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Seeking a Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher (CPR-PS2203)

Laboratory

Prediction Science Laboratory
RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research
(Laboratory head: Takemasa Miyoshi)

Pioneering Project (FY2020-FY2024)

RIKEN started a new pioneering project titled “Prediction for Science” in April 2020 for 5 years. For the concept of Prediction Science, refer to the next section “Research field”. Researchers under this call will work together with various laboratories in theory and applications and will bring synergy and fusion among different areas, so that we pioneer a general theory of prediction, the first step toward the whole new world of “Prediction Science”. To achieve the ambitious goal, the researchers under this call will spend an extended period for several months or longer in some of the participating laboratories as shown below and will work on the synergy and fusion among theory and a few application areas. We expect that the researchers under this call stay at different locations in Japan for an extended period.

List of participating laboratories:

Research field

The Prediction Science Laboratory pioneers a new science of prediction as the 5th paradigm fusing the computational science (3rd science) and the data science (4th science) through tight collaborations with the sister laboratory Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science, as well as other collaborators within and beyond RIKEN. Weather prediction is probably the most successful example of prediction by modern science by putting together human knowledge of different areas such as information and communications technology, supercomputing, mathematical modeling and simulation, sensing, and applied mathematics of dynamical systems and uncertainty quantification (UQ). Data assimilation integrates simulation and real-world data and plays a central role in numerical weather prediction. Various types of simulations beyond weather became more and more realistic due to advances of high-performance computation technology. In addition, information revolution brought the current era of Big Data and IoT (Internet of Things). The Prediction Science Laboratory will pioneer the new “Prediction Science,” the 5th science fusing the computational science and the data science, and will bring the success of weather prediction to various fields.

Job title and job descriptions

Job title

Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher: one position

Postdoctoral Researcher is defined as those with a doctoral degree of 5 years or less.
Research Scientist is defined as those with a doctoral degree more than 5 years.

Job description

The successful candidate for Pioneering Project "Prediction for Science" (FY2020-FY2024) will conduct research to pioneer the new “Prediction Science” and to develop the general theory of prediction. The specific research examples include application of data assimilation to new areas, generalization of data assimilation among multiple areas, and applied mathematics of uncertainty quantification (UQ) and topological data analysis. In this project, we collaborate with laboratories in environmental science fields (weather, climate, marine ecology) and life science fields (cell biology, medicine) for specific problems for prediction, and develop the general theory of prediction in collaboration with pure and applied mathematicians and AI and statistical scientists. We will develop new mathematical theories and methods which will serve as a basis for the new “Prediction Science”, apply these new theories and methods to various application areas, and bring virtuous feedback between theoretical developments and application studies.

Qualifications

The candidate should possess a doctoral degree in a related field of prediction science and research experience.

Work location

  • RIKEN Kobe Branch
    7-1-26 Minatojima-minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
    2-2-3 Minatojima-minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
  • RIKEN Wako Branch
    2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
  • RIKEN Tokyo Branch
    1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0027, Japan
  • RIKEN Yokohama Branch
    1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan

Salary and benefits

  • 1.A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up to the end of March 2025 from date of hire.
  • 2.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 65 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. As of April 1, 2023, the monthly base salary is 350,300 JPY (Research Scientist) and 295,100 JPY (Postdoctoral researcher) . 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:
In the case of a special researcher with experience, ability, and achievement of about one year after completion of the doctoral degree, the monthly salary at the time of employment including discretionary allowance will be about 400,000 yen, and in the case of a researcher with experience, ability, and achievement of about six years after completion of the doctoral degree, it will be about 600,000 yen.
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.
RIKEN has introduced telework as a temporary and special measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You may be asked to work from home according to the instructions of the institute. You can also choose to work from home with the permission of your supervisor.
Smoking is not permitted on site except in designated smoking areas. Smoking will be entirely prohibited on site from April 2024.
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).

Application and required documents

Required documents

Please prepare the following documents in English.

  • 1.Complete CV or CV Photo to be attached.
    • *Email address is required.
    • *Application Number [CPR-PS2203] and position to apply (e.g.: Research Scientist) should be clearly written at top-right in the margin.
    • *Format is free. Or the format attached is available.
  • 2.List of research achievement and publications
  • 3.Brief description of previous research and future research plans (within two A4-size pages)
  • 4.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)
  • 5.Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR
    If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you are required to submit the document, "Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR" with your signature.
    * You will find detailed information about General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the following website:
    Data protection | European Commission

How to apply

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

RIKEN/CPR file upload box

The file name of the PDF(or ZIP) should contain the job ad number “CPR-PS2203” and the applicant’s name.
After you uploaded the ZIP file, please let us (da-team-desk [at] ml.riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.
Recommendation letters must be directly submitted from the referees to the ULR above with the subject line " [applicant’s name] (Recommendation letter)". Please specify the applicant's name, referee's name and contact information in the recommendation letter.
After the referees uploaded the recommendation letter, please let us (da-team-desk [at] ml.riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.
If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: da-team-desk [at] ml.riken.jp.

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Handling Personal Data

Submitted documents are strictly protected under the RIKEN Privacy Policy and will be used only for the purpose of applicant screening. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred or loaned to a third party under any circumstances without just cause.

Selection process

Selection will be made based on application screening and interviews.

Start of employment

May 1, 2023 or later

Contact Information

RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research
Prediction Science Laboratory
Email: da-team-desk [at] ml.riken.jp

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