Call for Applications for FY 2027 RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow

Job description

Background of the recruitment and description of the project

RIKEN has newly established the RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow position. We invite applications from junior research personnel who have research experience and advanced skills in mathematical science, computational science, and information technology, and who are eager to use these skills to promote cutting-edge scientific research in collaboration with RIKEN researchers.

Overview of the RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow Program

Through initiatives such as TRIP (Transformative Research Innovation Platform of RIKEN platforms) and AI for Science, RIKEN is utilizing information technology in a wide range of fields to advance and accelerate research. Rapid technological innovations such as generative AI and agentic AI are significantly changing the way scientific research is conducted. In the future, the ability to fully utilize mathematical, computational science, and information technology skills will be essential for maintaining and strengthening research competitiveness in many fields.

In light of this, and to strengthen the research capabilities of RIKEN and academia in Japan as a whole, RIKEN is calling for applications for RIKEN Research Engineer Fellows: junior research personnel who aim to become research engineers and collaborate with researchers to drive leading scientific research. Applicants should have research experience in fields promoted by RIKEN and advanced skills in mathematical science, computational science, and/or information technology.

Continued in the Notes column.

Keywords

MathematicalSciences, PureMathematics, AppliedMathematics, ComputerScience, InformationScience, ArtificialIntelligence, PhysicsI, ParticlePhysics, NuclearPhysics, Astrophysics, PhysicsII, CondensedMatterPhysics, Chemistry, BiologicalSciences, CellBiology, DevelopmentalBiology, PlantScience, StructuralBiology, Microbiology, VisualizationandMeasurement, BasicNeuroscience, MedicalSciences, NeuroscienceandMedicine, Immunology, CancerResearch, Genomics, Engineering

Work content and job description

With the Research Engineer Enablement Office of the RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters as their main affiliation, and a host laboratory as their concurrent affiliation, RIKEN Research Engineer Fellows will leverage their research experience and skills in mathematical science, computational science, and information technology to promote groundbreaking scientific research in collaboration with researchers at the host laboratory. In addition, as part of their duties in the Research Engineer Enablement Office, opportunities will be provided to support Fellows in improving their mathematical, computational science, and information technology skills, and acquiring knowledge to ensure security in the use of AI for research. After being hired, Fellows will initially engage in work at the host laboratory requested at the time of application, but as a general rule, Fellows are expected to work in multiple laboratories during their employment contract period.

Assigned department

Existing departments. Please refer to "job Posting URL".

Job type

Researcher/Postdoc level

Research field

• Life Science - Unspecified
• Informatics - Unspecified
• Environmental science - Unspecified
• Energy Engineering - Quantum beam science
• Natural Science - Unspecified

Wages

Annual Salary: 6 million yen ~

Salary is determined annually based on experience, ability, and performance, and consists of a fixed salary and a variable salary. The variable salary is determined each fiscal year based on experience, ability, and performance.

Discretionary work allowance, commuting allowance, and housing allowance are provided. Fellows are also eligible for social insurance (health insurance).

Estimated salary at the time of hire:

The total of the monthly annual salary and the monthly discretionary work allowance at the time of hiring will be 550,000 yen or more. However, if this is lower than the compensation provided at the employee's previous position, the amount may be adjusted as appropriate by holistically evaluating the cost of living at the previous location as well as the applicant's knowledge, expertise, and achievements.

A research budget (activity fund) of up to 1,000,000 yen per year (and a maximum of 3,000,000 yen over 3 years) is provided. However, this budget may only be used for expenses that contribute to a) the execution of duties for the employee's main affiliation and/or b) the improvement of the employee's skills related to the duties of the main or concurrent affiliation. Applicable expenses may include the purchase of consumables, travel expenses, participation fees for conferences/training sessions, and more.

If joining or leaving RIKEN in the middle of a fiscal year, the allocated amount for the first and final fiscal year of employment is allocated proportionately depending on the month the employee joins/leaves RIKEN.

Working hours

Working hours: 09:00-17:20

Break time: 12:00-12:50

Holidays include Saturdays and Sundays, Japanese national holidays, the New Year's holidays (December 29 to January 3), and RIKEN Foundation Day. Paid leave includes annual paid leave (up to 20 days depending on the month of hire), special paid leave (childcare, family nursing care, etc.), and work-life balance holidays (up to 7 days depending on the month of hire).

