Careers

Jan. 22, 2025

Seeking Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist (W24315)

Laboratory

Neural Circuits and Computations Unit, Center for Brain Science (Unit Leader: Louis Kang)

Research Field

Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematical and Information Science, Computational Science, Computer Science, Biology, Medical Science, Interdisciplinary

Keywords

Computational neuroscience, Theoretical neuroscience, Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, Neural networks

Outline of Laboratory

Our Unit works in computational neuroscience. We study how computations performed by circuits in the brain produce neural phenomena and cognitive functions. The Unit is particularly interested in the hippocampal region and its role in memory, spatial representation, and neurological diseases. We employ a broad range of theoretical techniques, from mathematical analysis to machine learning, and we work closely with experimental data. Please visit https://louiskang.group for more information.

Job Title and Job Description

Job Title, available positions

Postdoctoral Researcher or Research Scientist : 2 positions

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

The successful candidate will work towards understanding seizures in the hippocampus by training neural networks, performing mathematical derivations, and/or analyzing experimental data.

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

Qualifications

We seek outstanding researchers with a strong theoretical/computational background and an avid interest in neuroscience. The candidate should possess a doctoral degree in computer science, physics, engineering, neuroscience, psychology, mathematics, statistics, computational chemistry, or a related field. The ideal candidate has previous postdoctoral experience in simulating, training, or mathematically analyzing neural networks, especially towards the understanding of seizures or neural network excitability. Candidates from underrepresented groups in science are vigorously encouraged to apply.

Work Location

RIKEN Center for Brain Science (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.

RIKEN may order the employee to change work locations, if necessary.

Salary and Benefits

  1. A one-year fixed-term employment contract, renewable based on evaluation, to a maximum of July 31, 2030.
    （Postdoctoral Researcher have until the end of the year (March 31) in which the employee completes 5 years of employment.）
  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 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 will be 327,200 JPY for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 384,000 JPY for Research Scientist, as of April 1, 2025. 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 371,500 JPY or more for Postdoctoral Researcher, and 436,000 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.
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 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@riken.jp.

Application and Required Documents

Required Documents

  1. Complete CV (with photo and email address)
    WORD(56KB) or EXCEL(159KB)
    (1) （RIKEN CV）*Write the RIKEN job ad number “W24315”, 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)（Original CV）*Write down in the notes section of your CV the number written next to the title of the job position (e.g. W24315).
  2. List of research achievement and publications
  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.

    *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
    *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:
    https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-and-the-eu/

How to apply

Send the application by email in PDF format to louis.kang@riken.jp. Recommendation letters must be emailed directly from the reference to louis.kang@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. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred or loaned to a third party under any circumstances without just cause.

Selection Process

Application screening, research talk, and interview by selected applicants.

Start of Employment

April 1, 2025

Contact Information

RIKEN Center for Brain Science
Neural Circuits and Computations Unit
Email: louis.kang@riken.jp
For inquiries, please send an email.