Recruitment Information

NIMS Recruitment Policy

The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) is one of Japan’s leading research institutions, designated as a “Designated National Research and Development Institute,” a status reserved for organizations expected to achieve world-class research excellence. NIMS holds a unique global position as Japan’s only national research institute specialized in materials science and technology.

We believe that people are the foundation for maintaining and advancing our research at the global level. Accordingly, NIMS places the highest priority on recruiting outstanding individuals across all professions — not only researchers who conduct cutting-edge studies but also engineers who provide advanced technical support and administrative staff with exceptional management and organizational skills. We actively recruit talented individuals from diverse backgrounds — including universities, research institutes, and industries both in Japan and abroad — and foster an environment that enables creative and pioneering research.

For research positions, NIMS conducts international open recruitment at all levels, from early-career researchers who have just completed their doctoral studies to experienced scientists who have established their research careers elsewhere. Through tenure-track programs such as the ICYS Fellowship, NIMS provides a clear career pathway from graduate studies to independent research positions. After appointment, NIMS offers flexible and individualized support — including startup research funding, full coverage of equipment relocation costs, and team-building assistance — to ensure that new researchers can begin their work immediately.

A distinctive feature of NIMS is its support for both mission-driven research at the organizational level and independent, curiosity-driven research initiated by individual researchers. Research performance is evaluated through fair and transparent processes, and compensation is determined dynamically based on results and achievements.

NIMS places the highest priority on creating an environment where researchers can focus fully on their work. Our state-of-the-art shared facilities are maintained and operated with the professional support of skilled engineers, providing researchers with an ideal environment to pursue their scientific goals. Furthermore, NIMS has established joint graduate school programs with seven leading Japanese universities in materials science, offering opportunities for collaboration with excellent graduate students recruited internationally.

NIMS warmly welcomes talented and passionate individuals who aspire to lead the world in materials science and help shape the future of society.

Kazuhiro Hono, Ph.D.
President, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)


Find recruitment information

Recruitment information by type of position

Research and Engineering Positions

Recruit information for permanent and fixed-term research and technical positions.

Learn more

Administrative Positions

Recruit information for permanent and fixed-term administrative positions.

Search for "Admin" jobs at the search box in the middle of this page.

Persons with disabilities

Recruit information for persons holding a disability certificate.

Learn more

Employment types

NIMS employs permanent staff with no fixed term of employment (up to retirement age), and fixed-term staff who are employed for a certain fixed period.

Permanent positions

No fixed term of employment (up to retirement age)

Public recruitment for permanent research and engineering positions typically occurs twice a year, from March to May and from September to October*. For administrative positions, recruitment is from March to June. Details vary by type of position, so please check the individual pages for each position.

* Please also see the Special Public Recruitment (for permanent research positions equivalent to group leaders) which is open throughout the year.

Permanent positions

Researcher Engineer
Permanent positions

Fixed-term positions

Employment for a fixed term

Public recruitment for fixed-term positions, which are categorized as research, engineering, technical support (technical assistance), and administrative positions, takes place periodically. The job description varies by position, so please check the individual pages for each position.

Fixed-term positions

Researcher Technical Staff Engineer ICYS
Fixed-term positions
Search

Working at NIMS

Welfare and support systems

Developing research talent

Search Filter

Type

Job Type

Affiliation

Mid-career recruitment ratio presented according to the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies Act

2020 2021 2022
Mid-career recruitment ratio of regular employees 95% 89% 81%