This position falls under the discretionary work system for specialized work. One working day is calculated as 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Application requirements

Qualifications

Education and Degree Requirements

Ph.D. / Doctor

Applicants must fulfill the following conditions:

1. In principle, applicants must have received their doctorate (PhD) on or after January 1, 2016. (Those expecting to receive a doctorate may also apply; however, the doctorate must be awarded by the date of hire.)
2. Those with doctorates acquired on or prior to December 31, 2015, may also apply if there was a lapse in their research activities after obtaining the doctorate (due to reasons such as maternity leave, childcare leave, or working in a non-research capacity) if subtracting this lapse would result in an equivalent period of time. If applicable, please indicate the details of the reason for the lapse, as well as the duration of the lapse, in the application. RIKEN will consider the application and the reason for the lapse following the application deadline.
3. Applicants must possess the mathematical, computational science, and/or information technology skills required by the host laboratory.
4. Applicants must have an interest in acquiring the mathematical knowledge and the mathematical science knowledge necessary for evaluating and interpreting results produced by AI.
5. Applicants must have the motivation to contribute as a Research Engineer Fellow to research led by RIKEN researchers.
6. Applicants must be able to start work between April 1, 2027 and January 1, 2028.

Description

We also accept applicants on secondment from private companies. However, during their term, applicants are generally expected to focus exclusively on Fellow duties.

Employment Type

Contract employee

RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow

Contract period

Nontenured - Non-tenure track

1. Fellows will sign a single-year contract as a fixed-term employee. This contract is renewable based on evaluation, for a maximum term of 3 years from the date of hire.
2. The period for which a contract may be renewed is subject to change depending on the employee's abilities, workload at the time of contract expiration, performance, attitude, the continuation of the center/laboratory or project to which the Fellow belongs, and RIKEN's operational and/or budgetary situation.

Probationary period present. In principle, the first two months of employment is considered a trial period. There is no change of working conditions.

Work location

351-0198 Saitama, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, RIKEN Wako Campus

The work location for the primary affiliation is RIKEN's Wako Campus, and the work location for the concurrent affiliation (the host laboratory) is one of the following:

Location of host laboratories:

• RIKEN Wako Campus (Wako, Saitama)
• RIKEN Tsukuba Campus (Tsukuba, Ibaraki)
• RIKEN Tokyo Campus (Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
• RIKEN Yokohama Campus (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
• RIKEN Kobe Campus (Kobe, Hyogo)
• RIKEN Harima Campus (Harima Science Garden City)

In accordance with regulations, if necessary for operational reasons, RIKEN may order employees to change work locations.

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: Fellows are automatically enrolled in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai), which arranges special employee perks and events. Other types of leave are also available, 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 prohibited on RIKEN campuses.

Supplementary explanation of compensation

RIKEN has a telework system that allows employees to work from home or other permitted locations. Fellows are also eligible to apply for Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI).

RIKEN is actively undertaking initiatives to promote gender equality and diversity and moving to create a more 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.

It is possible for employees who take childbirth leave, childcare leave at birth, childcare leave, or additional leave for childcare during the contracted period to have their contract period extended.

Application Considerations

Number of hired

1 person(s)

Position: RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow

Number of openings: Around 5

Date of hire: On or after April 1, 2027 (Negotiable)

Application period

2026/09/03~2026/10/23 Deadline for receipt

Deadline for registration: 5:00 PM on Friday, October 23, 2026 (JST)

Deadline for uploading application documents and letters of reference: 2:00 PM on Friday, October 30, 2026 (JST) (All documents and letters of reference must be uploaded by this time.)

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/programs/ref/ref2027/index.html

Selection / Notification of result

Selection

The selection process has two stages: the initial screening (document review) and the secondary screening (an interview). Only those who pass the document review will be invited to interview.

Initial screening (document review): Invitation to interview will be sent during November 2026 (only for those who pass the document review).

Secondary screening (interview): Monday, December 7 or Tuesday, December 8. In principle, interviews will be held in-person at RIKEN (either Wako Campus or Tokyo Campus).

Notification of result

Notification of results: Late December 2026 to mid-January 2027

Notification of employment decision (a provisional offer of employment) will be made upon the presentation of an employment contract or conditional offer of employment from RIKEN.

Contact details

RIKEN

RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow Desk

Information Research Promotion Division, RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters

research-engineer@ml.riken.jp

Please change (at) to @ and send it.

The above is for general inquiries regarding this program and the call for applications.

For inquiries to a host laboratory, please refer to "job Posting URL".

Please use the subject line "RIKEN Research Engineer Fellow Inquiry: 26-MMDD" (replace "MMDD" with the month and day of the inquiry), and contact the relevant email address listed above.

Notes

Handling of personal information

Submitted documents will be strictly managed in accordance with RIKEN's Personal Information Protection Regulations and will only be used by RIKEN for the purpose of screening applications. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred, or lent to any third party without a justifiable reason.

Additional information

1. Only one application per person is allowed.
2. The provisions for this position are premised on RIKEN's current budget and are subject to change.

In RIKEN's innovative research environment, Fellows will gain practical experience in handling research data and utilizing AI for research. They will also cultivate an understanding of advanced information technologies and the mathematical background of data analysis. It is anticipated that in the future, Fellows will broadly contribute to the development of science and technology in academia and industry, both in Japan and overseas.