メルカリのミッション・バリューについての詳細はこちらをご覧ください
業務内容
研究プロジェクトの推進
R4Dが取り組む研究と、メルカリグループが提供するサービスを接続する事業連携プロジェクトや、外部機関との研究プロジェクトの推進など、各種プロジェクトマネジメント業務を担当いただきます。例えば、事業部や経営からの課題に対して、コア技術開発のテーマ選定や研究観点からの支援を研究者と行ないます。また、研究内容の事業応用可能性の検討や提案、研究の事業実装に向けた社内ステークホルダー（研究者、事業部担当者等）との連携や推進をリードいただきます。
なお、2026年7月現在の主な社外連携プロジェクトは以下のとおりです。
価値交換工学（VXE）
https://www.riise.u-tokyo.ac.jp/research_programs/vxe
メルカリR4Dラボ・大阪大学協働研究所」
https://elsi.osaka-u.ac.jp/mercari/
Co-innovationを加速する制度の企画、運営
メルカリや、メルカリのミッションに関連する研究が社会全体で増えていくような制度の企画・運営に取り組みます。また、Co-innovationを加速させるためのコミュニティ創出の企画や運営にも、Outreachチームと連携し取り組みます。
- 研究を円滑に進めるためのコーポレート業務
- 現在、契約書等のコーポレート業務の大半をアシスタントメンバーやAIで対応しています。Research Program Managerは、契約書の締結や研究を進める上での規律やガイドラインの業務が適切に推進、運用されているかの監督や、より専門性が必要とされる業務のディレクション、業務の振り返りや改善を通じて、研究組織の滑らかな運営と研究活動の活性化に取り組みます。
ユニークなチャレンジ
メルカリのミッションである「あらゆる価値を循環させ、あらゆる人の可能性を広げる」に対し、最先端の研究開発に関わりながら貢献することができます。
社内では特殊なポジションであり、研究成果を社会実装するといったチャレンジングな経験をすることができます。
民間企業でありながら、他大学の研究者とも積極的に協力し、従来の枠組みにとらわれない研究を進めている組織です。このようなチャレンジングな環境の中で、組織として成果を最大化するためにどのようなことが必要かを自ら考え、提案、実行していくことができます。
社内で独立する研究組織ではありますが、フリマアプリ「メルカリ」や決済サービス「メルペイ」など、月間2,000万人ものお客さまが利用するプロダクトから、技術的なインプットを得ることができます。
応募要件
求める経験・スキル
メルカリグループおよび各カンパニーのミッションとバリューに共感していただける方
R4Dのミッション・ステートメントに共感しワクワクを感じる方
自ら組織をつくっていくことや、社内外にて多様なバックグラウンドを持つ方とのネットワーク構築にやりがいを持てる方
社内外の複数の組織にまたがるプロジェクトをリードし、多様な価値観をもつ関係者を巻き込みながら、粘り強く成し遂げた実績
歓迎する経験・スキル
大学、企業、公的機関等において研究開発、またはその支援の経験
研究開発プロジェクトの開始から終了までの一貫したマネジメント経験
経営企画、事業開発等の経験
語学力
日本語：Independent (CEFR - B2)
英語：Independent (CEFR - B1)もしくはIndependent (CEFR - B2) 歓迎
※CEFRの詳細については、こちらをご覧ください
メルカリグループについて知る
キャリアサイト https://careers.mercari.com/
メルカン：https://mercan.mercari.com/
SNS：X / Linkedin
R4D website: https://r4d.mercari.com/
選考について
メルカリグループではメルカリグループおよび各カンパニーのミッションとバリューへの共感・体現を大切にしています。メンバーが発揮する価値の総量が最大化されるような組織づくりを推進するために、候補者のみなさんの経験やスキルをより正しく理解したいと考えています。
選考の流れ
書類選考
面接：ポジションにより、複数回の面接をお願いします
リファレンス：オンライン回答形式のもので、最終選考の前後でお願いします
オファー：最終選考とリファレンスの内容より決定されます
※詳しくは こちらのページをご覧ください
選考における機会の平等
メルカリでは、バックグラウンドによって個人の可能性が決めつけられることなく、自由に価値を生みだす機会を手にできる社会の実現を目指しています。そしてメルカリがミッションを実現するために「Inclusion & Diversity」という考え方は不可欠な存在だと考えています。
採用活動においても、メルカリのミッション・バリューに共感する、様々なバックグラウンドの方にジョインしていただけるよう、年齢、性別、性的指向、人種、宗教、身体能力、その他記号に基づくあらゆる差別をなくすことを約束します。
詳しくは、I&D statementをご覧ください。
なお、ご応募の際にはプライバシーポリシーをご確認ください。
Research Program Manager - Mercari
Employment Status: Full-time
Work Hours: Flextime (no core hours)
Office: Roppongi, Osaka, Fukuoka
For more details, see the Overview of Our Positions section on our Careers site.
About Mercari
Circulate all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people
“What can I do to help society thrive with the finite resources we have?” The Mercari marketplace app was born in 2013 out of this thought by our founder Shintaro Yamada as he traveled the world. We believe that by circulating all forms of value, not just physical things and money, we can create opportunities for anyone to realize their dreams and contribute to society and the people around them.
Mercari aims to use technology to connect people all over the world and create a world where anyone can unleash their potential. For more information about Mercari Group’s mission, see the Mercari Culture Doc.
