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Seeking Deputy Director (K24113)

Laboratory

HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division
RIKEN Center for Computational Science
（Division Director: Yasushi Okuno)

Outline of Laboratory

The RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), led by Center Director Satoshi Matsuoka, is an international hub for computational science that promotes “science of computing, by computing, and for computing.” R-CSS positions the technology in which RIKEN has strengths (R-CCS technology) and the software developed by RIKEN that contributes to science, technology, industry, and society (R-CCS software) as its “core competence in computational science driving science as a whole.” R-CCS aims to develop these technologies, disseminate them domestically and internationally, and produce results. In addition, R-CCS utilizes its expertise to operate the supercomputer “Fugaku”, developed as Japan’s national project, in accordance with relevant ordinances.

The HPC/AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division aims to develop new methodologies that integrate AI, molecular simulation and experimentation, and build an integrated HPC/AI-driven life sciences total platform to pioneer new medical fields in life sciences, drug discovery and medicine. Currently, we have established a system of collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and drug discovery research institutions in academia, and in the future the work of developing drug design technologies that combine structure generation AI and predictive AI in collaboration with drug discovery chemists at these institutions will become even more important, and further collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and others is required to promote research and development with a greater awareness of practical applications. There is also a need to promote research and development with a greater awareness of practical applications through further collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and other organizations. In this context, the Drug Discovery and Medical Technology Platform Program (DMP) and the Scientific Research Platform Model Development Program (TRIP-AGIS) are being developed within RIKEN's Advanced Research Platform Collaboration (TRIP) Division. The TRIP-AGIS program is expected to contribute to the creation of outstanding results by conducting research and development that brings together the latest knowledge at RIKEN.

Job title and Job description

Job title

Deputy Division Director / 1 person (full-time/fixed-term)

Outline of Laboratory

  • To assist the Division Director and act in his place in the event of an accident, etc. to the Division Director
  • To support the Division Director of the HPC/AI-driven Pharmaceutical Platforms Division to accelerate research activities towards practical applications in collaboration with the organizations within and outside RIKEN.

Any changes in duties during the contract period or at the time of contract renewal will be within the scope of the above job description.

Qualification

The applicant must have a PhD degree or equivalent and have sufficient management skills to assist the Division Director of the HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division and manage the division well. In addition, the candidate should be willing to work on common fundamental research and development, supporting a wide range of fields of computational science and technology with a long-term perspective by promoting collaboration between computational science and computer science.
Those who can lead internationally in research fields related to the job description. Any nationality is acceptable. They should also possess the balance between co-operation and independent research, management skills and communication skills necessary to carry out research.

Work location

RIKEN Center for Computational Science (Kobe Campus - South)
7-1-26, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047 JAPAN
or
RIKEN Center for Computational Science (Yokohama Campus),
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan

Work location will be arranged depending on the actual duty to be performed.
RIKEN has implemented a work-from-home system. Employees can work from home in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
Employees may be transferred to other locations when necessary to perform duties, in accordance with relevant regulations.

Salary and benefits

  • 1.One-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up to seven years since the initial 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 70 years.

RIKEN has indefinite-term positions. Any scientists, including fixed-term employees who have been hired through this open call, are eligible to apply to open calls for indefinite-term positions.

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 638,400 JPY as of April 1, 2025. The monthly base salary and variable salary are subject to change due to amendments to RIKEN regulations.
Commuting and housing allowances will be provided. Social insurance will be applied.

The approximate amount of annual salary at the time of employment:
The monthly salary at the time of employment will be more than 638,400 JPY. The monthly salary at the time of employment for a candidate with 20 years of experience, ability, and achievement after completion of the doctoral course will be approximately 800,000 JPY.

Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai).
Work hours: 9:00 to 17:20 (lunch break 12:00 to 12:50). However, the employee may change starting and finishing 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 per year depending on the month of employment), special paid leave (childcare, family nursing care, etc.), and work-life balance holidays (up to 7 days per year 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.

The Kobe Campus has an on-site daycare, Po-I Kids Kobe.
For details, please send an email to the General Administrative Section at kobe-kosei@riken.jp.

The Yokohama Campus has an on-site daycare, RIKEN Kids Yokohama.
For details, please send an email to the General Administrative Section at kids-yk-hr@ml.riken.jp.

RIKEN is actively undertaking initiatives to promote gender 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.

  • 1.CV or CV
    There is no format specified for the CV, but it must include the following information: name, nationality, date of birth, educational background and employment history, including current affiliation and address of affiliation, and the applicant's email address to be used for contact information. Please include any experience in drug discovery-related research and development, development and technology deployment related to supercomputer-based applications, industry-academia collaborative research and development or related activities, participation in research and development projects, etc., if you have.
    You may use the above format.
  • 2.Work history and research and development achievement list
    Explain your overall work history. If you have engaged in research and development, attach lists of papers (divided by original papers, reviews, and others), patents, invited talks, etc. Please also include quantitative measures for evaluation, such as the Google Scholar citation index, whenever possible.
    Note: When attaching the lists of papers, submit copies of up to five major papers (Please mark the major papers in the list of research achievements.) If the original papers are not in PDF format, scan the papers and save them as PDF documents for submission.
  • 3.List of competitive funds acquired, awards received, and other achievements
    Include contributions to university/institution operations, contributions to society through activities in academic societies, joint research projects, technology transfers, etc.
  • 4.A summary of your research to date, research you would like to undertake in the future and your future career prospects.
    3-4 pages in A4 free format. It is desirable to have a diagram showing an overview of your research.
  • 5.Research and development plan of the Computational Science Research Centre (not more than two pages of A4 paper) and ideas on operations and human resources for the Division (not more than one pages of A4 paper).
  • 6.Recommendation letters from one or two persons who can evaluate your work
    • *One recommendation letter should be written by the applicant’s current supervisor. When it is difficult to do so, a recommendation letter written by a third party may be accepted.
    • *The letters should be addressed to President of RIKEN. Digital signature image can be embedded in the recommendation letters within the PDF file. Or please specify the referee’s contact information (name, affiliation, job title, phone number, and email address) in the letter.
  • 7.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.

How to apply

Combine the above documents except the recommendation letters into a single PDF file and upload the file to the following link:
K24113 Applications for R-CCS HPC & AI-driven Drug Dev. PFM Div.

The file name of the PDF should contain the job ad number " K24113, R-CCS HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division" and the applicant's name.
After you upload the PDF file, please let us (kobe-jobs@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file. When you send us an email, please write your name, Job Ad number and the name of the position that ou apply for.
Please make the email subject line: "Your Name_K24113 R-CCS HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division application documents"
Recommendation letters must be directly uploaded from the referees to the website mentioned above with the subject line "K24113 [applicant’s name] recommendation letter for Deputy Division Director of the HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division Application”. Please tell them to email us (kobe-jobs@riken.jp) that they have uploaded the PDF file and to specify the applicant's name, referee's name and contact information in the body of the email.
If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: kobe-jobs@riken.jp.

Deadline

Applications will be accepted until the positions are 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

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and interviews will be conducted for selected applicants. No inquiries on the selection process and results will be answered.

Start of Employment

At the earliest opportunity (subject to negotiation)

Remarks

R-CCS encourages remote working. Employees are allowed to work from home within Japan with permission from their supervisor. Please contact r-ccs-suishin-jinji@ml.riken.jp for more information.
Application files will not be returned.

Contact Information

For inquiries on research conducted by the Division, please contact the Division Director by email:
Yasushi Okuno
HPC- and AI-driven Drug Development Platform Division
RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS)
Email: yasushi.okuno@riken.jp

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