The Role

私たちは、海洋に情熱を持ち、スピード感のある小規模チームへの参加に意欲的な、細やかで組織的な方を求めています。 (We are looking for a diligent and organized person who is passionate about the ocean and excited to join a small, fast-moving team.)

You thrive in environments that value precision, reliability, and collaborative harmony — and you bring that same care to everything you do. You're comfortable with technology and computer systems — perhaps you're skilled in spreadsheets, familiar with no-code tools like Retool and Notion, or have some coding experience. Above all, you are highly organized, detail-oriented, and take pride in delivering accurate, dependable work.

You will work closely with Sofar's Wayfinder team on mission-critical operational tasks. These include ship routing support, critical operational tasks for data and service products, helping the ocean science team integrate new data sources for analysis, and improving internal tooling. You have strong time management skills, can work independently when needed, and are confident in your decision-making — including when navigating the nuances of cross-cultural communication between Japanese clients and our global team.

Your fluency in Japanese — both written and spoken — is central to this role. You will serve as a vital bridge between Sofar and our Japanese-speaking partners, customers, and maritime industry contacts, where trust, clear communication, and cultural understanding are paramount.

Minimum Qualifications

• Native or near-native fluency in Japanese (verbal and written) — this is a core requirement

• Previous experience in meteorology, oceanography, or a maritime-related field

• Bachelor's degree in oceanography, climatology, geography, or a related discipline

• Experience in the shipping or maritime industry, particularly with ship routing or weather routing

• Familiarity with observation and forecast data including WaveWatch III, HYCOM, and ECMWF

• Strong understanding of mid- and long-range forecasting and weather patterns

• Comfortable with data analysis and modern web applications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills — experience working with Japanese maritime companies or institutions is a strong plus

• Ability to work weekend rotations

• A genuine passion for and/or connection to the oceans

Bonus Points

• Data visualization skills

• Proficiency in additional languages beyond Japanese

• Experience collaborating across time zones and with internationally distributed teams

• Familiarity with Japanese maritime regulations, shipping culture, or relationships with Japanese port authorities and logistics companies

Sofar's Commitment to Climate Justice

We at Sofar Ocean acknowledge that careers in the marine sciences have traditionally been — and remain — non-diverse work environments, limiting the entry and prosperity of underrepresented groups. Many of these same groups are disproportionately affected by climate change and are often excluded from decision-making that directly addresses their interests and needs.

We are committed to addressing these climate injustices and highly encourage people who identify as women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to apply.