Laboratory

Solid State Chemistry Laboratory
RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research
(Laboratory head: Genki Kobayashi)

Research Field

Effective utilization of renewable energy and a shift away from mass consumption of fossil fuels are essential for building a sustainable society, which requires new technologies that enable highly efficient energy and material conversion and high-density energy storage. Based on inorganic solid-state chemistry, we explore outstanding ionics materials, including electrodes and solid electrolytes with innovative functions. We are researching a wide range of topics, from elucidating the mechanisms of physical properties and functions to developing energy storage/conversion and material conversion devices based on new operating principles.

Job title and Job description

Job title, available positions

Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist 1 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

Research on Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas
Project Title: Ion Jamology: Materials design transformation by understanding non-equilibrium and collective ion flow

The job description may be changed during the contract period or upon contract renewal to the extent described above.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a doctoral degree in a related field or expect to receive a doctoral degree before the date of appointment. In general, those who earned a doctorate within the past 5 years will be appointed as Postdoctoral Researcher, and those who earned a doctorate more than 5 years ago will be appointed as Research Scientist.
We are looking for an applicant who can work in collaboration with our lab and other labs members and colleagues.

Work location

RIKEN Wako (2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198)

RIKEN has implemented a work-from-home system. Employees can work from home in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

Salary and benefits

• 1.A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up to the end of March 2029 from date of hire.
• 2.RIKEN may adjust the above maximum period of renewability based on a) the employee’s abilities, work load 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.

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. The monthly base salary is 305,100 JPY for Postdoctoral Researcher, and in the range of 361,000 to 433,800 JPY for Research Scientist, as of April 1, 2024. 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:

Postdoctoral Researcher

The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment for a candidate just after completion of the doctoral course will be approximately 400,000 JPY ~ 450,000 JPY.

Research Scientist

The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment will be 450,000 JPY ~ 500,000 JPY.

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.
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).

RIKEN has a work-from-home system, but this position requires attendance at the work location. Therefore, the work-from-home system is not available for this position.

The Wako Campus has an on-site daycare, RIKEN Kids Wako. For details, please send an email to the HR at kids [at] riken.jp.

Application and required documents

Required documents

• 1.Complete RIKEN CV or CV (with photo and email address)
  • *Write the RIKEN job ad number “W24008”, indicated in the parentheses next to the job title, in the RIKEN job ad number section in the upper right corner of your CV.
• 2.List of research achievement and publications
• 3.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.
• 4.Brief description of previous research and future research plans (within two A4-size papers)
• 5.Major papers (within three)
• 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 the document, "Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR and Regulation of the European Parliament and of the council of on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (UK General Data Protection Regulation)" with your signature.
    • You will find detailed information about General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the following website:
      Data protection | European Commission
    • You will find detailed information about Regulation of the European Parliament and of the council of on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (UK GDPR) on the following website:
      Data Protection and the EU | Information Commissioner’s Office

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 ZIP should contain the job ad number “W24008” and the applicant’s name.
After you uploaded the ZIP file, please let us (genki.kobayashi [at] riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.

Recommendation letters must be directly submitted from the referees to the website above with the file name "RIKEN CPR Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist [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 (genki.kobayashi [at] riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.

If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: genki.kobayashi [at] riken.jp.

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

Open 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 at RIKEN. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred or loaned to a third party under any circumstances without just cause.

Selection process

Application screening and interview for selected applicants

Start of Employment

As early as possible (Negotiable)

Contact Information

RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Solid State Chemistry Laboratory
(Chief Scientist: Genki Kobayashi)
Email: genki.kobayashi [at] riken.jp
For inquiries, please send an email.