Job description
Background of the recruitment and description of the project
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.
https://www.bdr.riken.jp/en/career/jobs/rise_program.html
Work content and 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)
- Laboratory for Brain Organoid (Team Director: Hideyuki OKANO)
- Chrono-Developmental Biology RIKEN ECL Research Team (RIKEN ECL Team Leader: 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)
- Sexual Reproduction System RIKEN ECL Research Unit (RIKEN ECL Unit Leader: Mariko KIKUCHI)
- 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 (RIKEN ECL Team Leader: Chisako SAKUMA)
- Laboratory for Physical Biology (Team Director: Tatsuo SHIBATA)
- Laboratory for Gametogenesis (Team Director: Hiroki SHIBUYA)
- Continued in the Notes column
Assigned department
Existing departments
RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research
Job type
Researcher/Postdoc level
Research field
- Life Science - Developmental biology
- Life Science - Molecular biology
- Life Science - System genome science
- Life Science - Biophysics
- Life Science - Neuroscience-general
Wages
Annual Salary: 4 million yen ~
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 536,065 JPY or more for Senior Research Scientist, 448,990 JPY or more for Research Scientist and 382,610 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher.
Working hours
- Working hours: 09:00-17:20
- Break time: 12:00-12:50
- Holidays: Days off include Saturdays and Sundays, 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).
- Overtime and other explanations: This position falls under the specialized duties discretionary work system; one working day will be calculated as 7 hours and 30 minutes.
Application requirements
Qualifications
Education and Degree Requirements
Ph.D. / Doctor
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.
Description
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.
Employment Type
Contract employee
Senior Research Scientist, Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher
Contract period
Nontenured - Non-tenure track
- A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up to a maximum of 3 years from the date of hiring.
- 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.
Probationary period present
In principle, the first two months of employment are considered a trial period. There is no change of working conditions.
Work location
650-0047 Hyogo, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, (Developmental Biology Buildings) RIKEN Kobe Campus-East-West
〒650-0047 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, (MI R&D Center Building) RIKEN Kobe Campus-East-West
〒650-0047 6-7-1 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, (Integrated Innovation Building) RIKEN Kobe Campus-East-West
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, in accordance with RIKEN regulations.
Compensation
Various systems
Pay increase system: 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.
Transportation expenses: available
Others: Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai). There are also additional leave systems such as maternity leave, childcare leave, and family nursing care leave.
Insurance
- Employees' Health Insurance: available
- Employees' Pension Insurance: available
- Worker's accident insurance: available
- Employment insurance: available
- Others: available
Measures for preventing passive smoking at the workplace
Smoking is entirely prohibited on site.
Supplementary explanation of compensation
RIKEN has implemented a telecommuting system that allows employees to work from home or other locations permitted by RIKEN.
*The Kobe Campus has an on-site daycare, Po-I Kids Kobe. For details, please send an email to the General Administration 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 Considerations
Number of hired
1 person(s)
Description
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.
Job content supplemental explanation
Start of Employment: In principle, the successful candidate is expected to take up the position on April 1, 2027 or October 1, 2027. The specific start date will be determined individually, taking into account the progress of the selection and employment procedures, coordination with the candidate’s current position, and other relevant circumstances.
Application period
2026/08/04~2026/11/30 Deadline for receipt
November 30, 2026 (Mon) – Application to reach by this date.
Application method
Attached documents
- Application Form: Online Submission. Please refer to "job Posting URL".
- Achievements and Activities: Online Submission. Please refer to "job Posting URL".
- Other online application forms: Please refer to "job Posting URL".
Return of application documents
Others
Application documents will not be returned. Submitted documents including personal information will be used only for the purpose of applicant screening.
JREC-IN Portal web application: Not available
E-mail Application: Not available
Recruiting Institution's Web application system: Accept. Please refer to "job Posting URL".
URL of this job posting
https://www.riken.jp/en/careers/researchers/20260803_3/index.html
Selection / Notification of result
Selection
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: November 30, 2026
- Notification of document screening results: early-December 2026
- Interviews: December 15, 2026, January 15, 2027, or January 19, 2027
Notification of result
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.
Contact details
RIKEN
Research Personnel Affairs Section
Human Resources Strategy Division, Human Resources Group, RIKEN
kobe-jobs(at)riken.jp
- Please change (at) to @ and send it.
For inquiries on this open position, please contact above by email:
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 (https://www.bdr.riken.jp/en/research/labs-pi/index.html) and contact the relevant laboratory directly.
Notes
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.
※ Continued from the Job content column
- 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.
- 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 (https://www.bdr.riken.jp/en/research/labs-pi/index.html), etc.
- 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.
Depending on the period of operation of each laboratory, some laboratories may not be designated as the host laboratory (primary affiliation) under this program. Even in such cases, they may participate in the collaborative research project as a partner laboratory (joint affiliation). Applicants should consult fully with the relevant heads/PIs during the pre-application consultation regarding the designation of the host and partner laboratories.
