Seeking a Senior Research Scientist, Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher (25-3469)

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Laboratory

RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research
(Center Director: Ryoichiro Kageyama)

Outline of Laboratory

The Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) views the functions of molecules, cells, and organs that support all life stages of organisms as a dynamic system, and aims to elucidate developmental, growth and aging phenomena as well as apply their findings to develop regenerative medicine and diagnostics, thereby contributing to the extension of healthy life expectancies.

BDR is launching the “BDR–RISE Program,” which provides early-career researchers with diverse research experience through collaborative research projects spanning multiple laboratories within BDR, and supports their autonomous career development. Under this program, applicants are invited to propose a collaborative research project that involves two or more BDR laboratories. After being selected, the successful candidate will hold a joint appointment across the relevant laboratories and conduct the proposed project as a “BDR–RISE Program Fellow”. Selected projects will receive research funding support. By conducting research in multiple laboratories with different fields and expertise, fellows can acquire a broad perspective and skills beyond a single discipline.

Research funding

Research funding of 3,000,000 JPY per year per project will be provided. The funding will be allocated to the host and partner laboratories as part of their research budgets and executed under the approval of the laboratory heads.

For more details of the BDR–RISE Program, please also refer to the dedicated website below. Applicants are requested to review the website before applying.
About the BDR-RISE Program

Job title and Job description

Job title

Senior Research Scientist, Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher: 1-2 position(s)

Position-specific tasks are as follows:

Senior Research Scientist: Conduct their research project independently, expand their research scope through collaborative research, and proactively contribute to the management/operation of collaborative research projects in cooperation with relevant laboratories.
Research Scientist: Conduct their research project independently and expand their research scope through collaborative research.
Postdoctoral Researcher: Conduct their research project under the supervision of the host principal investigator and carry out their research.

The final job title will be determined based on the applicant’s abilities and suitability.

Job Description

The successful candidate will conduct the collaborative research project proposed at the time of application. The proposed project must involve research themes across at least two laboratories listed below. Upon appointment, the candidate will hold a joint appointment across the laboratories and carry out the collaborative project. Among the participating laboratories, one will serve as the host laboratory (primary affiliation), and the other(s) will serve as partner laboratory/laboratories (joint affiliation).

Participating laboratories in the BDR–RISE Program include:

Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics (Team Director: Shuichi ONAMI)
Laboratory for Cell Polarity Regulation (Team Director: Yasushi OKADA)
Chrono-Developmental Biology RIKEN ECL Research Team (Team Director: Masayuki OGINUMA)
Laboratory for AI Biology (Team Director: Haruka OZAKI)
Laboratory for Nutritional Biology (Team Director: Fumiaki OBATA)
Laboratory for Neural Stem Cell Research (Team Director: Ryoichiro KAGEYAMA)
Laboratory for Ultrastructural Research (Team Director: Satoko ARAKAWA)
Laboratory for Chromosome Segregation (Team Director: Tomoya KITAJIMA)
Laboratory for Heart Regeneration (Team Director: Wataru KIMURA)
Laboratory for Genetic Engineering Technology (Team Director: Hiroshi KIYONARI)
Laboratory for Multimodal AI Framework (Team Director: Ryosuke KOJIMA)
Laboratory for Quantitative Biology of Cell Fate Decision (Team Director: Yumi KONAGAYA)
Laboratory for Developmental Genome System (Team Director: Takefumi KONDO)
Metabolic and Behavioral Physiology RIKEN ECL Research Team (Team Director: Chisako SAKUMA)
Laboratory for Physical Biology (Team Director: Tatsuo SHIBATA)
Laboratory for Gametogenesis (Team Director: Hiroki SHIBUYA)
Laboratory for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis (Team Director: Yoshihiro SHIMIZU)
Laboratory for Prediction of Cell Systems Dynamics (Team Director: Katsuyuki SHIROGUCHI)
Laboratory for Hibernation Biology (Team Director: Genshiro SUNAGAWA)
Laboratory for Computational Molecular Design (Team Director: Makoto TAIJI)
Laboratory for Human Organogenesis (Team Director: Minoru TAKASATO)
Laboratory for Biologically Inspired Computing (Team Director: Koichi TAKAHASHI)
Laboratory for Human Biomimetic System (Team Director: Masaya HAGIWARA)
Laboratory for Brain Connectomics Imaging (Team Director: Takuya HAYASHI)
Laboratory for Developmental Epigenetics (Team Director: Ichiro HIRATANI)
Laboratory for Tissue Microenvironment (Team Director: Hironobu FUJIWARA)
Laboratory for Multiscale Biosystem Dynamics (Team Director: Chikara FURUSAWA)
Laboratory for Comparative Connectomics (Team Director: Kazunari MIYAMICHI)
Laboratory for Developmental Morphogeometry (Team Director: Yoshihiro MORISHITA)
Laboratory for Lung Development and Regeneration (Team Director: Mitsuru MORIMOTO)
Laboratory for Homeodynamics (Team Director: Yoo Sa Kan)
Laboratory for Comprehensive Bioimaging (Team Director: Tomonobu WATANABE)
Laboratory for Epithelial Morphogenesis (Team Director: Yu-Chiun WANG)

Pre-application consultation and project set-up

Applicants must contact the heads/PIs of the prospective host and partner laboratories to confirm their willingness to participate under this call and to discuss the research proposal.

