Moving to Okinawa after PhD — feeling stuck career-wise, need advice| Military Spouse (male)

Hi everyone,

I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some advice.

I recently finished my PhD in tech (focused on ICTs, AI policy, and development—mainly in Africa). I also have some experience in UX research on the industry side. Right as I was starting to explore opportunities in academia and industry, my spouse and I found out we’ll be moving to Okinawa. Professionally, I’m feeling pretty unsettled. It kind of feels like I’m walking away from a lot of momentum and potential opportunities just as things were starting to open up.

I’ve started looking into job options, but I’m honestly not sure where to focus my efforts. USAJobs hasn’t been helpful so far, and I’m wondering if I’m missing other avenues.

So I guess my questions are:

• Where should I realistically be looking for jobs (contract, etc.) in this situation?
• Are there specific platforms, communities, or strategies that people in similar situations have found useful?

If anyone has gone through something similar or has insight into working from/around Okinawa, I’d really appreciate your perspective.

Thanks in advance.