Overview

RIKEN started the RIKEN Early Career Leaders (ECL) Program in FY 2023 which declares our goal to train the next generation of talented researchers and engineers. The RIKEN ECL program offers two types of positions, Team Leader and Unit Leader, for highly talented junior researchers with no or limited PI experience depending on their career stage and research plans. The ECL Program aims to develop the next generation of international leaders who will pioneer new fields of research. We look forward to receiving many applications from these future leaders.

This year's call will be open to applicants of all genders. Please see the ‘Recruiting Policy for FY 2025 RIKEN Early Career Leaders Program’. This program actively encourages the research activities of female researchers by applying the Sechi Kato Program* to successful female applicants and providing additional research funding up to 10 million yen each fiscal year in addition to the regular annual research fundings.

• Sechi Kato (1893-1989) was a pioneering female scientist who developed spectrometric analysis of organic materials. She was also the first female Chief Scientist of RIKEN.

Job title

• RIKEN ECL Team Leader (roughly equivalent to early career professor)
  Early career researchers who can challenge and lead ambitious research fields that have high scientific and social impact.
• RIKEN ECL Unit Leader (roughly equivalent to associate professor/assistant professor)
  Early career researchers who ambitiously explore research themes that are scientifically and socially important based on their unique ideas.

Note: Please select which of the positions you would like to apply for when you register your information. Please note that if, during the selection process, it is determined that the other position is more suitable, you may be asked to present for the other position in the interview screening process.

Qualifications

Applicants should be junior researchers who have appropriate knowledge, experience, and abilities to supervise and promote research.

• A doctoral degree or equivalent competence is required for this position.
• There is no age limit.
• A full-time appointment at RIKEN is assumed. Please contact us if you would like to make cross-appointments.

Research fields

Natural sciences (including mathematical science and information science) or research areas bordering/blending natural sciences with humanities and social sciences.

Research environment

• Annual research budget
  Team Leader: an average of 30 million yen per fiscal year
  Unit Leader: an average of 10 million yen per fiscal year
  Note: In addition to the annual research budget, initial expenses for a smooth lab start-up will be provided. The ECL program will also cover the ECL Team / Unit Leader's personnel costs.
  Women researchers in the program will be eligible for the Sechi Kato Program and can receive up to 10 million yen in research funding per year in addition to the standard budget.
• In general, Team Leaders will be assigned a lab space of up to 150 square meters in total. Unit Leaders will be assigned suitable space in their host center at RIKEN.
• The ECL Team / Unit Leaders will be assigned a research center of RIKEN (List) and laboratory space at one of RIKEN’s campuses in Japan (Wako, Saitama; Tsukuba, Ibaraki; Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Yokohama, Kanagawa; Kobe, Hyogo; Sayo-gun, Hyogo; Sendai, Miyagi; Soraku-gun, Kyoto).
  Note: Please select one research center where you wish to work when you register your information. In the screening process, if it is suggested that another center is appropriate for your research, depending on the content of the research proposal, the suggested center may conduct your screening with your consent.
• The ECL Team / Unit Leaders receive assistance and advice from two mentors (assigned to each Team / Unit Leader) for setting up the laboratory and for day-to-day laboratory management matters.
• ECL Team / Unit Leaders can host laboratories for applicants for Special Postdoctoral Researchers, JSPS Postdoctoral Researchers, Junior Research Associate, International Program Associates, and RIKEN Student Researchers. Personnel costs for hiring these researchers are covered by each program.
• To ensure a variety of work styles, remote work is available while in Japan under certain conditions.
• RIKEN is actively undertaking initiatives to promote gender equality and diversity, and moving forward with the establishment of a diverse and vibrant research environment. As an all-RIKEN measure, a variety of programs are available for balancing work and personal life, including on-campus childcare facilities (in Wako, Yokohama, and Kobe), support for returning to work after a break, and subsidies for hiring support staff for researchers with family priorities (i.e., pregnancy, childcare, and nursing care).
• Please consult with us regarding spousal hiring.

Start of employment

Between August 1, 2026, and January 1, 2027.

Note: In principle, the start of employment is negotiable within the above timeframe. If you would like to start your research earlier than August 1, 2026, or if you need support before starting your research at RIKEN, please indicate your preference in the “Notes” section of the applicant registration website.

