Laboratory

RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research

Research Field and Overview

RIKEN's research is based on comprehensiveness and interdisciplinarity, and with free thinking as its basic philosophy, RIKEN promotes research that goes beyond the boundaries of conventional research fields, while at the same time responding to the needs of society from a strategic perspective.

RIKEN invites applications for the position of Team Leader (Principal Investigator) to serve in a leadership position in the following research area. The successful candidate will be responsible for directing research projects from a medium-to-long-term perspective.

Specific Research Field: Organoid life science
Organoid life science offers tremendous potential for applications, ranging from contributions to fundamental sciences such as developmental biology, to practical implementations in regenerative medicine. This recruitment invites applications from researchers across a broad spectrum of the organoid and stem cell fields. We are seeking candidates capable of leading these fields and serving as central contributors to the center's research over the medium to long term.

Examples of relevant research include:

• Utilizing organoid technology to recapitulate organogenesis in vitro, greatly enhancing opportunities for observation and manipulation, and establishing powerful tools for basic scientific research.
• Investigating the diversity and commonalities of life through comparative approaches across various animal species, with the ultimate goal of advancing our understanding of humans.
• Conducting studies from a life-cycle perspective, encompassing the continuum from birth to death and to the next generation, and contributing to the ability to manipulate these processes.
• Reproducing developmental processes, pre-disease states, and disease states in vitro, contributing to advancements in reproductive and regenerative medicine from a societal perspective, thereby addressing social issues such as declining birth rates and promoting medical innovation.
• Advancing stem cell research that supports organoid studies.
• Engaging in research that leads the field internationally and contributes to the advancement of humanity, regardless of the examples above.

RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) promotes research that interprets the life course of living systems as a continuous sequence of multilayered biological phenomena, from conception and birth of life to aging and death. Our center strives to comprehensively understand and control these multilayered biological phenomena and the life course of living systems to uncover new insights that can contribute to extending healthy lifespans. To achieve this goal, we employ an integrative approach that leverages technologies and methodologies such as stem cells, organoids, molecular biology, structural biology, synthetic biology, diverse animal models, multi-scale imaging and quantification techniques, theoretical biology, AI models, robotics, and simulation technologies

BDR provides Laboratory heads with an excellent environment for their independent research, including internationally competitive start-up packages and annual research funds. Laboratory heads will have access to cutting-edge facilities including various animal models, mouse genome engineering, omics, and multi-scale imaging including light microscopy and cryoEM, and to opportunities for active collaborations with medical institutions, industry, and affiliated graduate schools. For more information, please visit the BDR website.

Job title

Team Leader (Principal Investigator): 1 position

Qualification

Applicants must be conducting outstanding research in organoid/stem cell research fields and have the ability to lead the above research field internationally. We welcome applicants of all nationalities.

Work location

Work location at time of employment:
RIKEN Kobe (2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan)

RIKEN has implemented a work-from-home system. Employees can work from home in accordance with the prescribed procedures.

RIKEN may require a change of work location in accordance with RIKEN regulations due to management decisions, budgetary situation, and organizational restructuring.
RIKEN campuses, branches and offices are listed below.
Wako, Saitama; Tsukuba, Ibaraki; Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Yokohama, Kanagawa; Kobe, Hyogo; Sayo-gun, Hyogo; Sendai, Miyagi; Soraku-gun, Kyoto
Overseas offices (USA, Singapore, China, Belgium)

Salary and benefits

This post is an indefinite-term employment position. Mandatory retirement age of for FY 2025 and FY 2026 is 62 years old.
Note: RIKEN has been increasing the mandatory retirement age by one year every two years from FY 2023.
There is a re-employment program to hire individuals as fixed-term employees from the mandatory retirement age to age 65. After evaluation, it is possible to keep the principal investigator position until age 65.

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 and variable salary are subject to change due to amendments to RIKEN regulations.
The approximate amount of annual salary at the time of employment:
Based on RIKEN regulations, upon ensuring the salary of the candidate’s previous position, annual salary will be determined at the time of hire. The annual salary at the time of employment for a candidate with 15 years of experience, ability, and achievement after completion of the doctoral course will be at least 11.6 million JPY.

Commuting and housing allowances will be provided. Social insurance will be applied. Bonuses or 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, employee may change starting and ending times at their own discretion if it does not interfere with work performance.
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 is entirely prohibited on site.

These and other provisions are in accordance with RIKEN regulations.

RIKEN may require changes of responsibilities and job category based on RIKEN regulations due to management decisions, budgetary situation, and organizational restructuring.

• *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.
• *The Kobe Branch has an on-site daycare, PO-I Kids Kobe.
  For details, please send an email to the Kobe Human Resource Section at kobe-kosei@riken.jp
• *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).

Rights and Responsibilities

• Required to participate in RIKEN management activities in addition to conducting research in the area described above as a laboratory head.
• Eligible to apply for competitive funding from within and outside RIKEN.
• Eligible to host indefinite-term researchers, fixed-term researchers, Special Postdoctoral Researchers, JSPS Researchers and Junior Research Associates etc.
• Eligible to apply for the purchase of commodities, and laboratory space.
• Responsible for overseeing laboratory members, managing the laboratory budget and handling the maintenance and use of all laboratory equipment and instruments.

Application and Required documents

All the application documents should be prepared in English.

• 1.CV (include your contact email address)
• 2.List of your research and technical development (lists of publications (divide into sections for original papers, reviews, and others), patents, invited talks, etc.).
• 3.List of competitive research funds received, awards received, and other achievements including, contributions to university/institution operations, contribution to society through activities in scientific societies, joint research projects, technology transfers, etc.
• 4.Outline of your research and technical development to date (~2 pages, A4 size)
• 5.Your future research plan for research and technical development if you are accepted for the position (~3 pages, A4 size)
• 6.Your ideas on how you expect to manage your laboratory and mentor young researchers if you are accepted for the position (~1 page, A4 size)
• 7.One set of copies of your main papers (maximum number: 5)
• 8.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
• 9.Full names and contact information, including email addresses, of three researchers who can evaluate applicants’ conducting research. At least one of the three researchers is an international researcher who is based outside applicants’ country.

How to apply

The application documents (items 1 to 9) combined into a single PDF file should be uploaded to the following link: Upload your application documents

The file name of the PDF should contain your contact email address.
After you uploaded the PDF, please let us (kjk-desk@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: kjk-desk@ml.riken.jp.

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

The application must arrive no later than noon, May 2, 2025 (Japan Standard Time)

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

After application documents are screened, only the successful candidates will be asked to have an interview. The interview will held on July 3 or July 4, 2025.
There will be final interviews with RIKEN executive directors as part of the hiring process.

Start of Employment

RIKEN expects that the successful candidate will be able to take up this position at the earliest opportunity on or after January 1, 2026.
Other conditions at the time of appointment will be negotiable.

Remarks

Updated as of Mar 13, 2025:　"Work location"

Contact Information

For research-related inquiries:
Minoru Takasato, head of the selection committee (Team Leader, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research)
Email: minoru.takasato@riken.jp (Cc: k24088@ml.riken.jp)

For other inquiries:
Email: kjk-desk@ml.riken.jp
Contact by phone is not available.

Note: No inquiries on the selection process and results will be answered.