Organization/Team Mission
Team mission and expectations of the role
R4D is a research and development organization established with the mission of “pioneering the path toward undiscovered value” and a focus on real-world implementation. By bridging the communities of industry, academia, and government to promote a co-innovation approach and leveraging science and technology to resolve complex social issues, R4D strives to realize Mercari’s aim to circulate our limited resources to build a future where anyone can unleash their potential.
R4D researches how value is created, exchanged, and circulated throughout society, starting from the C2C platform at the core of Mercari Group's business. We explore everything from advanced technologies that will redefine the future of C2C platforms to the relationship between technology, people, and society.
The R4D organization consists of an R&D Team composed of researchers and engineers and a Research Acceleration Team composed of specialists in research organization management, such as project management, research coordination, and promotion, with members hailing from around the world. In this position, as a member of the Research Acceleration Team, you will take on various tasks related to organizational management and research promotion, such as planning and driving research projects and devising programs related to research activities and organizational management.
About the Research Program Manager position
The Research Program Manager position is part of R4D’s Research Acceleration Team, which consists of two teams: the Research Program Management Team and the Outreach Team, which plans and drives PR, branding, and outreach for our research. The Research Program Management Team is a team newly established in July 2026.
As Research Program Manager, you will collaborate with researchers and members of the Outreach Team to plan and carry out initiatives that foster innovation and drive our research projects forward. This position provides the opportunity to take on a wide range of challenges while creating and defining the value that this new team can offer to the organization.
We hope to receive applications from people who are interested in building an organization from the ground up, widening their network with stakeholders, and engaging in exchanges with various parties from many different backgrounds.
See here for more information about Mercari’s mission and values.
Work Responsibilities
Driving research projects
You will be responsible for various project management tasks, such as driving business collaboration projects that connect R4D’s research with Mercari Group’s services, as well as managing research projects with external organizations. For example, in response to issues raised by business divisions and company leadership, you will work with researchers to select core technology development themes and provide support from a research perspective. You will also lead efforts to explore and propose potential business applications for research findings, as well as coordinate and drive collaboration with internal stakeholders (researchers, business division representatives, etc.) to implement research into actual business operations.
As of July 2026, R4D’s main external collaboration projects are as follows:
Value Exchange Engineering (VXE)
https://www.riise.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en
Mercari R4D Research Alliance Laboratory
https://elsi.osaka-u.ac.jp/mercari/english/
Planning and operating programs to accelerate co-innovation
You will work on planning and operating programs aimed at increasing research related to Mercari and Mercari’s mission throughout society. You will also work with the Outreach Team to plan and operate initiatives to expand the R4D community to accelerate co-innovation.
Taking on corporate tasks to facilitate research Currently, most corporate tasks such as contracts are handled by assistant members and AI. As Research Program Manager, you will work to ensure smooth operation of the research organization and to encourage research activities. This will include overseeing whether tasks such as contract execution and the discipline and guidelines for advancing research are being properly promoted and managed, directing operations that require more expertise, and reviewing and improving operations.
Unique Challenges
You will be able to contribute to Mercari’s mission to circulate all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people by being involved in cutting-edge research.
Even within the company, this is a unique position that offers the challenging experience of putting our research outcomes into practice in the real world.
Although R4D is part of a private company, we actively collaborate with researchers from universities and conduct research that is not bound by conventional frameworks. In this kind of challenging environment, you will have the opportunity to independently think through, propose, and execute what is necessary to maximize the organization’s output.
Even though R4D is an independent research organization within the company, you will be able to access technical input from our products used by as many as 20 million users a month, such as the Mercari marketplace app and Merpay payment service.
Qualifications
Required Experience/Skills
Shared belief in the mission and values of Mercari Group and its various companies
Shared belief in and sense of excitement regarding Mercari R4D’s mission statement
Ability to enjoy building an organization from the ground up and creating networks with people from diverse backgrounds both inside and outside the company
Experience leading projects spanning multiple organizations, both internal and external, and persistently seeing them through to completion while engaging stakeholders with diverse values
Preferred Experience/Skills
Experience in R&D or R&D support at a university, company, public institution, etc.
Experience managing R&D projects from start to finish
Experience in corporate planning, business development, etc.
Language
Japanese: Independent (CEFR - B2)
English: Independent (CEFR - B1) or Independent (CEFR - B2) preferred
For details about CEFR, see here.
Learn More About Mercari Group
Careers site: https://careers.mercari.com/en/
Mercan: https://careers.mercari.com/en/mercan/
Social media: X / LinkedIn
R4D website: https://r4d.mercari.com/en/
Recruiting at Mercari
At Mercari Group, we value empathizing with and embodying the mission and values of the Group and each company. To promote the creation of an organization that maximizes the total amount of value exhibited by all members, we would like to understand the experience and skills of each candidate as accurately as possible.
Recruiting cycle at Mercari Group
Application screening
Interview: The number of interviews may vary depending on the position.
Reference check: Toward the end of the interview process, we will ask you to provide us with references via an online service.
Offer: Offers will be determined carefully in consideration of the final interview and the reference check.
Learn more about our recruiting process here.
Equal Opportunity Hiring
Here at Mercari, we work to realize a world in which no one’s potential is limited by their background and everyone has the opportunity to freely create value. We also firmly believe that a mindset of Inclusion & Diversity is essential for us to achieve our mission.
This, of course, extends to our hiring practices as well. Mercari is committed to eliminating discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, physical disability, and other such factors so that anyone who shares our mission and values can join us, regardless of their background.
For more details, please read our I&D Statement.
Please read and acknowledge our Privacy Policy prior to submitting your application.
