Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher (26-548) Part-time

Postdoctoral Researcher

The Explainable AI Team, Physical Intelligence Group, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (Team Director: Hitomi Yanaka) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher.

The RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP) is a leading international hub for state-of-the-art AI research. Centered around three core research groups—the Mathematical Intelligence Group, the Domain Intelligence Group, and the Physical Intelligence Group—AIP is dedicated to establishing the mathematical foundations of trustworthy AI, advancing AI technologies integrated with diverse scientific domains, and developing embodied intelligence for the real world.

The Explainable AI Team is working on basic and applied research on the explainability and reliability of AI from multidisciplinary perspectives, including natural language processing, theoretical linguistics, philosophy, and cognitive science, with the aim of realizing AI that supports human decision-making. Our basic research focuses on elucidating the meaning acquisition and inference processes of AI, while our applied research focuses on realizing explainable AI that is acceptable to humans.

You will engage in basic or applied academic research related to explainable AI.

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

Qualifications:

• Must have a Ph.D. or expect to receive a Ph.D. before the date of employment in computer science (natural language processing and machine learning), linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, or a related field.
• Must have research experience in natural language processing, theoretical linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, or a related field, or a strong desire to pursue research in these fields.
• Must be proactive, cooperative, flexible, and able to respond according to the circumstances.
• Must also have good communication skills and be able to cooperate with the relevant personnel within/outside of the laboratory to fulfill the tasks.

Work location: RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo (7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo). RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

Salary and benefits:

• A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up to the end of the fiscal year (March 31) in which the employee completes 5 years of employment.
• 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 salary at the time of employment: The total amount of monthly discretionary work allowance and monthly salary at the time of hiring will be 382,610 JPY or more.

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.

Required documents:

• List of publications (including Researcher ID or Google Scholar ID, if available): Circle titles of three major papers in the list
• Photocopies of three major research papers.
• Two different letters of recommendation including one by the current supervisor Note: If you cannot obtain a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, the same document issued by a third party is acceptable. Please specify the referee's contact information (Name, affiliation, job title, phone number, and email address). Letters of recommendation must be addressed to: Director of RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project. Letters of recommendation must be submitted directly by the recommender, not by the applicant. We will contact the recommender with the URL to which the letter of recommendation should be submitted.
• Research in the past and research plan (3 pages in A4 size). Your research plan must include outcome expected within a few years from your appointment.
• 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:

• A) Please access ” [HR] Inquiry for public recruitment ” and enter your contact information, the Open call ID (26-548) and so on.
• B) Our HR staff will send you an email with instructions on how to submit your application.

Note: Application 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 early as possible.

Contact Information: RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project Email: aip-hr@ml.riken.jp For inquiries, please send an email.