Work At ISAK

UWC ISAK Japan is a full-boarding international high school on a mountain campus in Karuizawa, Nagano. We bring together students from more than 80 countries for a two-year or three-year fully residential high school education built around leadership, an entrepreneurial mindset, high quality rigorous learning, and the UWC mission: making education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

Our team makes this possible. Whether you are a teacher, a counselor, a facilities manager, or an administrator, your work here connects to something larger than any single role.

We are looking for people who are genuinely curious, comfortable with discomfort, motivated by a diverse community, and inspired by the UWC mission. ISAK is not a conventional school environment, and we are not looking for conventional candidates.

JOIN US

Two Ways to Join Our Team

Faculty members working together at UWC ISAK Japan

Faculty Educators, advisors, and academic staff who teach, mentor, and support students in and beyond the classroom, and in the residential experience. Faculty Opportunities

Staff

What People Say About Working Here

Lucy Twigger

Director of Grade 10 Curriculum and Leadership Innovation

Brenda Hasham

History and ToK teacher Brenda Hasham

Nicolas Carter

Director of Admissions Nicolas Carter

Life in Karuizawa

The school sits on the outskirts of Karuizawa, a mountain town in Nagano Prefecture, roughly 70 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Known for clean air, four distinct seasons, and easy access to hiking, skiing, cycling, and the outdoors, Karuizawa is an unusual place to live and work — and for many of our staff and faculty, that is the point.

The town has a resident population of around 25,000 that expands significantly during summer. It has galleries, restaurants, a symphony hall, onsen, and a large outlet mall. What it does not have is easy urban convenience. Owning a car is essential and this is worth knowing before you apply.

Here are a couple of links you might find helpful for getting a sense of Karuizawa and what it is like to move here.

Visit Karuizawa

Living in Karuizawa