Job Description

RIKEN offers PI positions in RIKEN Early Career Leaders Program for highly talented junior researchers.

Job title

• RIKEN ECL Team Leader (roughly equivalent to early career professor)
• RIKEN ECL Unit Leader (roughly equivalent to associate professor/assistant professor)

Qualifications

Applicants should be junior researchers who have appropriate knowledge, experience, and abilities to supervise and promote research.

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent competence is required for this position.
• There is no age limit.
• A full-time appointment at RIKEN is assumed. Please contact us if you would like to make cross-appointments.

Research fields

Natural sciences (including mathematical science and information science) or research areas bordering/blending natural sciences with humanities and social sciences.

Research environment

• Annual research budget
  Team Leader: an average of 30 million yen per fiscal year
  Unit Leader: an average of 10 million yen per fiscal year
  Note: In addition to the annual research budget, initial expenses for a smooth lab start-up will be provided. Women researchers in the program will be eligible for the Sechi Kato Program and can receive up to 10 million yen in research funding per year in addition to the standard budget.
• Location
  The location of the research will be at one of RIKEN's campuses in Japan where RIKEN's research centers are based.

A variety of programs are available for balancing work and personal life, including on-campus childcare facilities (in Wako, Yokohama, and Kobe), support for returning to work after a break, and subsidies for hiring support staff for researchers with family priorities (i.e., pregnancy, childcare, and nursing care).

Start of employment

Between August 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027 　(negotiable)　

Also, if you would like to start earlier than the above timeframe, you can negotiate.

Term of employment

The maximum term of appointment is seven years. 

Note: If an ECL Team / Unit Leader takes maternity leave or childcare leave, their post may be extended by the length of time equal to the duration of leave.

Salary 

• The ECL Team Leader’s annual salary :10.92 million yen 
• The ECL Unit Leader’s annual salary :8.52 million yen 

If the above salary amount is lower than the salary amount of the previous position, the annual salary amount may be adjusted based on a comprehensive consideration of difference in the goods and services between the host location and the previous location, expertise, and accomplishments.

Career  

• Various career paths are possible for both Team Leaders and Unit Leaders. ECL Team / Unit Leaders who are promoted to universities or other institutes receive as much support as possible, including research budget to continue developing their research without interruption, while maintaining their collaboration with RIKEN.
• In principle, ECL Team / Unit Leaders will have an opportunity to apply for screening for indefinite-term PI positions in the fifth year of their service after appointment.

Deadline

• August 7, 2025(noon, Japan time) for applicant pre-registration
• August 14, 2025 (noon, Japan time) for revising or uploading application documents and letters of recommendation

For more information or to apply, please visit the website below.

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