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As an institution at the forefront of research in science and technology, RIKEN is always on the lookout for talented young scientists, skilled technicians and experienced researchers to join existing projects and laboratories, or form their own. Scientists from nearly any field will find a place for themselves given RIKEN's broad research scope and large number of centers and labs, which offer a rich environment for conducting cutting-edge scientific and technological research.

Research Programs

If you are a researcher with an interest in joining RIKEN, or an interest in learning more about possibilities for research at RIKEN, then there are a number of options to consider depending on your goals and what stage you are at in your career. Programs specifically oriented toward non-Japanese scientists interested in pursuing research at RIKEN can be divided into three categories:

  • Doctoral candidates: If you are a doctoral candidate, your research may qualify you for an International Program Associate (IPA) position at RIKEN. Successful candidates are funded to conduct research at RIKEN under the supervision of RIKEN scientists as part of their work toward obtaining a PhD. IPAs are expected to bring fresh thinking to research in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, or engineering, and are able to take full advantage of the RIKEN research environment through collaboration and use of shared equipment and facilities. IPA positions are extendable up to a maximum of three years. For more information, see the call for applications.
  • Postdoctoral Researchers: If you have completed your doctorate, you may be eligible for the Foreign Postdoctoral Researcher (FPR) or Special Postdoctoral Researcher (SPDR) program. Under the direction of their laboratory heads, FPRs and SPDRs supply innovative ideas to research currently being carried out at RIKEN. Applicants should normally have had less than five years of postdoctoral experience, and FPR and SPDR positions are extendable up to a maximum of five years. For more information, see the FPR call for applications and the SPDR call for applications. (Note that applicants must contact the head of the laboratory they wish to join before applying for these postdoctoral grants; not all laboratories accept FPR/SPDR researchers, please consult listings (see this list for SPDR) to check which labs are currently accepting  applicants.)
  • Leaders in Research: If your goal is to lead your own independent research team, then there are two programs which may be of interest to you. RIKEN's Initiative Research Unit (IRU) program provides funding, equipment, resources and personnel for promising young scientists to start up their own research laboratory at RIKEN over a period of up to 5 years. Applicants for the IRU program must have an outstanding record of achievement and sufficient research experience to design and execute an ambitious research plan. For examples of IRU projects, see the outline of current initiative research units. RIKEN's Associate Chief Scientist program offers applicants the chance to manage their own laboratory, with the long-term objective of fostering the development of scientists with character and drive who will take the lead in pioneering the next generation of scientific research. Unlike the IRU program, the Associate Chief Scientist is a permanent position. For more information on this program, see the call for applications and FAQ.

For information on salaries of each of these programs, see Salaries. An overview of all junior research programs is available here.

Laboratory Positions

In addition to the programs outlined above, individual laboratories and centers also frequently post job positions for researchers and technicians. For an overview of such positions, see the Career opportunities page of the main RIKEN website. Positions offered by individual laboratories may overlap with the general programs mentioned above, and include calls for postdoctoral researchers, research scientists, senior scientists, technicians and research laboratory heads.

In addition to positions posted at the main RIKEN website, two institutes (BSI and the CDB) post their own job listings and offer programs other than the ones listed above:

External Programs

In addition to programs and positions within RIKEN, another option is to apply for funding from organizations external to RIKEN and then arrange for a RIKEN lab to be your host. The JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) offers a Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers with conditions similar to those of the FPR and SPDR programs outlined above, but with a period of 12 to 24 months. For more information on the JSPS program, see the Postdoctoral Fellowships for Foreign Researchers page at the JSPS website.

More information

As a general rule, the best strategy in pursuing research opportunities at RIKEN is to contact the laboratory head whose group you would like to join, or if you are aiming to start your own independent laboratory, contact scientists in your research area. Just as it has since its founding, RIKEN grants a great deal of autonomy to its laboratory heads and center directors, and thus in most cases career opportunities start from the level of the individual laboratory or research team.

The following is a brief list of links to laboratories within RIKEN:

If you are unsure which laboratory is suitable to your research interests, or are having trouble figuring out who to contact within a laboratory or center, you can also contact RIKEN directly ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and we will do what we can to help you.
 
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