Figure and Plastic Model Product Planning and Development

Square Enix is hiring for a contract position focused mainly on planning, developing, and managing production of figures, plastic models, and other hobby and character merchandise based on company intellectual property such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and the NieR series. Depending on suitability and department needs, the role may also cover plush toys, miscellaneous goods, apparel, and other character products.

The work covers the product lifecycle from concept to production. Responsibilities include proposing new product concepts, conducting market research, estimating costs, and deciding specifications such as size, articulation structure, materials, coloring, and packaging. The role places orders with manufacturers, sculptors, 3D modelers, and designers; checks prototypes and sculpting; and provides coloring instructions and correction feedback.

The position coordinates reviews with internal game development teams and artists, communicates with manufacturing factories, mainly in China and other overseas locations, and manages the quality of prototypes, T1 samples, and mass-production samples. It also manages schedules toward release dates, budgets, and production-line adjustments.

Event-related duties include booth setup, sample display and sales support, and on-site operations at domestic and international hobby events such as Tokyo Game Show. The role also progresses and manages outsourcing agreements and non-disclosure agreements with external partners, including manufacturers, sculptors, 3D modelers, and factories. General departmental administration includes invoice processing, sample management and shipping, warehouse organization, and document preparation.

Required qualifications include approximately three or more years of experience in planning, development, or production progress management for figures, plastic models, toys, or other three-dimensional products. Practical experience supervising prototypes and providing coloring correction instructions is required, as is experience communicating with manufacturing factories, particularly overseas or Chinese OEM factories, and managing quality. The posting also requires negotiation and coordination skills that balance quality goals with business considerations such as revenue and cost.

Preferred experience includes planning or developing figures and plastic models, with knowledge of part separation, mold structure, and molded-color design. Basic knowledge of or practical experience with 3D sculpting software such as ZBrush or with 3D CAD is also welcomed, as is knowledge of character licensing businesses in the game or anime industries.

Applicants must submit a portfolio in addition to a résumé and work history. The portfolio should show figures or plastic models they have planned, handled, or directed. They must also provide materials such as product images and prototype correction documents that demonstrate their scope of responsibility, within the limits of confidentiality obligations. The position is based at the Shibuya office in Shibuya, Tokyo.