Seeking Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher (W24340) Part-time

Research Scientist Or Postdoctoral Researcher

The Laboratory of Motor Circuit Plasticity (PI: Aya Takeoka) at RIKEN Center for Brain Science is seeking an organized and highly motivated lab technician to join our group. Our lab employs multi-disciplinary approaches, including genetics, quantitative behavior analysis, electrophysiology, and neural circuit mapping and manipulation to study the basic mechanisms underlying how we learn to control movements. The applicant will be assigned to an appropriate position based on his/her ability, aptitude, etc.

The successful candidate will be expected to take the lead in running, analyzing and publishing experiments which integrate advanced analytical methods with complex motor learning and execution paradigms.

In vivo electrophysiology

Use of genetic approaches to “tag” defined neural populations

Circuit stimulation and silencing

Analysis of behavioral and neuronal activity data

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

Required:

• Ph.D. degree in biotechnology or related fields.
• The successful candidate must be meticulous, self-motivated, and able to troubleshoot and interact well with other members of a diverse research team.
• Is flexible and willing to obtain new expertise and experiences.
• Good verbal and written English communication skills.

RIKEN Center for Brain Science (2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198) RIKEN has implemented a work-from-home system. Employees can work from home in accordance with the prescribed procedures. RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, to a maximum of June 30, 2032. (Postdoctoral Researcher have until the end of the year (March 31) in which the employee completes 5 years of employment, whichever is shorter) 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 is 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. The monthly base salary will be 327,200 JPY for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 384,000 JPY for Research Scientist, as of April 1, 2025. The monthly base salary and variable salary are subject to change due to amendments to RIKEN regulations. Discretionary work, commuting and housing allowances will be provided. Social insurance will be applied. The approximate amount of annual salary at the time of employment: The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment will be 371,500 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 436,000 JPY or more for Research Scientist. Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai). 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 (childcare, 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.

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.

Also, eligible for an exemption from repayment for category 1 scholarship loans provided by the Japan Student Services Organization before fiscal year 2003, and eligible applying for the MEXT Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi).

RIKEN has a work-from-home system, but this position requires attendance at the work location. Therefore, the work-from-home system is not available for this position.

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

Required documents:

• Complete CV or CV
• List of research achievement and publications
• External funding awarded
• Summary of research experience to date
• Reason for applying for the post
• A letter of recommendation from the current supervisor (If unavailable, a letter from a substitute reference will be acceptable.) *Please specify the referee's contact information (Name, affiliation, job title, phone number, and email address)
• 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.”

The above documents except the recommendation letters combined into a single ZIP file should be uploaded to the following website:

Laboratory for Motor Circuit Plasticity Team, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN

After you uploaded the ZIP file, please let us (aya.takeoka@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file. Recommendation letters must be directly submitted from the referees to the following website with the file name “XXXX [applicant's name] (Recommendation letter)”. Please specify the applicant's name, referee's name and contact information in the recommendation letter.

Open until the position is filled