Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher or Research & Development Scientist (25-524)
Laboratory
Transcriptome-Epigenome Research Team
RIKEN BioResource Research Center
(Team Director: Naoki Kubo)
Outline of Laboratory
Our laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art technologies—including gene expression analysis, epigenomic and 3D genome analysis—to generate multilayered genomic insights from diverse biological resources. We are dedicated to exploring the functions of non-coding genomic regions and uncovering gene regulatory mechanisms underlying mammalian development and diseases. We also actively pursue the development of new analytical methods, aiming to push the boundaries of epigenome research.
Job title and Job description
Job title
Postdoctoral Researcher or Research & Development Scientist: 1 position
- Postdoctoral Researcher:
- The Postdoctoral Researcher position provides an opportunity to conduct independent research under the guidance of a senior supervisor. You will build a strong foundation for advancing your research independently as an autonomous scientist in the future.
- Research & Development Scientist:
- As a Research & Development Scientist, you will possess definite experience and outcomes and autonomously carry out research projects while consulting with your supervisor.
Job description
Using a variety of biological resources—including model mice, ES cells, iPS cell lines, and organoids—you will engage in research leveraging gene expression, epigenomic, and 3D genome analyses. Your main responsibilities will include:
- Establishing advanced platforms for bulk and single-cell analyses to obtain gene expression, epigenomic, and 3D genome data, as well as developing new analytical technologies;
- Conducting research to elucidate developmental and disease mechanisms by integrating the above analytical technologies with genome editing techniques in model mice, ES cells, iPS cells and organoids;
- Investigating gene regulatory mechanisms governed by non-coding genomic regions using these analytical approaches;
- Generating multilayered genomic and epigenomic data from BRC bioresources through these advanced analytical technologies.
The job description may be changed during the contract period or upon contract renewal to the extent described above.
Qualification
- 1.Postdoctoral Researchers should have less than 5 years since acquiring their PhD (Those who expect to have their PhD in the 2025 fiscal year are eligible)
- 2.Research & Development Scientists should have 5 years or more research experience from acquiring their PhD
- 3.Understand the importance of bioresource infrastructure projects as essential research infrastructure and have a strong desire to carry out those projects, along with being able to tackle them autonomously and proactively.
- 4.Individuals with experience in either molecular biology experiments, bioinformatics analyses, or both, relevant to the above responsibilities are encouraged to apply.
Work location
RIKEN Tsukuba Campus (3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan)
RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.
Salary and benefits
- 1.Postdoctoral Researchers are a one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, to a maximum of the end of the fiscal year (March 31) in which the employee completes 5 years of employment.
- 2.Research & Development Scientists are fixed-term contract employees with a contract of a single fiscal year. The contract may be renewed up to September 30, 2031 based on an evaluation.
- 3.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.
In principle, the first two months of employment are 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 327,200 JPY as of April 1, 2025 for a Postdoctoral Researcher, 384,000 JPY for a Research & Development Scientist. 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:
The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment will be more than 367,925 JPY for Postdoctoral Researcher and 459,565JPY for Research & Development Scientist.
RIKEN has a telecommuting system, but this position requires attendance at the work location. Therefore, the telecommuting system is not available for this position, in principle. For more information, please get in touch with the hiring staff at brc-jinji@ml.riken.jp.
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 (caring for a sick child, 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.
Mandatory membership in the RIKEN Mutual Benefit Society (RIKEN Kyosaikai).
- *Eligible for an exemption from repayment for category 1 scholarship loans provided by the Japan Student Services Organization before fiscal year 2003
- *Eligible to apply for the MEXT Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi).
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.
Application and required documents
Required documents
- 1.Complete CV (with photo and email address)
- *Write the open call ID “25-524”, indicated in the parentheses next to the job title, in open call ID section in the upper right corner of your CV.
- 2.List of research achievement (Please describe any original articles; review articles and authored works; patents; prizes; invited lectures; acquisition of external funds, or others)
(including ResearcherID or Google Scholar ID, if available) - 3.Reprint or copies of representative papers (3 or fewer)
- 4.Summary of research outcomes and duties until present (Please keep the summary within two A4 pages and use 12 pt font in Times New Roman)
- 5.One's aspirations after being hired (Please keep within two A4 pages and use 12 pt font in Times New Roman)
- 6.Two letters of recommendation (including one from the current supervisor, if available)
(Contact information for the person making a recommendation (Full name, affiliation, job title, phone number, email address). If it is not possible to provide a letter from the current supervisor, please have a third party write one regarding your current position.
Letters of recommendation should be addressed to "Director of the RIKEN BioResource Research Center.") - 7.Certificate of degree (copy of diploma is also fine) or a certificate of expected completion of degree
- 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
- You will find detailed information about General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the following website:
- *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
Other documents for submission aside from recommendation letters should be compiled into PDF and then uploaded from the link below.
- Make sure to include your full name and the Open Call ID (25-524) in the name of the file
- Make sure to enter your email address when uploading the file
- Make sure to email the name of the uploaded file to brc-jinji@ml.riken.jp when the upload has finished
The person making a recommendation should directly submit the letter of recommendation
- The file name should be in this format: "Recommendation letter for (Full name of applicant) Open call for Postdoctoral Researcher or Research & Development Scientist, Transcriptome-Epigenome Research Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (25-524)” Upload the file to the link below after confirming that the applicant's full name is in the body of the document and the name and contact of the person making the recommendation (affiliation, job title, phone number, email address).
- Make sure to enter your email address when uploading the file
- Make sure to email the name of the uploaded file to brc-jinji@ml.riken.jp when the upload has finished
- *If you do not receive an email confirming receipt of the documents, there is a possibility that the application documents were not received. If that happens, please make an inquiry.
- *Please contact us if you are unable to upload the documents due to malfunction or other.
- *Incomplete documents may not be accepted.
- *Please understand that submitted documents will not be returned
Deadline
August 18, 2025 (application to reach RIKEN by this date)
Notification of hiring decision
The notification of hiring decision (conditional offer of employment) regarding this selection shall be carried out through the presentation of a Fixed-term Employment Contract or a Conditional Offer of Employment issued by RIKEN.
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 a document screening, an interview examination will be conducted only for those who pass the screening.
A 20-minute presentation using materials will be held at the interview screening.
Content of the presentation: Self-introduction, research achievements, future research plans, one's aspirations
Start of Employment
January 1, 2026 (negotiable)
Remarks
Note: We will not respond to questions about the screening content
Contact Information
Please send your inquiries by email. We will not take phone inquiries.
Please use this subject line: " Application for Postdoctoral Researcher or Research & Development Scientist, Transcriptome-Epigenome Research Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (25-524)"
Inquiries regarding job duties
Naoki Kubo, Team Director, Transcriptome-Epigenome Research Team,
BioResource Research Center, RIKEN
Email: naoki.kubo@riken.jp
Other inquiries
Email: brc-jinji@ml.riken.jp