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Seeking a Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher (25-1202)

Laboratory

Inter-Individual Brain Dynamics Collaboration Unit
RIKEN CBS-Toyota Collaboration Center
RIKEN Center for Brain Science
(Unit Leader：Takahiko Koike)

Outline of Laboratory

Humans are inherently social beings. We predict how others will respond to our own actions and coordinate our own and others’ behavior based on these predictions in order to live in harmony with those around us. Interactions with others contribute to an individual's well-being. It is also true that individual well-being fosters a healthier society. Thus, individual and societal well-being are thought to be closely interconnected. Our laboratory aims to understand the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying such well-being by examining behavior and brain activity during states of individual and social well-being, using methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and psychological experiments.

Job title and Job description

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Job title

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

We are seeking a researcher to join a project utilizing hyperscanning fMRI, a technique that enables the simultaneous recording of brain activity from two or more individuals. The successful candidate will work on developing experimental paradigms that model real-world social interactions, with a particular focus on extending hyperscanning fMRI to multi-person communication involving three or more participants.

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

Qualification

  • Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, or a related field, or be expected to obtain one by the start date of employment.
  • Experience of research involving behavioral experiments and/or functional brain imaging data (e.g., fMRI, EEG).
  • Experience in studying interactions involving multiple agents.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with team members and communicate effectively in both Japanese and English.
  • Strong motivation and willingness to engage proactively in research aligned with the lab’s focus.

Work location

RIKEN Wako Campus (2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198)
RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

Salary and benefits

  • 1.A one-year fixed-term employment contract to a maximum of the end of the fiscal year of 2025 (March 31, 2026).
  • 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 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. Discretionary work, commuting and housing allowances will be provided. Social insurance will be applied.

The approximate amount of salary at the time of employment:
The monthly salary including discretionary work allowance at the time of employment will be 367,925 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 431,790 JPY or more for Research 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.

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 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.

The Wako Campus has an on-site daycare, RIKEN Kids Wako. For details, please send an email to kids@riken.jp.

Application and required documents

Required documents

  • 1.Complete CV or CV
    • *Write the RIKEN job ad number “25-1202”, 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
    (including Researcher ID or Google Scholar ID, if available)
  • 3.External funding awarded
  • 4.Summary of research experience to date
  • 5.Reason for applying for the post
  • 6.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)
  • 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

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

For Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist position, Inter-Individual Brain Dynamics Collaboration Unit, RIKEN CBS-TOYOTA Collaboration Center, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

The file name should contain your contact email address.
After you uploaded the ZIP file, please let us (takahiko.koike@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.

Recommendation letters must be directly submitted from the referees to the following link with the file name "RIKEN Center for Brain Science 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.

For Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist position, Inter-Individual Brain Dynamics Collaboration Unit, RIKEN CBS-TOYOTA Collaboration Center, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

After the referees uploaded the recommendation letter, please let us (takahiko.koike@riken.jp) know the file name of the uploaded file.
If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact: takahiko.koike@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

Notification of hiring decision

The notification of hiring decision (conditional offer of employment) regarding this selection shall be carried out through the presentation of an Employment Contract or a Conditional Offer of Employment issued by RIKEN.

Start of Employment

As early as possible

Contact Information

RIKEN Center for Brain Science
RIKEN CBS-TOYOTA Collaboration Center
Inter-Individual Brain Dynamics Collaboration Unit
Email: takahiko.koike@riken.jp
For inquiries, please send an email.

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