The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) is now accepting applications for fixed-term employment of young researchers.
In order to facilitate further advancement in research activities that meet global challenges, JIRCAS is offering fixed-term employment aimed at nurturing excellent and highly motivated young researchers in pursuing research in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Available positions and job description
|
Recruitment code |
Research Division, Position, No. of positions |
Employment period |
Research description・ Research outputs ・ Key words |
|---|---|---|---|
|
J5 (Remote sensing)
|
Rural Development Division, Researcher, 1 person |
5 years |
Overview of research activities With the advancement of IT and AI, smart agriculture that utilizes advanced sensing technology and information analysis methods has been receiving attention in recent years. Interest in these advanced technologies is also high in developing regions. By using these advanced technologies to evaluate soil fertility, identify water resources, and diagnose the growth of crops, it is expected to contribute to sustainable agricultural production that is suitable for each environment. From these perspectives, in order to advance the agricultural environmental evaluation and growth monitoring by GIS and remote sensing that JIRCAS has conducted so far, JIRCAS will recruit a young researcher who can combine and utilize various remote sensing information, such as high-resolution satellites equipped with optical sensors, microwave observation satellites, multi-spectral sensors installed in UAVs and AI such as machine learning. By using these advanced information and equipment, the researcher is expected to develop technologies to perform highly accurate growth diagnosis and yield prediction of agricultural crops, field management, and agricultural land environmental evaluation in developing regions. In technology development, the researcher is expected to respond to various purposes and target scales, and provide outputs that are suitable for beneficiaries by combining the analysis of remote sensing information, growth models, and various environmental models, thereby ensuring implementation of the technologies in developing regions. In addition to the above skills and research achievements, the researcher is expected to have the ability to cooperate with other researchers in Japan and overseas, an excellent international sense, and potential for proactiveness to promote new research in developing regions such as Asia and Africa. Examples of research projects
Keywords
Other qualifications
|
|
J6 (International studies on agriculture, forestry and fisheries) |
To be decided after selection, based on the specialization of the candidate, Researcher, a few persons |
5 years |
Overview of research activities JIRCAS has been playing a core role as a center of Japan’s R&D for technological improvement of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the tropical and sub-tropical regions, and in developing countries since its establishment as the Tropical Agriculture Research Center (TARC) in 1970. In the 5th Medium to Long-term Plan (FY2021-2025), JIRCAS intensively and effectively carries out R&D to solve global food and environmental problems as well as to strengthen its function as an information center, such as the collection and dissemination of information related to its R&D activities. In recent years, the environment surrounding agriculture, forestry and fisheries in developing regions has been changing very rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to pursue innovations based on flexible and novel ideas, such as the transformation of food systems and cross-disciplinary R&D that do not necessarily adhere to conventional frameworks. In the past, JIRCAS has recruited staff to carry out specific research themes in specific fields. However, in order to encourage researchers with novel ideas, we are inviting applications in the Nurturing Young Researcher Category (Employment: 5 years, several positions) without limiting the field of specialization or research topics of the applicants. Applicants who wish to apply for this position must provide a proposal on how they can contribute to the research projects and other activities of JIRCAS in order to achieve the goals in the 5th Medium to Long-term Plan (please visit our website for details of research projects). The proposal should match with the applicant’s academic and research experiences. Although the proposal should principally contribute to the goals of the 5th Medium to Long-term Plan, we also accept proposals which include innovative R&D and methodologies that go beyond the current goals. Research topics
Keywords
Other qualifications
|
Application conditions
- The applicant must possess a PhD degree or expected to receive the degree by the start of employment.
- The applicant must possess sufficient academic background, experience, and skills to pursue research in the intended post.
- The applicant must have sufficient Japanese language ability that would not interfere with daily work.
JIRCAS promotes gender equality in accordance with the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society, and strongly encourages qualified female as well as non-Japanese researchers to apply. Non-Japanese applicants must have resident status granting permission to work.
Employment conditions
- Term
- 5 years (From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028)
※1 Please contact us for any circumstances regarding the start date of employment.
※2 A fixed-term researcher may take maternity leave, childcare leave, or nursing leave during the term, and may apply for extension of the term to cover the period for leave of absence.
※3 The employment contract is subject to renewal after an evaluation of the performance and achievements of the researcher to be carried out 11 months before the end of the term. A fixed-term researcher who successfully passes the evaluation will be employed continuously as a regular researcher.
- 5 years (From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028)
- Salary
- The monthly salary (basic salary) is JPY331,000 - 394,000 commensurate with qualifications and experience in accordance with the JIRCAS Staff Salary Regulations.
- Bonuses equivalent to 1.675 months’ basic salary (less for first bonus after recruitment) are paid twice a year in June and December. Allowances include commuting allowance, overtime work allowance, regional allowance (if assigned in Tsukuba), and special area work allowance (if assigned in Ishigaki). However, allowances for dependents and housing are not provided.
- The monthly salary and other benefits are subject to change in accordance with revision of regulations.
- Day-off and leave
- Saturdays, Sundays
- Public holidays, year-end and new year holidays (Dec 29–Jan 3)
- Annual paid leave: 5 days to be granted upon recruitment (October 1, 2022)
- Others : sick leave, summer leave (3 days), nursing care leave (5 days), special leave (marriage, maternity, mourning)
- Working hours
- Standard working time (8:30 am - 5:15 pm)
- Flextime system, discretionary working time system (need to apply)
- Welfare benefits
- Health insurance and pension by MAFF mutual aid association
- Employment insurance, Workers’accident compensation insurance
Documents to submit
The documents have been changed from this year.
-
JIRCAS Research Staff Application file
※ Please fill in the ‘Application Form’ and ‘List of Publications’ sheets in the file (EXCEL).
※ File name should be indicated as follows：
Recruitment Code-Name of Applicant-1.xls
Ex：J1-KOKUSAI Taro-1.xls
※ Submit the file in EXCEL (xls) format. Do not convert to PDF.
※ An e-mail address (for contact on administrative matters) must be included. -
Letter of recommendation in PDF file (A4 size, one page, free format. The letter must provide the name, affiliation, status, telephone number and e-mail address of the person providing the recommendation.)
※ The letter must have a signature of the recommender.
※ JIRCAS staff cannot provide a recommendation letter. -
PDF files of major peer-reviewed original papers for which the applicant is the first author (up to 5 papers).
※ If there is an online version, the URL indicated in the list of publications will be used, so there is no need to submit a PDF file.
Send documents to
Send all application documents as e-mail attachment. Password is NOT required.
E-mail: JIRCAS-Kenkyuin-Kobo @ ml.affrc.go.jp
Deadline of application
November 29, 2022 (Documents must be received by 5:00 PM.)
※ Incomplete documents with omissions of required information, or flawed documents will not be accepted.
Selection process
- Screening of applicants based on submitted documents (Early December 2022)
- Interview for selected applicants (Late December 2022)
※Place: JIRCAS Headquarters (1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki)
For inquiries, please contact
Dr. Takeshi WATANABE (Email: JIRCAS-Kenkyuin-Kobo @ ml.affrc.go.jp)
Other matters
- All expenses incurred in attending an interview will be borne by the applicant.
- All submitted documents will not be sent back to the applicant regardless of the result of the application.
- All correspondence will be done by email only.
Handling personal data
All submitted documents will be used only for the purpose of screening the applications, and not for any other purpose.