1.Pre-application consultation: Contact the heads/PIs of the laboratories you wish to collaborate with (prospective host and partner laboratories) and confirm whether they can accept you under this call. Contact information is available on the BDR laboratory pages, etc.
2.Define the collaborative project: After confirming acceptance, share and discuss your proposed project with the PIs of the host and partner laboratories, and finalize the collaborative project plan. Please also coordinate which laboratory will serve as the host laboratory (primary affiliation).

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

Qualification

Common to all positions: A person with strong motivation to lead collaborative research spanning multiple laboratories, and who can advance research cooperatively with relevant stakeholders inside and outside the laboratories.

There is no restriction on career stage; however, applicants who aim to become an independent researcher in the future are welcome.
Senior Research Scientist: A PhD holder in the area related to the job description, with more than 5 years of experience in working in the area after obtaining PhD, and is able to provide direction to other members.
Research Scientist: A PhD holder in the area related to the job description.
Postdoctoral Researcher: A PhD holder who earned a doctorate within the past 5 years in the area related to the job description. Including those who expect to obtain a doctoral degree before starting the position.

Work location

RIKEN Kobe Campus-East-West

2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047 (Developmental Biology Buildings)
6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047 (MI R&D Center Building)
6-7-1 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047 (Integrated Innovation Building)

The work location will vary depending on the location of the laboratory to which the successful candidate is assigned.

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, up to a maximum of 3 years from the date of hiring.
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 amount of monthly salary at the time of employment:: The total amount of monthly discretionary work allowance and monthly salary at the time of hiring will be 537,000 JPY or more for Senior Research Scientist, 449,000 JPY or more for Research Scientist and 383,000 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher.

RIKEN has implemented a telecommuting system that allows employees to work from home or other locations permitted by RIKEN.

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).

*The Kobe Campus has an on-site daycare, Po-I Kids Kobe. For details, please send an email to the General Administrative Section at kobe-kosei@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.
*Eligible to apply for the MEXT Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi).

Application and required documents

Required documents

1.Complete CV or CV
- *Email address is required.
- *Application Number [25-3469] and position to apply (e.g. : Research Scientist) should be clearly written at top-right in the margin.
- *Format is free. Or the format attached is available.
2.List of research achievements and publications (Please categorize : Original article, Review article, Book, Conference presentation, Others)
(including ResearcherID or Google Scholar ID, if available)
3.Summary of past research and the result (about 2 pages of A4 paper)
4.Research Plan (Collaborative Research Proposal) (use the designated format).
- *Your proposal must involve at least two laboratories listed under the job description.
- *Before preparing the research plan, contact all intended host/partner laboratory candidates and coordinate the plan thoroughly.
- *Selection will consider novelty/impact and the significance of conducting the project as a multi-laboratory collaboration.
5.Two letters of recommendation (including one from the current supervisor, If available)
- *The letters of recommendation should be addressed to “Center Director, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research”.
- *Please specify the referee’s contact information (name, affiliation, job title, phone number and email address)
- *If it is difficult to obtain a letter of recommendation from the immediate manager or current supervisor, a third party letter is acceptable.
- *The referee should not be a person who belongs to the laboratory you apply for.
6.Certificate of degree awarded or PhD diploma (copy), Certificate of graduation from the last school or graduation certificate from the last school (copy)
7.Agreement on handling of personal information (Handling of personal information based on the Hiring Privacy Policy, the General Data Protection Regulation, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation)
Please review the following web page before submitting the consent form.:

How to apply

The above documents except the letters of recommendation combined into a single PDF or ZIP file should be uploaded to the following link:

(25-3469) Application for a Senior Research Scientist/Research Scientist/ Postdoctoral Researcher of the Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research

The uploaded file name should contain the job ad number “25-3469” and the applicant’s name.
When you upload the file, your contact email address is required.
After you uploaded the file, please let us (kobe-jobs@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.

The letters of recommendation must be directly submitted from the referees to the following link with the file name "Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research [Applicant’s name] (Letter of recommendation)". Please specify the applicant's name, referee's name and contact information in the letter of recommendation.

(25-3469) Application for a Senior Research Scientist/Research Scientist/ Postdoctoral Researcher of the Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research

After the referees uploaded the letter of recommendation, please let us (kobe-jobs@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.
If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: kobe-jobs@riken.jp.

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

June 30, 2026 (Tue) – Application to reach by this date.

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. After documents screening, only successful applicants will be invited for interview. Selection will consider the applicant’s excellence/potential, the excellence/impact of the research proposal, and feasibility of the implementation plan.
No inquiries on the selection process and results will be answered.

Selection schedule (tentative)

Application deadline: June 30, 2026
Notification of document screening results: mid-July 2026
Interviews: July 17, August 3, or August 5, 2026

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

October 2026 or later (negotiable).

Contact information

For inquiries on this open position, please contact below by email:
Research Personnel Affairs Section, Human Resources Strategy Division, Human Resources Group, RIKEN
kobe-jobs@riken.jp

For inquiries about the overview of the BDR–RISE Program:

Life Science Promotion Division (BDR), RIKEN
Email: bdr-rise_progdesk@ml.riken.jp

For research-related inquiries to participating laboratories:

Please find contacts on the BDR laboratories page and contact the relevant laboratory directly.