1 Research support staff【1-1・1-2】

Work-life balance support

Nurturing female leaders

Academic/administrative
staff, Postdoctoral Fellows/technical staff(male/female)

Academic & technical staff(females only)(1) AimThis program subsidizes the hiring ofresearch support staff for two purposes. One is to enable researchers who are expecting a baby, caring forchildren or providing family care (hereafter collectively referred to as “childcare, etc.”) to balance theirresearch with those family duties so that they do not have to abandon their research. The other is tosupport female researchers who contribute to society in key positions such as members of national/local
government panels (hereafter collectively referred to as “social contributions”) so that they can continue
to pursue both those activities and their research, advance their careers, and further play active roles asleaders.
(2) Program details
A grant will be provided to cover the cost of hiring research support staff.
 The maximum grant is 2 million yen/year, but this may be reduced depending on the budget and areview of the application.
 The program will operate for the full year (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025).
 Research support staff are to be hourly workers (technical assistants or clerical assistants) or research
assistants (RA)/administrative assistants (AA)/ Teaching Fellow (TF). The grant may be applied totemporary workers if circumstances necessitate the hiring of temporary staff.
 Research support staff will provide technical assistance and/or clerical assistance to enable theresearcher to balance research with childcare, etc. and social contributions.
 The working hours of research support staff are to be limited to 30 hours/week. Applicants planning toemploy a research support assistant for no more than 12 hours/week are encouraged to fill the position
with university personnel (RA/AA, etc.)
 The recruitment, hiring, supervision, etc. of research support staff will be the responsibility of theawardee and the awardee’s department.
(3) Eligibility to apply【1-1 If applying to balance your research with childcare, etc.】
Any member of the academic staff (excluding specially appointed professors [management]), JSPS
Research Fellowships for Young Scientists（PD/RPD/CPD）, or technical staff (excluding facilitiesrelated technical staff) whose principal duties are with Tohoku University and who meets any of thefollowing criteria.
(1) Parenting a child living in the same household until the 4th grade of elementary school.
(2) Self or spouse is expecting to give birth within six months of the date of applying for assistance(3) Caring for a parent or other family member certified as requiring family care
Note: Applications cannot be made if someone else is available to provide childcare or family care on adaily basis.
【1-2 If applying to balance your research with social contributions】
Any female member of the academic staff (excluding specially appointed professors [management]),
JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists（PD/RPD/CPD）, or technical staff (excluding facilitiesrelated technical staff) whose principal duties are with Tohoku University and who has difficulty
allocating time to her research due to the responsibilities of a key position she holds, such as being amember of a national/local government panel.

(4) Application forms
If applying to balance your research with childcare, etc.:
 Attachment 1: Application for Research Support Staff: 2024 Academic Year
 Attachment 7: Applicant Details relating to Eligibility Evaluation
 Attachment 8: Survey of Cooperation in Gender Equality Activities
 Copy of documentation confirming eligibility to apply- Health insurance card, resident card, passport, or other document certifying child’s age- Maternity health record book certifying expected date of birth- Family care insurance card, etc.
If applying to balance your research with social contributions: Attachment 1: Application for Research Support Staff: 2024 Academic Year
 Attachment 8: Survey of Cooperation in Gender Equality Activities
 Copy of documentation confirming eligibility to apply- Documentation confirming your status as a member of the relevant organization (governmentpanel, etc.), the frequency of its meetings, and the amount of time required to discharge yourduties.
(5) Deadline for submission of application______________ 2024

(departmental deadline)(6) Where to submit application
 The General Affairs Section will collect all applications for the department and after ranking of thetop three by the department head, will submit them to the Center of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion(DEI) no later than Monday, February 26, 2024.
 Some applications may still be rejected during the screening process even if ranked among the topthree.
 If you have not applied but suddenly find that you require assistance during the year, please discuss
the matter with the Center for Gender Equality Promotion.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center (DEI Center)(7) Application screening Documents will be examined by the screening panel within the DEI Center.
 During the screening process, you may be asked to prepare and submit additional documents orcome for an interview.
 Priority is given to cases where the hiring of research support staff will be more likely to enable theapplicant to continue their research.
 Technical staff assistance may be provided if the budget allows.
 Selections are scheduled to be announced in late-March 2024.
(8) Report
The awardee shall prepare a report (using the prescribed form) at the end of the period of program use.
(9) Other information
 The awardee shall, as far as possible, cooperate with the following types of requests regarding thepromotion of DEI by the Committee for DEI promotion (may be taken into consideration in theselection process): Participation in symposiums and seminars, poster presentations, responding toquestionnaires, writing articles/comments for public-relations materials, and other requests.
 When announcing the results of research made possible by this program, the awardee must clearly
acknowledge assistance provided under the program. (Please refer to the attachment “Q&A” for apractical example.)