Laboratory

Laboratory for Brain Resilience
RIKEN Center for Brain Science
(Team Director: Emi Ling)

Outline of Laboratory

Newly established in February 2026, our lab explores the molecular basis of individual variation in brain aging, asking why some brains remain resilient while others decline. We integrate cutting-edge approaches in molecular neurobiology, biochemistry, and single-cell omics to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these differences. Our ultimate goal is to translate these insights into lifelong strategies for cognitive health.

Job title and Job description

Job title

Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher 2 positions

Research Scientist is defined as those with a doctoral degree more than 5 years.
Postdoctoral Researcher is defined as those with a doctoral degree of 5 years or less.

Job description

We welcome applications from highly motivated, rigorous, and creative candidates who are excited to discover mechanisms underlying inter-individual variation in normal brain aging. The successful candidate will drive key research directions to publication, mentor junior colleagues, and further their training in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment, with opportunities to develop independent research directions as the lab expands.

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

Qualification

Key qualifications include:

• A Ph.D. in neuroscience, biological/biomedical sciences, genomics, or a related field.
• The ideal candidate is self-motivated, demonstrates high research integrity, communicates clearly, maintains a positive and solution-oriented approach, thrives in a collaborative setting, and contributes to an inclusive research environment.
• Proficient in both spoken and written English.

Work location

RIKEN Wako Campus (2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198)
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, for a Research Scientist, the contract is renewable up to the end of the fiscal year (March 31) in which the employee completes 7 years of employment. For a Postdoctoral Researcher, the contract is renewable up to the end of the fiscal year (March 31) in which the employee completes 5 years of employment.
• 2.RIKEN may adjust the above maximum period of renewability based on a) the employee’s abilities, work load 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 salary at the time of employment:

The total amount of monthly discretionary work allowance and monthly salary at the time of hiring will be 448,990 JPY or more for Research Scientist, and 382,610 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).

*Eligible to apply for the MEXT Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi).

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.

The Wako Campus has an on-site daycare, RIKEN Kids Wako. For details, please send an email to kids@riken.jp.

Application and required documents

Required documents

• 1.Complete CV or CV
  • *RIKEN CV: Write the RIKEN job ad number “26-201”, indicated in the parentheses next to the job title, in the RIKEN job ad number section in the upper right corner of your CV.
  • *Original CV: Write down in the notes section of your CV the number written next to the title of the job position (e.g. 26-201).
• 2.List of research achievement and publication
  (including ResearcherID or Google Scholar ID, if available)
• 3.Awards and External Funding, etc.
• 4.Summary of research experience to date
• 5.Reason for applying for the post (personal strengths, motivation, future research plans, career aspirations, etc.)
• 6.2-3 letters of recommendation (including one from the current supervisor, If available)
  • *Please specify the referee’s contact information (Name, affiliation, job title, phone number, and email address)
• 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.:
  • *Hiring Privacy Policy
  • *The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
  • *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)

How to apply

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

Submit application files for Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher position, Lab for Brain Resilience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

Letters of recommendation must be directly submitted from the referees to the following link with the file name "Lab for Brain Resilience, Researcher position [applicant’s name] Letter of recommendation". Please specify the applicant's name, and referee's name and contact information in the letter of recommendation.

Submit letters of recommendation for Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher position, Lab for Brain Resilience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

Open 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

Application screening and interview for selected applicants

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

As soon as possible

Contact information

RIKEN Center for Brain Science
Laboratory for Brain Resilience
Email: emi.ling@riken.jp
For inquiries, please send an email.