| Available Position | Project Researcher (II) or Postdoctoral Researcher (EGM25-018) |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Department |
Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star) *There may be a change in affiliation in the event of a reorganization of JAMSTEC. |
| Job Description | We are recruiting a Project Researcher (II) or Postdoctoral Researcher to engage in a research project in the Moonshot Research and Development Program titled "Research and development of marine biodegradable plastics with degradation initiation switch function (FY2020 - FY2027, Principal Investigator at JAMSTEC: Hidetaka Nomaki)" funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization. The successful candidate will engage in either research theme (A) or (B), as well as common tasks 3 and 4 described below. 【Research Description】 (Immediately upon employment) This project aims to develop novel, rapidly degradable marine-biodegradable materials, primarily based on polysaccharides, and to promote their social implementation. The research will include (A) the development, improvement, and performance evaluation of new polysaccharide-based materials, as well as studies on their processability and recyclability; and (B) elucidation of the microbial degradation behavior of polysaccharide-containing marine-biodegradable plastics in real environments, and database construction. The successful candidate will collaborate with researchers from diverse fields, including materials science, marine chemistry, microbiology, and bioinformatics, and will engage in the following tasks: (A) 1. Development and improvement of novel polysaccharide-based materials, and introduction of a marine-degradation initiation switch function through material compounding and/or chemical modification. 2. Improvement of processability and recyclability of the materials for social implementation. (B) 1. Comprehensive analysis of microorganisms and degradation enzymes in biofilms formed on plastics submerged in marine or river environments, and database construction using the obtained genetic information. 2. Cultivation of plastic-degrading microorganisms and characterization of plastic-degrading enzymes. Common tasks 3. Biodegradation tests and various sampling activities in actual river and marine environments. 4. Preparation of research reports and writing of peer-reviewed scientific papers. (The scope of possible changes) The duties designated by JAMSTEC [Relevant Research Fields] Material Science, Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Synthetic Biology, Chemistry, Physical Chemistry |
| Job Type | [Job Title] Researcher (Science): Researcher (Science) is expected primarily to conduct fundamental, originative or advanced research based on theories, observations and experiments related to research and development. Researcher (Technology): Researcher (Technology) is expected to conduct fundamental, originative, or advanced technology development and related research. [Position] Project Researcher (II): Project Researcher (II) is expected independently to conduct research and technology development and to share results through scientific publications and achieve technology innovation to contribute to the project. *Job Title (Science/Technology) will be determined during the employment process. ___________________________________________________________________________ [Job Title] Postdoctoral Researcher: To contribute to the project, a Postdoctoral Researcher should be able to independently conduct the research subjects which are authorized by the project under direction of a leader, and to be appointed to improve their research qualities. |
| Requirements |
Project Researcher (II): Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in a closely related field of research or technology development. Postdoctoral Researcher: Applicants are required to have been awarded or expect to have obtained a Ph.D. in a related field by the effective date of employment. In addition, no more than 5 years can have passed between the last day of the fiscal year in which the applicants obtained a Ph.D. and the effective date of employment. (i.e., applicants who earned a Ph.D. after April 2020 are eligible.) |
| Work Place | (Immediately upon employment) Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) Yokosuka Headquarters, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, JAPAN *Measures to prevent passive smoking: No smoking on the premises (smoking areas are available outside), no work in areas where smoking allowed. (The scope of possible changes) The places designated by JAMSTEC (including a place for working from home) |
| Working Conditions & Contract Period | (1) Number of positions: 1 position for a Project Researcher (II) or Postdoctoral Researcher (2) Type of contract: Fixed-term employee (3) Working Hours: Discretionary Labor System for Specialized Work *The determination of working hours allocation, including start and end times, as well as the method of carrying out research and development activities (including teleworking), is left to the discretion of the employee. (4) Contract Period: The total period will be terminated on March 31, 2028, after one contract renewal. *First contract period is from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. *Effective date of employment is negotiable. *Contract period can be renewed depending on the performance and working attitude of the successful candidate. *Contract period might change due to budget constraints of the project. *On reaching the age of 65 during an employed fiscal year, the contract period will expire at the end of the same fiscal year. This bylaw may change. *This position falls under Article 15-2, Act on Promotion of Science and Technology Innovation. *This position is a non-tenure-track, fixed-term employee position. |
