RIKEN, Japan’s national comprehensive research institute, employs doctoral students from Japanese graduate schools as part-time Junior Research Associates. Each JRA researches in a RIKEN laboratory under a RIKEN scientist while completing the PhD.
Fields cover mathematical sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, biology and medicine; medical and dental licence holders now in a PhD programme are welcome. The FY2027 call offers around 60 posts.
Benefits & funding
- Salary of JPY 250,000 a month (tax included), plus commuting costs up to JPY 150,000 a month under RIKEN rules.
- 20 days’ paid leave and 42 days’ special student leave a year.
- One-year contract from 1 April or 1 October 2027 to 31 March 2028, renewable up to three years in total (four for four-year PhDs); it ends early on earning the PhD or leaving the university.
- 5 hours a day, Monday to Friday.
Eligibility
- Enrolled in a doctoral programme at a Japanese graduate school by 1 April 2027 (1 October 2027 for an October start); Master’s students may apply before their doctoral entrance result.
- The school must have a joint graduate school agreement with RIKEN (university supervisor a RIKEN researcher), joint research with RIKEN scientists, or a research collaboration agreement, signed by the hiring date, and must permit research at RIKEN.
- Not eligible: anyone past the standard PhD term or in a similar programme elsewhere.
- No nationality limit is stated.
- Some awards, such as JSPS DC, may bar a second income; check first.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
Master Enrolled · PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Agree a host lab with a RIKEN laboratory head and your university supervisor.
- 2Register online and upload your forms, research plan and transcripts by 13:00, 16 October 2026.
- 3Your university supervisor uploads a recommendation letter by 13:00, 23 October 2026.
- 4The RIKEN laboratory head submits Form 1 and a supervision plan between 28 October and 13:00, 6 November 2026.
- 5Documents are screened in mid-December; results come in late December 2026.
Program timeline
registration and candidate documents due
Oct 16, 2026 (13:00)
recommendation letter due
Oct 23, 2026 (13:00)
host lab head’s submission due
Nov 6, 2026 (13:00)
results
Late December 2026
contract starts
Apr 1, 2027 or Oct 1, 2027