Term of employment

The maximum term of appointment is seven years. (Multiple-year contracts, which are limited to five years, or single-year contracts will be signed.)
Note: If an ECL Team / Unit Leader takes maternity leave or childcare leave, their post may be extended by the length of time equal to the duration of leave.

Salary and benefits

The ECL Team Leader’s annual salary is 10.92 million yen, and the ECL Unit Leader’s annual salary is 8.52 million yen (including social insurance premiums and tax). If the above salary amount is lower than the salary amount of the previous position, the annual salary amount may be adjusted based on a comprehensive consideration of difference in the goods and services between the host location and the previous location, expertise, and accomplishments.
Social insurance will be applied. Bonuses and retirement benefits will not be paid.

• Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai).
• Work hours: 9:00 to 17:20 (lunch break 12:00 to 12:50) in principle. However, employees may change starting and ending times at their own discretion if it does not interfere with work performance.
• Days off include Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, the 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 schemes 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.

Career

RIKEN provides a variety of career development support for the ECL Team / Unit Leaders.

• In principle, ECL Team / Unit Leaders will have an opportunity to apply for screening for indefinite-term PI positions in the fifth year of their service after appointment.
• RIKEN supports for researchers transferring out of RIKEN as part of the “Brains without Borders” concept. The ECL Team / Unit Leaders who are promoted to universities or other institutes receive as much support as possible, including research budget to continue developing their research without interruption, while maintaining their collaboration with RIKEN.

Application and deadline

[Procedures]

Applicant registration
To register, visit the website link below, and enter the required basic information including preferred position, etc.

RIKEN ECL Team Leaders / Unit Leaders (System is in preparation)

Note: Access to the pre-registration website will be available after June 3.

Once registration has been completed, an email will be sent automatically from ecl-program@spdr-fpr.com. Follow the instructions in the email to access the website and upload your application documents.

[Deadline]

For pre-registration:
August 7, 2025 (noon, Japan time).

For revising or uploading application documents and letters of recommendation:
August 14, 2025 (noon, Japan time).

[Application documents]

All application documents should be prepared in English and submitted in PDF format. Please put the documents "1" and "2" into a single file.

• 1. Research proposal for preferred position (up to 6 pages, A4 size)
  (including initial expenses and required space (m²), budget estimate, equipment and facilities required for research, and staff members plan of the laboratory)
• 2. Reason of your Center preference (up to 1 page, A4 size)
• 3. List of publications, presentations, and achievements (including grants, patents, awards, etc.)
• 4. Outline of your research to date (up to 1 page, A4 size)
• 5. Representative papers (maximum of 5 papers)
• 6. Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR
  *If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, you are required to submit this document.
• 7. Letters of recommendation from three individuals who can evaluate your work
  References should send the recommendation letter directly to RIKEN. A request for a letter of recommendation will be automatically sent from ecl-program@spdr-fpr.com to the email addresses of references that you list in the applicant registration. Please make sure to enter their email addresses correctly.

Other matters

• 1. No information will be released concerning application status or evaluation details.
• 2. Submitted documents will be handled in accordance with the RIKEN rules concerning personal information and only used for screening applications for this position. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred, or lent to any third party without a justifiable reason. However, for applicants who proceed to the final interview, we may provide their application documents only to the personnel committee of the related research centers at RIKEN. There will be an opportunity to offer a fixed-term Team Leader/Unit Leader position other than the RIKEN ECL Program by August 2026.
• 3. Personal data related to diversity, such as gender, nationality, and age will be used for anonymous statistical analysis to monitor staff diversity and will not be used in the selection process.
• 4. Please note that notification of acceptance will not be made at the stage of an offer of employment. A formal offer of employment will be made upon presentation of a fixed-term employment contract, or upon notification of an offer of employment.
• 5. The provisions for this position are premised on RIKEN’s current budget and are subject to change with any change in the budget.

For more information, please refer to the FAQs.

Contact information

RIKEN ECL Program Desk
Research Personnel Development Section, Human Resources Strategy Division, Human Resources Group, RIKEN
ecl-program@ml.riken.jp