| Salary | Annual salary (paid in 1/12 equal monthly payments) *Salary will be competitive, based on the academic qualifications and demonstrated research skills of the candidate. *Bonus and retirement allowance are included in the annual salary. Project Researcher (II): e.g., JPY 7,000,000-7,300,000 Postdoctoral Researcher: JPY 4,400,000-5,600,000 *There is no raise. |
| Terms of Employment | (1) Upon appointment, the successful candidate will receive relocation allowances. (2) Allowance for commuting expenses will be provided. (3) Employee and JAMSTEC will share the premiums for social insurance and labor insurance in the proportion specified by current statute. (4) JAMSTEC employee cooperative provides various subsidies for mutual aid and welfare services. (5) For Project Researcher (II), housing lease service will be available. (There are criteria based on income etc.) For Postdoctoral Researcher, housing lease service is not available. (6) Holidays and vacations: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, year-end, and New Year's holidays. Annual vacations with pay, special vacations, leave of absence to care for a family member, and maternity leave are provided. |
| Application Procedure | (1) Required documents *Please note that required documents differ depending on the position. Project Researcher (II): a) CV. Valid email and home address must be provided. b) Summary of your research (1 page) c) Research plan for the project (1 page) d) "Publication (achievement) list" including thesis titles and "List of competitive research funds" awarded to the applicant *Please list publications in refereed (peer-reviewed) journals separately from unrefereed publications. *Include DOI codes if available. *If you have not been awarded any, include "none" in the list. e) Two (or fewer) representative publications f) Two letters of recommendation from two senior research scientists (1 letter from each). *The person providing the recommendation should email to JAMSTEC directly with a signed letter as an attached file in PDF format by the closing date. Please include "SUGAR EGM25-018 and the applicant's name" in the subject line. *Employee of JAMSTEC will not be accepted as a writer of Letter of recommendation. Postdoctoral Researcher: a) CV. Valid Email and home address must be provided. *Please include contact information for one reference who is a senior research scientist. The reference person will be required to submit a letter of recommendation for the selected applicant directly to JAMSTEC, by Email, after screening of documents. The reference person should not be an employee of JAMSTEC. b) Summary of your research (1 page) c) Research plan for the project (1 page) d) "Publication (achievement) list" including thesis titles and "List of competitive research funds" awarded to the applicant *Please list publications in refereed (peer-reviewed) journals separately from unrefereed publications. *Include DOI codes if available. *If you have not been awarded any, include "none" in the list. e) Two (or fewer) representative publications (2) Submission Please apply via the following website: https://recruit.jobcan.jp/jamstec/entry/new/2196959 *All files must be converted to PDF format. *Since some of the notation is in Japanese on the website, please refer to the following input procedure when entering your information. Application guide (3) Interview Applicants will be selected based on submitted application material, followed by an interview. *Web-based online interviews are expected basically. |
| Closing Date | December 24, 2025 at 23:59 in Japan time *Depending on the situation of applications, the closing date may be extended. |
| Contact | Human Resources Section, Human Resources Dept., Administrative Division, JAMSTEC Email: recruit-app[at]jamstec.go.jp *Please replace [at] with @ when addressing Emails and include "SUGAR EGM25-018" in the subject line. |
| Remarks | (1) Submitted documents will be managed safely according to strict rules. Personal information received during the recruiting process will be used only for recruitment screening and appointment procedures and not for any other purposes. (2) Successful candidate should submit a certificate documenting their health upon appointment. (3) Please kindly inform us in case of withdrawal of your application by Email. (4) Above conditions may be changed at the discretion of the agency. (5) For non-Japanese speakers, the interview and daily work will be conducted in English. |
| Diversity and Inclusion | In our quest to perform state-of-the-art research and develop scientific and technological innovations based on diverse values, JAMSTEC not only actively recruits women based on gender equality but also strives to create a work environment in which individuality is respected regardless of nationality, race, gender, gender identity, age, or the presence or absence of disabilities. In response to the diverse needs of our employees, we will also promote more flexible work styles and environments, including shorter working hours and opportunities for discretionary work. You can see specific actions from the website below. https://www.jamstec.go.jp/j/about/gender_equality/ |