Call for RIKEN ECL Team/Unit Leaders (Sechi Kato Program) FY2024

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

•Full-time appointment at RIKEN is assumed, but 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 (amount supported by Sechi Kato Program)
Team Leader: an average of 40 million yen 
Unit Leader: an average of 20 million yen
Note: In addition to the annual research budget, initial expenses for a smooth lab start-up will be provided.

•RIKEN is actively undertaking initiatives to promote gender equality and diversity, and moving forward with the establishment of a diverse and vibrant research environment. As an all-RIKEN measure, 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).

•Please consult if you are interested in spousal hiring.

Start of employment

Between September 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026.

Term of employment

The maximum term of appointment is seven years. 

Salary 

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

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

Career

•In principle, the ECL Team / Unit Leaders will have an opportunity to apply to undergo screening for indefinite-term PI positions in the fifth year of their service after appointment.

•The 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.

Deadline

•For applicant registration: September 19, 2024 (noon, Japan time) 

•For revising or uploading application documents and recommendation letters: September 26, 2024 (noon, Japan time) 

For more information and to apply, visit at the website below

https://www.riken.jp/en/careers/programs/riken_ecl/call2024/ ;

Contact information

RIKEN ECL Program Desk

Research Personnel Affairs Section, RIKEN

ecl-program[at]ml.riken.jp