9th Job Openings for Tenure-Track Positions through the HIRAKU Consortium,Japan (Chemical Engineering / Associate Professor or Lecturer (Tenure-Track) /Yamaguchi University)
January 2018
The deadline for submitting the application has been extended to
10 a.m. on May 1, 2018 (Japan Standard Time).
Hiroshima University, Yamaguchi University, and Tokushima University have jointly
established a consortium called “Home for Innovative Researchers and Academic
Knowledge Users (HIRAKU).” The consortium focuses on human resource
development and the allocation of young researchers and graduate students incooperation with firms, universities, and institutes in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions.
Supported by Funds for the Development of Human Resources in Science andTechnology through Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT), the consortium aims to improve the regional potential in science,technology, and innovation. As a main part of its activities, the member organizations of
the Consortium have launched a joint call for applications for tenure-track researcher's
positions from promising young researchers within and outside Japan in order topromote in these regions and encourage them to become distinguished researchers. For
these purposes, the ideal candidate for the position will be required to conduct active
independent research in the specified research fields as a tenure-track assistant professor
at each university, collaborate with diverse actors, contribute to the Consortium, anddevelop the research career in an uncertain world.
For this job opening, Yamaguchi University invites applications for one full-timetenure-track associate professor or lecturer position in Chemical Engineering.

1. Number of Positions Available, Areas of Research and Institution(1) Job classification: Associate Professor or Lecturer (Tenure-Track)(2) Number of positions available: One(3) Areas of Research:
Chemical Engineering(Applicants are assumed to have expertise in Mechanical and Diffusion unitoperations.)(4) Affiliation (Appointment):

1Graduate School of Science and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi
University
2. Application Requirements
Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements.
① Applicants should hold a PhD that was acquired after April 1, 2007, or haveequivalent research experience, and should be under 40 years old (*1) as of April 1,
2017.
② Applicants should be able to communicate in English.
③ Applicants should be able to lecture and provide research supervision toundergraduate and graduate students in Japanese or English.
④ Applicants should be able to begin working immediately after October 1, 2018, andno later than the end of the Japanese fiscal year 2018.
⑤ Applicants should actively contribute to science, technology, and innovation.
*1: Applicants who participated in the mandatory clinical practice in Japan are eligible
to apply unless they are 43 years old or older as of April 1, 2017. Since this project is
supported by Funds for the Development of Human Resources in Science andTechnology under MEXT, these age restrictions are subject to exceptional treatment bythe Ordinance for Enforcement of the “Koyou taisaku” Act 1-3 (1-(3-2)).
3. Employment Conditions(1) Term of Appointment-The term of appointment is from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2023.
-An associate professor or lecturer (tenure-track) of this job opening could possibly
change his or her workplace within the consortium organizations through an agreement
between the consortium and the associate professor or lecturer. In such a case, the termof appointment will remain the same, and the associate professor or lecturer willadhere to the standards of each organization.
-The associate professor or lecturer will receive midterm evaluations by September
2021 and final evaluations by March 2023. The associate professor or lecturer whopasses his or her tenure reviews with Yamaguchi University will receive a tenured
position, which is on a permanent basis with a mandatory retirement age.
-Depending on the final evaluation by the consortium, an associate professor or lecturer
holding this position could be appointed by an organization that participates in theconsortium through an agreement between the associate professor or lecturer and the2organization.
(2) Annual Salary① Annualsalary,including
allowances,will
beapproximately
4,800,000-6,600,000 yen depending on the successful applicant’s researchexperience (salaries will be calculated according to the annual salary rules ofYamaguchi University).
② Various types of insurance (The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology Mutual Aid Association, unemployment, and accident
compensation) are available to an associate professor or lecturer of Yamaguchi
University.
(3) Work Conditions① The employment conditions and regulations of Yamaguchi University shallapply as deemed appropriate.
② The first place of employment will be located on the Tokiwa campus of
Yamaguchi University.
③ A discretionary working-hour system is in place for professional work. Thismeans associate professors or lecturers can manage their own working hours,
although formal working hours are considered to be 7 hours and 45 minutes aday.
④ A maternity and childcare leave system will be applied.
4. Work Description
An associate professor or lecturer holding this position will be required carry out
the associate professor or lecturer’s work of each organization and contributions forthe consortium as listed below.
① Conducting research activities inside and outside the consortium based on theresearch plan (“research effort” should be more than 60%)
② Actively working to obtain external research funds③ Producing research outputs (e.g., publication in SCI journals and/or patents)④ Disseminating research outputs to society, including presenting results atinternational conferences⑤ Giving lectures and advising undergraduate and graduate students in theirresearch⑥ Participating in activities related to external research funds (even research
activities related to external funds will be included as part of the research effort)⑦ Being involved in other duties as considered necessary by each organization

