Professor/Associate Professor Positions at the Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama Univ Japan

Professor and Associate Professor Positions at the Institute for Planetary Materials, Japan

The Institute for Planetary Materials (IPM), Okayama University, Misasa, Japan, invites applications for Professor and Associate Professor positions in the area of Planetary Surface Environments.

The Institute for Planetary Materials (IPM), Okayama University is a world-class research institute with the aim of advancing our understanding of the origin, evolution and dynamics of the Earth and planets through both experimental and analytical approaches. As a designated Joint-Use/Research Center in Earth and planetary materials science, IPM is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of Japan to promote joint-use and collaborative research on Earth and planetary materials, providing access to the analytical and experimental facilities, and associated expertise for researchers and students both in Japan and worldwide.

In April 2016, the Institute was reorganized from the former "Institute for Study of the Earth’s Interior (ISEI) " to the "Institute for Planetary Materials", and after further reorganization in April 2024, it now consists of three divisions; the Division of Planetary Materials Analytical Chemistry, the Division of Planetary Materials Experimental Physics, and the Division of Planetary Surface Environment. In the future, we will utilize our basic research capabilities in Earth and planetary materials using analytical and experimental methods that we have cultivated to date to develop new academic fields that can contribute to the development of human society in the future. We aim to create new fields of study through collaboration across disciplinary boundaries, involving companies and research institutions at other universities.

This call is open to individuals with outstanding research achievements in the field of practical planetary surface environment research with a view to future human migration to the Moon and Mars, and individuals with outstanding research achievements in the field of materials science that address global environmental issues such as radioactive waste disposal and carbon dioxide fixation in geological strata. The successful candidates will be world leaders in the relevant academic fields, and will be willing to actively lead a new field in collaboration with other faculty members and staff. In addition, those who can conduct research and maintenance work using the planetary surface environment simulator (large chamber), which is scheduled to be introduced at the end of FY2025, are also welcome.

Further information about the faculty, research and facilities of the Institute can be found at the IPM website (https://www.misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp/eng/).

1. Affiliation: Division of Planetary Surface Environment

2. Job title: Employment Status Professor (Specially appointed) or Associate Professor Position (Specially appointed) Contractual term is defined. (However, there is a possibility of employment beyond the contract period depending on the status of employment expenses and evaluation)

3. Number of openings: 2 posts. One Professor (special appointment) One Associate professor (special appointment)

4. Appointment Date: As soon as possible after January 1,2025

5. Qualifications: 1) Applicants must have a doctoral degree. 2) Any nationality is welcome. 3) Ability to teach and guide research in English is required.

6. Educational Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be in charge of courses in the doctoral program of the Graduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University and may also supervise graduate students as a primary supervisor.

7. Documents required with application:

   1) Curriculum vitae (Form 1) 

   2) Educational career (Form 2)

   3) Summary of past research (Form3)

   4) List of publications (Form4)

   5) Plan for activities in research and teaching at IPM (Form 5)

   6) PDF files of five representative publications

   7) Contact information for two references (Form 6)

   8) Certificate of completion of the last school attended (a copy of the degree certificate is acceptable)

   ※Documents must be written in English.

   ※Please use the attached documents for Forms 1-6.

   ※Please convert the above documents into pdf files and send them by e-mail to the address below with the subject title "Applications for Division of Planetary Surface Environment IPM".

   ※If you do not receive a confirmation email within 4 days of submitting your application, please contact us.

8. Closing date: September 30th, 2024, 5:00 p.m. (Japan Standard Time)

9. For further information please contact: Professor Takashi Yoshino, Director Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University Phone: +81-858-43-3737 E-mail: tyoshino@misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp

Documents should be sent by e-mail to: Professor Takashi Yoshino, Director Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University 827 Yamada, Misasa, Tottori, 682-0193, Japan E-mail: wakusei-jinji@adm.okayama-u.ac.jp

10. Documentary screening and interview Preliminary screening based on the submitted documents. Those who pass the document screening will be asked for an interview (including a seminar given in English). The final candidate will be evaluated at the faculty meeting of the Institute for Planetary Materials before the final decision is made by the Okayama University President.

   ※Applicants who pass the document screening will be contacted separately for an interview.

   ※If the Interview costs money, it will be borne by the applicant.

   ※Depending on circumstances, interviews may be conducted online.

11.Compensation:

1.  Annual Salary: 5.0 million yen ~ 10 million yen. An annual salary system is applied. Basic annual salary and Performance-based annual salary: Professor 7,102,000-9,376,000yen. Associate Professor 5,732,000-7,840,000yen, The amount of salary is determined in consideration of the person’s educational background, licenses and qualifications, work experience, etc. according to the National University Corporation Okayama University annual salary application staff salary rules. URLs for salary rules. (Japanese only): https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/tp/society/boshyu-kyoiku.html
2. Working hours: Discretionary labor system for specialized work. No overtime working rule. Holiday work may be applicable (See the employment rules, Article 41 and 42)
3. Holidays: Every Saturday and Sunday, national public holidays, December 29- January 3 of the following year (See the employment rules, 2 in Article 42)
4. Insurance, etc.: National public employee mutual aid insurance, employment insurance, workers' compensation insurance. Okayama University's official website for rules and regulations: https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/shokisoku/reiki_menu.html 12.

Others:

1. Please note that application documents will not be returned. Personal information will not be used for any purpose other than the selection process. After the screening process is complete, we will take full responsibility for the handling of personal information.
2. Additional documents may be requested depending on the progress of the selection process.
3. Okayama University is committed to gender equality and provides support for female faculty members. Applications from female candidates are encouraged.