Job description
Background of the recruitment and description of the project
Job Description
The Center for Environmental Remote Sensing (CEReS), Chiba University, processes, archives, and publishes satellite data and related ground observation data, and conducts a broad range of research in Earth environmental sciences. At this time, we are recruiting a specially-appointed researcher to conduct education and research related to the development of AI-based subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction models.
https://www.jst.go.jp/k-program/program/kaiyou4.html
Work content and job description
The successful candidate will conduct education and research on "AI-based seasonal prediction models" within a research project funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and will develop methods to improve 10-90-day subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction for societal applications, including ship operations. Building on systems such as ClimaX-LETKF and Anemoi-based global and regional graph neural networks, the candidate will develop AI seasonal prediction models that maintain numerical stabilityand physical consistency in integrations extending up to three months. The candidate will also develop AI models trained jointly on atmospheric and oceanic data, with the aim of establishing prediction methods that appropriately represent physical processes that underpin seasonal predictability and their remote influences.
Specific research tasks may include the following.
- A) Development of AI weather and climate models, including subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction models based on the existing ClimaX-LETKF or Anemoi system
- B) Development of AI prediction models capable of stable integration with longer forecast intervals
- C) Development of forecast-correction methods using conditional diffusion models, generative AI, statistical correction, and related approaches
- D) Development of Transformer-based super-resolution methods for low-resolution outputs from physical and AI models
This position is intended not merely to apply existing AI models, but to advance research that integrates AI prediction models, generative models, data assimilation, and ensemble forecasting while accounting for the physical processes governing predictability on subseasonal-to-seasonal timescales.
Please contact Prof. Shunji Kotsuki below for further details.
Assigned department
Existing departments
Center for Environmental Remote Sensing,Chiba University
Job type
Researcher/Postdoc level
Research field
- Natural Science - Atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences
- Informatics - Unspecified
- Social Infrastructure - Hydroengineering
Wages
Annual Salary : 5 million yen ~ 6 million yen
Salary will follow university regulations and depend on years of experience. For a researcher in the first year after obtaining a Ph.D., the annual salary is expected to be around 5.50 million JPY. Salary increases may be possible depending on achievements.
Working hours
Working hours :08:30-17:15
Break time :12:00-13:00
Holidays : Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, National holidays, and year-end and New Year holidays.
Overtime and other explanations : under the Discretionary Labor System for Professional Work
Application requirements
Qualifications
Education and Degree Requirements
Ph.D. / Doctor
Applicants must hold a doctoral degree by the time of appointment or expect to obtain one in the near future.
Work experience
We seek a candidate who can contribute to education and research on AI-based subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction models, AI weather and climate models, ensemble forecasting, data assimilation, super-resolution, generative AI, and related areas. In particular, the candidate is expected to work on stable AI prediction models for long integrations targeting subseasonal atmospheric prediction at lead times of approximately 10-30 days and coupled atmosphere-ocean seasonal prediction at lead times of approximately 1-3 months; integration of AI models with data assimilation; forecast correction using conditional diffusion models and related methods; and super-resolution of low-resolution forecast data.
Description
Applicants should have research experience in, or a strong interest in, one or more of the following fields: machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, meteorology, climate science, atmospheric science, oceanography, numerical weather prediction, seasonal prediction, data assimilation, remote sensing, applied mathematics, information science, and data science. Experience in meteorology or climate science is welcome but is not required. Applicants from information science, mathematics, computational science, physics, engineering, and related fields who have experience with AI models or large-scale numerical computation and wish to pursue research on weather and climate prediction are also welcome.
Employment Type
Contract employee
Specially-appointed researcher (full-time)
Contract period
Nontenured - Non-tenure track
The contract is annual (until March 31 of each fiscal year). Renewal may be possible depending on performance, research needs, and available funding.
Probationary period absent
Work location
263-8522 Chiba 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, Japan
Compensation
Various systems
Transportation expenses : yes
Insurance
- Employees' Health Insurance : yes
- Employees' Pension Insurance : yes
- Worker's accident insurance : yes
- Employment insurance : yes
Measures for preventing passive smoking at the workplace
no somking on campus
Supplementary explanation of compensation
Employee Benefits:
- Job title: Specially-appointed researcher (full-time).
- Salary, etc.: University's Specified Employment Staff Salary Regulations based on your years of experience will be applied
- Working hours: from 8:30 to 17:15, 5 days a week, 7 hours and 45 minutes per day (under the Discretionary Labor System for Professional Work).
- Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, National holidays, and year-end and New Year holidays.
- Leave: granted based on the University’s employment agreement.
- Various allowances: provide commuting allowance if requirements are met based on the regulations.
- Insurance: join a mutual aid association, employment insurance, and workers' accident compensation insurance
Application Considerations
Number of hired
1 person(s)
Hiring date : 2026/12/01
Starting date : 2026/12/01
Job content supplemental explanation
As early as possible between 1st December 2026 and 1st April 2027 (negotiable).
Application period
2026/11/05~2026/12/25 Deadline for receipt
However, the call may close earlier once a suitable candidate is found.
Application method
Attached documents
Application Form : Mailing
Achievements and Activities : Mailing
Other Mailing Documents
Required documents:
- Complete CV: use the designated from on the CEReS website.
- List of research achievements: please list peer-reviewed publications and others separately.
- Copy of 3 major publications. In principle, these should be papers for which the applicant is the sole or first author.
- A statement of the applicant’s research experience and a research plan after appointment, each limited to two A4 pages. Please also indicate the programming languages that the applicant can use.
- Contact information for one or two referees outside the Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University. No prescribed format is required.
Return of application documents
We will dispose of all application documents responsibly.
Application document submission method (physically mailed documents)
263-8522 Chiba 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-city
Environmental Remote Sensing Research Center, Chiba University,Shunji Kotsuki
Precautions : Please write “Application Documents for Specially Appointed Researcher” in red on the envelope or the email title.
JREC-IN Portal web application
Not available
E-mail Application
Not available
Recruiting Institution's Web application system
Not available
URL of this job posting
https://ceres.chiba-u.jp/6451/
Selection / Notification of result
Selection
Selection will be made based on application screening and interviews.
Notification of result
I will contact you promptly by phone or email.
Contact details
Chiba University
Center for Environmental Remote Sensing,Chiba University
Shunji Kotsuki
0432903861
syunji.kotsuki(at)chiba-u.jp
- Please change (at) to @ and send it.
Notes
Application documents will not be used for any other purposes than the selection process. These documents will not be returned unless a stamped self-addressed envelope is enclosed.
Interviews may be conducted during the selection process. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.
Salary will be determined in accordance with Chiba University's regulations for specially appointed staff, based on years of experience. For a researcher in the first year after obtaining a Ph.D. degree, the expected annual income is approximately 5.5 million yen.
The laboratory has established a Research Policy concerning authorship, research activities, working conditions, and the research environment.
