Call for Applications: Program-Specific Researcher
(Postdoctoral Fellow),Cognitive Neurobiology Group
(Amemori Group), Institute for the Advanced Study of
Human Biology (ASHBi), KUIAS Kyoto University

Call for Applications: Program-Specific Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow),
Cognitive Neurobiology Group (Amemori Group)
Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), KUIAS Kyoto University

16 September 2020

Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) recently selected the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi) for participation in the World Premier International Research Center (WPI) Program, establishing it within Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study (KUIAS) on 30 October 2018 with Mitinori Saitou, a world-leading developmental biologist, at its head. ASHBi is now looking for a Program-Specific Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow) in the laboratory of Associate Professor Ken-ichi Amemori (Cognitive Neurobiology Group). Details as follows.

1. Job Titles：
Program-Specific Researcher (Postdoctoral Fellow)

2. Number of Positions：
One (1)

3. Affiliation：
Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), KUIAS Kyoto University Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan

4. Eligibility：
Essential requirements are as follows:

1. The candidate has a Ph.D.
2. The candidate has excellent research achievements in the related fields and ability to supervise graduate students
3. The candidate should have the ability to develop and manage his/her research projects
4. He/she has high-level communication skills in English

5. Starting Date:
November 1, 2020 or the earliest possible date thereafter (adjustable according to individual requirements)

6. Term:
Five (5) years in principle (with annual renewal, the first from 31 March 2021)
Initial probationary employment period: six (6) months

7. Job Descriptions:
ASHBi will investigate the core concepts of human biology with a focus on genome regulation and disease modeling, creating a foundation of knowledge for developing innovative and unique human-centric therapies. The key goals are: 1) to achieve outstanding research in key individual themes in human biology in the area of reproduction, development, growth and aging as well as heredity and evolution; 2) to elucidate the principles for the emergence of species differences among humans, non-human primates, and rodents for proper extrapolation of the findings in model organisms to humans; 3) to generate primate models for key gene functions and intractable diseases; 4) to reconstitute key human cell lineages and tissues in vitro and validate their properties based on integrative information; and 5) to contribute to formalize an ethics for the use of human/non-human primate materials and create a philosophy to direct the values of the Institute’s research outcomes.
  The institute is seeking suitable candidates for a program-specific Researcher to accelerate its mission. The Cognitive Neurobiology Group (Amemori’s Group) will study neuroscience to examine the function of the emotional circuit in non-human primates (NHPs), whose brain structure is homologous to that of humans. The successful candidate will perform high-level research and act as a leading researcher in primate neurophysiology and related fields. The Amemori Group focuses on the NHP’s limbic system. In particular, the group aims to identify the neural basis of the interareal interaction of macaques’ anxiety-related network by combining electrical-stimulation and fMRI methods. The group will perform neurophysiological recordings of spikes and field potentials from microelectrodes chronically-implanted into multiple brain sites. The group also aims to clarify the function of the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and dopamine-related circuit in order to elucidate the mechanism of anxiety. The group will also introduce genetic engineering such as chemogenetics to clarify the mechanism of the anxiety-related circuit. For more information, please refer to the following website.   * Cognitive Neurobiology Group homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/amemorigroup/
  (Please sign out of your Kyoto University Google Account when you browse the page)
ASHBi is looking for a researcher who can perform one of these research tasks. Successful candidates will carry out existing research plans and accomplish the plans by contributing with their own ideas. Expertise in macaque neurophysiology is preferred but not a requirement. We are looking for talented and highly-motivated persons from the various fields of neuroscience.

8. Working Conditions:
Five (5) working days per week (days off: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, year-end and New Year holidays, Foundation Day, and summer vacation, as per University guidelines)
Working hours: 38 hours 45 minutes per week under a discretionary labor system.

9. Salary:
Paid annually in compliance with the rules of Kyoto University.

10. Allowance:
No allowance (such as for commuting, housing, bonuses, etc.) will be provided.

11. Social Insurance:
National Public Service Mutual Aid Association health policy
Employee’s pension insurance
Employment insurance
Worker’s accident insurance

12. Deadline:
Open until the positions are filled.

13. Evaluation Procedure：
Submitted applications will be reviewed, if necessary followed by interviews for short-listed candidates.

14. Application Method:
Application documents must be prepared in English according to the “Application Guidelines”, and submitted as email attachments.

Submit via email to: ASHBi-recruit@mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

15. Additional Information:
Submitted documents are used only for the purpose of applicant screening and hiring. Personal information will not be disclosed, transferred or loaned to a third party under any circumstances without just cause. Kyoto University promotes gender equality. Responses and applications from female researchers are highly welcomed.
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