫ Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Design
⚫ Communication Design (all types)
⚫ Experience Design (XD)
⚫ Brand and Identity Strategy
⚫ Data Visualization
⚫ New Media Design
⚫ Critical / Speculative Design
⚫ Design Futures
⚫ Narrative / Storytelling Design
⚫ Design Research
⚫ Research through Design
⚫ Exhibition Design
⚫ Ethics & Design Specialists
⚫ Strategic Design
⚫ Service Design
⚫ Business Design
⚫ Design Management
⚫ Innovation Design
⚫ Creative Leadership
⚫ Design Entrepreneurship
⚫ Policy / Governance Design
⚫ Systems Design
⚫ Sustainable Design
⚫ Environmental / Ecological Design
⚫ Social Design
⚫ Inclusive / Universal Design
⚫ Urban / Spatial Design
We welcome candidates who are pioneering new forms of design practice and inquiry, and who can help shape the next generation of design leaders capable of addressing complex societal challenges with creativity, responsibility, and vision.
In addition, we will be looking for people with interests in the following social issues and opportunities
⚫ Health and Well-being and Design
⚫ Food Systems and Sustainable Innovation
⚫ Climate Action and Environ -
Assigned department
Newly established departments
UTokyo College of Design
Date of new establishment : April 2027
Job type
- Professor level
- Associate Professor
- Lecturer level
- Assistant Professor level
Research field
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Others - Others
DESIGN
Wages
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Professor level
Annual Salary : 9 million yen ~ 12 million yen
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Associate Professor
Annual Salary : 7 million yen ~ 10 million yen
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Lecturer level
Annual Salary : 6 million yen ~ 9 million yen
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Assistant Professor level
Annual Salary : 4 million yen ~ 8 million yen
Working hours
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Professor level
Working hours :08:30-17:00
Break time :12:00-12:45
Holidays : Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan (there are 16 public holidays in Japan, note some fall on a weekend); Year-end and New Year holidays
(December 29 - January 3)Overtime and other explanations : Under the discretionary work system for specialized work, the employee is expected and deemed to work for 7 hours and 45 minutes per day and 5 days per week (38 hours and 45 minutes per week).
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Associate Professor
Working hours :08:30-17:00
Break time :12:00-12:45
Holidays : Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan (there are 16 public holidays in Japan, note some fall on a weekend); Year-end and New Year holidays
(December 29 - January 3)Overtime and other explanations : Under the discretionary work system for specialized work, the employee is expected and deemed to work for 7 hours and 45 minutes per day and 5 days per week (38 hours and 45 minutes per week).
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Lecturer level
Working hours :08:30-17:00
Break time :12:00-12:45
Holidays : Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan (there are 16 public holidays in Japan, note some fall on a weekend); Year-end and New Year holidays
(December 29 - January 3)Overtime and other explanations : Under the discretionary work system for specialized work, the employee is expected and deemed to work for 7 hours and 45 minutes per day and 5 days per week (38 hours and 45 minutes per week).
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Assistant Professor level
Working hours :08:30-17:00
Break time :12:00-12:45
Holidays : Saturdays and Sundays; Statutory public holidays of Japan (there are 16 public holidays in Japan, note some fall on a weekend); Year-end and New Year holidays
(December 29 - January 3)Overtime and other explanations : Under the discretionary work system for specialized work, the employee is expected and deemed to work for 7 hours and 45 minutes per day and 5 days per week (38 hours and 45 minutes per week).
Application requirements
Qualifications
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Education and Degree Requirements
Ph.D. / Doctor / Master / Bachelor
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Description
Required
1. A university degree (bachelor’s level or higher) in a field related to design—this may include, but is not limited to, areas such as product design, communication design, interaction design, architecture, engineering, the arts, social sciences, or other disciplines where design plays a central role.
2. At least two years of proven design education work experience or equivalent (skilled recent graduates may also be considered if the candidate has other outstanding experience or attributes). Note: We are looking for both early career and established applicants and will take this into account when judging experience.
3. Adaptable to respond to a new and pioneering project.
4. Effective teamwork skills for successful work between different individuals and teams (internal and external).
5. The candidates must have the ability to communicate professionally in English.
Desirable
1. Experience in planning and delivery of new curriculum, taking part in admission systems, program promotion, design program resources
and facility planning (e.g. , workshops and equipment)
2. Experience working in an academic research environment and communicating with researchers.
Employment Type
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Professor level
Regular employee
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Associate Professor
Contract employee
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Lecturer level
Contract employee
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Assistant Professor level
Contract employee
Contract period
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Professor level
Tenured - Non-tenure track
Probationary period present
6 months from the date of hiring
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Associate Professor
Nontenured - Non-tenure track
Contracts have a 3-year duration.
Note: Starting date is negotiable. We will be hiring some core staff in 2025 or 2026; however, the
program will not start until September 2027, so we
welcome applicants who expect to join at that time or beyond (faculty involved in teaching Years 2-5 will
be needed only from 2028 - 2031).Probationary period present
14 days from the date of hiring
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Lecturer level
Nontenured - Non-tenure track
Contracts have a 3-year duration.
Note: Starting date is negotiable. We will be hiring some core staff in 2025 or 2026; however, the
program will not start until September 2027, so we
welcome applicants who expect to join at that time or beyond (faculty involved in teaching Years 2-5 will
be needed only from 2028 - 2031).Probationary period present
14 days from the date of hiring
-
Assistant Professor level
Nontenured - Non-tenure track
Contracts have a 3-year duration.
Note: Starting date is negotiable. We will be hiring some core staff in 2025 or 2026; however, the
program will not start until September 2027, so we
welcome applicants who expect to join at that time or beyond (faculty involved in teaching Years 2-5 will
be needed only from 2028 - 2031).Probationary period present
14 days from the date of hiring
Work location
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113-8658
Tokyo
2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-Ku
You may be required to work at another location in the Hongo area.
Compensation
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Various systems
Transportation expenses : available
Retirement age : available
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Insurance
Employees' Health Insurance : available
Employees' Pension Insurance : available
Worker's accident insurance : available
Employment insurance : available
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Measures for preventing passive smoking at the workplace
Smoking is prohibited on the premises (smoking areas are located outside).
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Supplementary explanation of compensation
-Annual paid leave, refreshment leave, congratulatory or condolence leave, etc. Annual paid leave is 20 days per year (the number of paid leave days in the year of employment differs depending on the month of appointment).
- Commuter allowance (conditions apply) JPY55,000 per month maximum
- No retirement benefits or bonuses
Application Considerations
Number of hired
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Job content supplemental explanation
Please note that this schedule is subject to change.
20 person(s)
Application period
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2025/05/23~2025/10/31 Deadline for receipt
Application method
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Return of application documents
We will dispose of all application documents responsibly.
URL of this job posting
Selection / Notification of result
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Selection
Those who pass the document screening will be interviewed.
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Notification of result
by email
Contact details
The University of Tokyo
Chair of the UTokyo College of Design Preparatory
Takumi Moriyama
hr-utokyodesign.adm(at)gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp
* Please change (at) to @ and send it.
Notes
