Reason for Hiring:

Under the slogan “YOUR FREEDOM: The freedom to reinvent yourself,” GU offers fashion that everyone can enjoy, leveraging its strengths in trends, price, and speed.
In 2026, Francesco Risso—who has earned high acclaim worldwide—assumed the role of Creative Director at GU. Building on the manufacturing foundation GU has cultivated, the brand is stepping into its next phase, driven by a clearer creative vision and the development of products of the highest quality.
Even amid prerequisites such as mass-production feasibility, reproducibility, and value for money, there is a greater demand than ever for planning, development, and design capabilities that view these constraints not as limitations but as new challenges, and successfully bring products to market.
Within the R&D organization, you will work closely with related departments—including Merchandising, Production, and Material Development—to enhance product quality without compromising the creative vision, based on a deep understanding of pricing, costs, and production contexts.

Department Overview:

GU’s R&D Department is a product development organization dedicated to bringing the brand message “YOUR FREEDOM” to life through our products. It comprises designers and patternmakers from all departments selling at GU—including Men’s, Women’s, Kids, and Merchandise—who work tirelessly every day to develop products that deliver fashion everyone can enjoy to the world.
We handle everything from market and trend research to material selection, specification design, and product development with an eye toward mass production. While prioritizing price, quality, and speed, we deliver products that balance fashion and practicality to customers around the world.

Job Description

With grading as your core responsibility, you will work to improve quality, strengthen partnerships with partner factories, establish company-wide grading rules, and develop and propose new ideas.
　(1) Size grading for women’s and men’s items
　(2) Formulation of company-wide grading rules
　(3) Deepening relationships with partner factories, including assigning work and providing feedback on finished products
You will also gather information on overseas markets and make proposals regarding next-generation product development.
*The Job Description is subject to change within the scope of duties related to each department at headquarters due to departmental transfers or organizational changes.

Position Highlights

• You’ll work in an environment where the products you develop can be enjoyed not only in Japan but by people all over the world. There may also be opportunities for business travel abroad.
• We maintain close ties with other departments—such as the Merchandising Department, Marketing Department, and Production Department—creating an environment that facilitates the exchange of ideas and communication. This is a role where you can achieve significant results through teamwork.
• In addition to deepening your expertise, you will have the opportunity to take on leadership and management roles in the future, based on your abilities, aptitude, and motivation.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Experience in grading for women’s and men’s apparel (5 or more years of experience)
• Experience with apparel-specific CAD software

Ideal Candidate

• Individuals with a strong desire for growth and a keen interest in grading work, who wish to build a career as a specialist active in the global market

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Experience in independently establishing grading rules
• Candidates with experience not only in grading but also in patternmaking
• Language proficiency is not required, but candidates must be committed to developing English skills beyond basic conversational level

*During the selection process, you may be asked to submit design sketches, samples, or other work you have created in the past.

Company Name: GU Co., Ltd.

Employment Type: Contract Employee (Fixed-term contract with a 3-month probationary period)

(Depending on your performance and evaluation during the first year of your contract as a contract employee, if you meet our criteria for conversion to a regular employee, we will consider hiring you as a regular employee starting in the second year.)
* The employment contract as a contract employee will expire at the end of the one-year term and will not be renewed.
* If you are not hired as a regular employee, your employment contract will end upon expiration of the contract term

Annual Salary

• Annual Salary Range: 4.25–8.64 million yen (Monthly Salary: 280,000–540,000 yen)
• Allowances: Commuting allowance, overtime pay, etc. (*All subject to company regulations)
• Bonuses: Semi-annual bonuses twice a year, year-end bonus (eligibility and amount determined based on company performance and performance evaluations)
• Promotions twice a year (determined based on performance evaluations)

*Salary will be determined based on company regulations, taking into account your previous annual income and experience, and is not limited to the figures listed above.

Working Hours

Either the standard work hours system or the flex-time system
(Determined based on job duties, expected role, and assigned department; details will be provided during the job offer interview)

• Standard Work Hours System

8 hours of actual work and 1-hour break between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

• Flexible Work Hours System

Standard daily working hours: 8 hours; break: 1 hour
Core hours: 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Flexible hours: 6:00–9:00 and 14:00–20:00; overtime work may occur

Holidays and Leave

Two days off per week (Saturdays and Sundays), annual paid leave, special and bereavement leave, childcare and family care leave systems, etc.
*Whether public holidays are considered days off in addition to the days off listed above will be specified individually in the contract for part-time employees
*In addition to paid leave, special leave is granted in the first and second halves of the fiscal year (the number of days granted varies depending on employment status and the company to which the employee belongs)

Insurance Coverage

Social Insurance (Health Insurance, Employees’ Pension Insurance, Employment Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance)

Employee Benefits

Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Mutual Aid Association, Partnered Welfare Programs, Employee Discount Program, Cafeteria, Dedicated Shuttle Bus (for commuting to the Ariake Office), Defined Contribution Pension Plan (full-time employees only)

Other

• Our company actively recruits mid-career professionals across various Group companies (Fast Retailing, UNIQLO, GU, etc.). We would appreciate it if you could review the information below and consider applying.
• Within the Fast Retailing Group, you may apply to multiple companies simultaneously. However, please note that even if the selection process proceeds with multiple companies, you can only advance to the final selection stage for one position at a time.
• Based on your submitted resume and interview evaluations, we may contact you to discuss opportunities at other companies or for other positions within the Fast Retailing Group.

• Measures Against Secondhand Smoke: As a general rule, smoking is prohibited on company premises and indoors, and we do not have designated smoking rooms. (Smoking is prohibited during working hours, including break times.)

Tokyo Ariake Office (UNIQLO CITY TOKYO)
*Your location may be changed to a location designated by the company, including overseas locations.