Careers

Jun. 1, 2022

Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist
Cognitive Somnology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team
Center for Brain Science (W23057)

Laboratory

Cognitive Somnology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team, Center for Brain Science (RIKEN Hakubi Team Leader: Masako Tamaki)

Research Area

Engineering, Mathematical Science, Computer Science, Biology, Medical Science, Interdisciplinary, Other

Keywords

Sleep,Learning,Cognition,Insight,Dream,MRI,EEG,MRS

Research Field

Why do we think and behave the way we do? Accumulating behavioral evidence shows that the sleeping brain plays a critical role in our thoughts and actions. In the Cognitive Somnology lab, we develop and integrate various neuroimaging (3T and 7T MRI), physiological (EEG), and psychophysical techniques to elucidate the fundamental role of the sleeping brain in human cognition and behavior.

Job title and job description

Job title, available positions

Research Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher, 1 position
Postdoctoral Researcher is defined as those with a doctoral degree of 5 years or less.

Job description

We seek highly motivated candidates with an avid interest in the lab’s research themes on human sleep, brain, and cognition. The successful candidate will carry out research and other work related to human brain activities during sleep, using various neuroimaging techniques, including, functional MRI, MRS, and simultaneous MRI and EEG methods. The successful candidate will also develop cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques, leveraging a newly installed 7T MRI at RIKEN.

Qualification

  • The candidates should have a Ph.D. or expect to receive a Ph.D. before the date of employment
  • The candidates should have research experiences and publications in a relevant field
  • The candidates should have research experiences using MRI measurements and analyses in human subjects
  • The candidates should be proficient in a programming language (e.g. Matlab, R, Python)
  • The candidates should be highly motivated in the team’s research topics
  • The candidates should be proactive, have good communication skills, and be able to cooperate with the relevant personnel to fulfill the tasks

Work location

Branch and address

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.

Salary and benefits

  1. A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, up until March 31, 2028.
  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 65 years.

In principle, the first two months of employment is considered a trial period.
Salary will be a monthly 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 295,100 JPY for Postdoctoral Researcher and 350,300 JPY for Research Scientist as of April 1st 2023. 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 335,000 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 397,000 JPY or more for Research Scientist.

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.
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 not permitted on site except in designated smoking areas. 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).

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 CV (RIKEN CV: WORD(56KB) or EXCEL(159KB) , with photo and email address)
    *Write the RIKEN job ad number “W23057”, 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. Cover Letter (Reasons for applying for the post, e.g., personal strengths, motivation, future research plans, career aspirations, external funding awarded, etc.)
  3. List of research achievement and publications
  4. Names and email addresses of two referees who can be contacted to provide information about the candidate’s past work experience (ideally including current supervisor)
  5. Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR
    If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you are required to submit the document, “Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR” with your signature.

    *You will find detailed information about General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the following website:
    https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en

How to apply

All documents should be combined into a single ZIP file and uploaded to the following website:
Cognitive Somnology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team, Center for Brain Science, RIKEN

The file name of the ZIP should contain your contact email address.
After you uploaded the ZIP file, please let us know the file name of the uploaded file.
If a confirmation email is not received within 7 days after submission, please contact us again.

Email: Masako.tamaki[at]riken.jp (Replace [at] with @ )

Note: All the submitted documents will not be returned.

Deadline

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

Application screening, interviews, and oral presentation by selected applicants

Start of Employment

As early as possible

Contact Information

Cognitive Somnology RIKEN Hakubi Research Team
Email: masako.tamaki [at] riken.jp
For inquiries, please send an email.