Original Merchandise Developer (Bilingual Japanese/English)

Location: Hybrid role based in Bellevue, Washington, United States.

Salary: $86,200–$102,300 per year for typical new hires; full base salary range of $86,200–$151,000 per year.

Company

hirify.global manages the brand, licensing, marketing, trading card game, animated series, home entertainment, and official websites outside of Asia.

What you will do

• Lead plush product development from initial concepts through production sample approval.
• Review prototypes and samples for quality, construction, materials, manufacturability, and character accuracy.
• Provide actionable feedback to overseas manufacturers, vendors, and external partners.
• Create concept sketches, development artwork, and technical illustrations to support prototyping.
• Coordinate multiple projects while balancing quality, cost, deadlines, and development risks.
• Translate product documents, review comments, and business communications between Japanese and English, while maintaining product records and development standards.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of professional experience in plush, toy, or 3D consumer product development.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Near-native Japanese and English bilingual proficiency required.
• Strong knowledge of product construction, materials, manufacturing processes, and quality standards.
• Experience evaluating product quality, character accuracy, and consumer appeal.
• Experience with overseas manufacturers, cross-functional collaboration, project management, prioritization, and Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Confluence.

Nice to have

• Background in product design, industrial design, graphic design, illustration, or a related field.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
• Experience developing character-based consumer products.
• Ability to create concept sketches, development artwork, and technical illustrations for plush prototyping.
• Passion for hirify.global and character merchandise.

Culture & Benefits

• Innovative, impact-driven culture focused on meaningful outcomes and continuous improvement.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums, employer-paid life insurance, and long- and short-term income protection insurance.
• Generous paid family leave and 401(k) employer matching for US employees.
• Fitness reimbursement, commuter benefits, and LinkedIn Learning.
• Company events celebrating hirify.global and a hybrid work environment.