3⑧ Planning and operating international meetings, symposiums, and network
activities organized or co-organized by the consortium⑨ Attending training, lectures on faculty development, etc., conducted byorganizations in the consortium⑩ Being involved in other duties as considered necessary by the head of theexecutive committee of the consortium
5. Special Notices Related to the Consortium(1) Role of the consortium in this job opening, processes for employment andcareer development in the consortium-Application materials should be submitted to the secretariat of the HIRAKU
consortium. The council of the consortium will determine the successful candidate
after consulting with the organization that will accept the candidate. The successful
candidate will then be hired by the organization as a faculty member (hereinafterreferred to as a Consortium Assistant Professor).
-The term of the Consortium Assistant Professor will be same as 3(1).
-For the betterment of his or her development as a researcher, the Consortium
Assistant Professor might be able to conduct his or her research at otherorganizations inside or outside of the consortium. Such arrangements should bemade through an agreement between the consortium and the Consortium AssistantProfessor.
-Consortium Assistant Professors are expected not only to conduct excellent research
but also to be involved in consortium-related teaching, networking, and training
activities to further their career development as researchers.
-Consortium Assistant Professors are expected to provide experiences and information
for the consortium through the activities described above, via evaluation and training
processes with their mentors in order to assist us in improving this system.
-Thus, applicants will be evaluated based on not only their research results andpotential but also their ability to collaborate with diverse actors and develop theirresearch careers by utilizing the research and training opportunities described above.
(2) Research Funds
During the first fiscal year, about 5,000,000 yen (*2) will be provided to each
Consortium Assistant Professor as a start-up fund. In addition, during the term ofappointment, about 500,000 yen per year (*2) will be provided for the consortium
activities such as for training and registration costs for domestic or internationalconferences. These funds must be used in accordance with the regulations of the4

workplace, the funding agencies, and the Japanese government.
*2: The amount could change depending on the grant-in-aid situation.
(3) Personnel Support① Research and teaching education will be supported by mentors who are seniorresearchers in the consortium.
② Other research and teaching activities will be supported by university researchadministrators (URAs).
(4) Additional Remarks
Personal research spaces (offices and laboratories) will be preferentiallyallocated for Consortium Assistant Professors.
6. Application Materials(1) Application Documents① Curriculum vitae (including expected research field and workplace as bellow,
using application form 7)- Graduate School of Science and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi
University-Chemical Engineering② List of research activities (e.g., books, reviews, original papers, conferenceproceedings); attach copies of no more than five major papers③ Summary of past research activities (up to four pages on A4 paper includingfigures)④ Research plan at the consortium (up to four pages on A4 paper including figures,a future research plan for five years to come)⑤ Aspirations for contributions to science, technology, and innovation (one pageon A4 paper)⑥ List of references*All of the above documents must be written in English or Japanese and be filled in
the application form. The application form can be downloaded from the following
URL: http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/hiraku/younger_tenuretrack/(2) Inquiries about Applications
Please contact us with any questions by e-mail at:
General information and procedure of this job opening:
consortium-koubo@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp(Secretariat of the HIRAKU consortium)
Specific information for the research environment of this job opening:5

imai@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp(Tsuyoshi Imai, Head of Department, Department of Sustainable
Engineering, Yamaguchi University)(3) Protection of Private Information
Private information related to the application is protected by the PersonalInformation Protection Law and the consortium’s regulations (for the moment, wewill invoke the regulations of Hiroshima University). Personal information related
to submitted documents may be provided to other organizations in the consortium,through the council and/or executive committee of the consortium, with strictmeasures to avoid information leakage.
7. Deadline for Submission and the Selection Process(1) Deadline for Submission
The deadline for submitting the application is 10 a.m. on April 2, 2018 (JapanStandard Time).
(2) Submission
All documents should be submitted in PDF format with the file name
Consortium(9)_(lastnameofapplicant_firstinitial)(e.g.,Consortium(9)_(Einstein_A)) to the following e-mail address:
consortium-koubo@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp(Secretariat of the HIRAKU consortium)
The total file size must not exceed 10 MB. Larger documents may be submitted
in separate files numbered as follows: 1/2, 2/2, etc. File compression must not beused. The secretariat will send a confirmation of receipt to each applicant. It isstrongly advisable to make sure this confirmation message arrives after submitting
the application.
(3) Selection Schedule① The first screening (by the specific research area)
 The results of the first screening will be announced by e-mail to applicantsaround late May 2018.
 Successful candidates from the first screening will be given information

about the second screening.
There is a possibility that an interview will also be conducted during thefirst screening. In this case, the transportation cost for the interview will not
be reimbursed.

② The second screening (by interview) will be conducted around June or July

62018.
 The results of the second screening will be announced to the applicants by
the end of July 2018.
 The transportation cost for the second screening will be reimbursed by theconsortium.
(4) Selection Standards
The first and second screening will evaluate the candidates in terms of research
activities, originality and realization of research plans, and potential research impact(e.g., contribution to science, technology, and innovation).
8. Additional Remarks(1) We strongly welcome applications from female and international researchers.
(2) Yamaguchi University enforces support for female researchers.
①Each female Consortium Assistant Professor will receive guidance related tojob environment preparation and maintenance via the Yamaguchi UniversityDiversity Support Office in collaborations with each Department.
② Women will be preferred among candidates with equal qualifications for thegender equality promotion.
(References)
Yamaguchi University:
http://www.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/english.html
Yamaguchi University Diversity Support Office (Japanese)
http://www.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/institute/ydpo.html<Home pages related to this job opening>
HIRAKU consortium:
http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/hiraku/en/
Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation:
http://www.gsti.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/en/
Yamaguchi University Faculty of Engineering:
http://www.gse.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/EN/
Yamaguchi University Tenure track program related to the consortium (Japanese)
http://kenkyu.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/tenure/faculty/

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