Laboratory

Laboratory for Bottom-up Cell Biology
RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences
(Team Director: Makito Miyazaki)

Outline of Laboratory

The Laboratory for Bottom-up Cell Biology is recruiting research employees to carry out a new theme. The research overview of the laboratory is shown below.

In our laboratory, we aims to understand the design principles that govern the self-organization of cell-scale ordered structures and biological functions from molecules. Using the cytoskeleton as a model system, we are exploring biochemical and physical conditions under which cytoskeletal structures and the related biological functions are reconstituted in artificial cells.

For more details, please refer to the following webpage.
Laboratory for Bottom-up Cell Biology

Job title and Job description

Job title

Postdoctoral Researcher: 1 position

Job description

We are recruiting a person who will work for the JST FOREST project "Self-organizaiton mechanisms of cytoskeletal dynamics and fuctions through a bottom-up reconstitution approach", which is a part of the 3.5-year external grant JST FOREST (FY2025-FY2028).

The successful candidate will conduct i) reconstitution experiments of cytoskeletal dynamics and related biological functions by encapsulating puried proteins or cell extracts into cell-sized vesicles, and ii) develop mathematical and computational models to elusidate the resulting dynamics.

The job description may be changed during the contract period or upon contract renewal to the extent described above.

The difference in positions is as follows:
Carries out research and other work in accordance with laboratory research themes under the mentorship and training of supervisors.

Qualification

• A person who is able to dedicate themselves to the job by communicating, coordinating and collaborating smoothly with people in and out of the laboratory.
• A doctoral degree awarded less than 3 years ago in a field related to the [Job Description].
• Candidates should have expertise in both reconstitution experiments and mathematical modeling related to cytoskeletal mechanics.

Work location

RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (Yokohama Campus)
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

Salary and benefits

• 1.A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation to March 31, 2028
• 2.RIKEN may adjust the above maximum period of renewability based on a) the employee’s abilities, workload at the time of contract completion, performance and work attitude and b) the continuation of the employee’s center, laboratory or project and RIKEN’s management situation and budget at the time. In principle, employment contracts will not be renewed for individuals older than 70 years. In principle, the first two months of employment are considered a trial period.

Salary will be an annual salary based on experience, ability, and performance, and will consist of a base salary and a variable salary. The variable salary will be determined each fiscal year based on experience, ability, and performance. Discretionary work, commuting and housing allowances will be provided. Social insurance will be applied.
The approximate monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment:

The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment will be 367,000 JPY or more.
For a candidate who joins RIKEN immediately after finishing their PhD, the monthly pay at hire (including the Discretionary Work Allowance) will be approximately 400,000 JPY.

RIKEN has a telecommuting system, but this position requires attendance at the work location. Therefore, the telecommuting system is not available for this position, in principle. For more information, please get in touch with the hiring staff at ims-bcb-recruit@ml.riken.jp.

This position falls under the specialized duties discretionary work system; one working day will be calculated as 7 hours and 30 minutes.
Days off include public holidays, New Year's holidays (Dec. 29 - Jan 3), and RIKEN Foundation Day.
Paid leave includes annual paid leave (up to 20 days depending on the month of employment), special paid leave (caring for a sick child, family nursing care, etc.), and work life balance holidays (up to 7 days depending on the month of employment).
There are also additional leave systems such as maternity leave, childcare leave, and family nursing care leave.
Smoking is entirely prohibited on site.
These and other provisions are in accordance with RIKEN regulations.

Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai).

• *Eligible for an exemption from repayment for category 1 scholarship loans provided by the Japan Student Services Organization before fiscal year 2003
• *Eligible to apply for the MEXT Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi).

The Yokohama Campus has an on-site daycare, RIKEN Kids Yokohama. For details, please send an email to the HR at kids-yk-hr@ml.riken.jp

RIKEN is actively undertaking initiatives to promote gender equality and diversity, and moving forward with the establishment of a diverse and vibrant research environment. If multiple candidates are found to have the same aptitude following a fair assessment, active efforts will be made to recruit female candidates.

Application and required documents

Required documents

Prepare the documents below as PDF files and follow the instructions in [How to Apply] to submit them. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• 1.CV or CV indicating the desired position (Postdoctoral Researcher) and the open call ID [25-2550] in the upper right corner of the CV.)
  • *Using the RIKEN format above is appreciated.
• 2.List of research achievement and publications (articles, reviews and books), presentations, etc. in the past 5 years (including Researcher ID or Google Scholar ID, if available)
• 3.Brief description of previous research and achievements, and future research plans (maximum of two A4-size pages).
• 4.One letter of recommendation from the current supervisor, if available.
  • Please specify the referee’s contact information (Name, affiliation, job title, phone number, and email address).
  • The signature (or seal) of the person providing the recommendation is required.
  • The letter of recommendation should be addressed to the “Director of the Center for Integrative Medical Sciences.”
    (If it is not possible to provide a letter from the current supervisor, please have a third party write one regarding your current position)
• 5.PhD/Master’s degree
• 6.List of competitive external funds obtained (e.g., Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [Kakenhi]; indicate whether you are the representative researcher or the collaborator)
• 7.Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR/UK GDPR
  If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA) or the UK, you are required to sign and submit the document, “Consent form for handling personal information based on Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) and the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation.”
  • *For residents of the EEA, you will find detailed information about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the following website:
    Data protection | European Commission
  • *For residents of the UK, you will find detailed information about Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation) on the following website:
    The UK GDPR | Information Commissioner’s Office

How to apply

The above documents except the recommendation letters should be converted to PDF and uploaded to the following link after these files are combined into a single ZIP file:

RIKEN/IMS BCB Application Box

• Zip file name: 25-2550_desired position_Name
• The file name of each PDF file: 25-2550_desired position_Name_submitted document No.
• When uploading the application documents by a ZIP file via BOX, please make sure to input your contact email address.
• After uploading the ZIP file, please let us (ims-bcb-recruit@ml.riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.

*Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Recommendation letter(s) by PDF must be directly submitted from the referee(s) to the following link.

RIKEN/IMS BCB Application Box

• The file name of the recommendation letter: 25-2550_applicant’s name_recommendation letter
• Please specify the applicant's name, referee's name and contact information in the recommendation letter.
• The recommendation letter should be addressed to “Director of the Center for Integrative Medical Sciences”.
• When uploading the PDF letter, please make sure to input your contact email address.
• After uploading the letter, please contact at ims-bcb-recruit@ml.riken.jp to inform the file name of the uploaded file.

If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: ims-bcb-recruit@ml.riken.jp.

Note: None of the submitted documents will be returned.

Deadline

Until the position is filled.

Handling Personal Data

Submitted documents are strictly protected under the RIKEN Privacy Policy and will be used only for the purpose of applicant screening at RIKEN. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred or loaned to a third party under any circumstances without just cause.

Selection process

Selection will be made based on application screening and interview. (face-to-face or remote interview)
After documents screening, only successful applicants will be invited for interview.

*We do not answer to questions regarding contents of the examination.

Notification of hiring decision

The notification of hiring decision (conditional offer of employment) regarding this selection shall be carried out through the presentation of an Employment Contract or a Conditional Offer of Employment issued by RIKEN.

Start of Employment

April 1, 2026 (negotiable)

Contact Information

For inquiries on this open position, please send an email.
Laboratory for Bottom-up Cell Biology
RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (Yokohama Campus)
ims-bcb-recruit@ml.riken.jp

*If you have any research-related questions, please send an email.
Laboratory for Bottom-up Cell Biology
Team Director: Makito Miyazaki
Email: makito.miyazaki@riken.jp