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International Center for Young Scientists
National Institute for Materials Science

Sengen 1-2-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan

ICYS Principal Investigator (PI) : Application Guidelines

photo of ICYS-RF conducting an experiment

ICYS PI Call for Applications from Young Researchers

The ICYS Principal Investigator (ICYS PI) position at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) is a tenure-track research position designed to foster the independence and long-term career development of outstanding young scientists.
Unlike a postdoctoral fellowship, the ICYS PI position provides a clear career pathway toward permanent research leadership roles such as Team Leader or Group Leader at NIMS. ICYS PIs are expected to establish internationally visible, original research programs and demonstrate the capability to grow into leaders in their fields.

Description of the position

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Work description

As an ICYS PI at NIMS, you will independently advance research based on your original ideas, managing your own small research unit and utilizing NIMS’s state-of-the-art shared facilities and dedicated research assistants. You will develop internationally recognized, original research areas across a wide spectrum of materials science—including quantum, battery, magnetic, structural, organic, bio-related, and other advanced materials, as well as data science.
Salary and benefits
  1. Annual salary: minimum 8,000,000 JPY.
  2. Research budget: 4,000,000 JPY per year
  3. Technical assistants and postdoctoral researchers (for a maximum of three years) may be assigned, subject to review.
  4. Working days/hours: 7 hours and 45 minutes (08:30-17:15) per day, 5 days per week (discretionary work system)
  5. Days off from work include Saturdays and Sundays, national holidays, year-end/New Year holidays (Dec. 29 to Jan. 3)
Term

5 years

*If the applicant is already in NIMS as a non-permanent researcher (Postdoc), the maximum contract term depends on work experience at NIMS.
Work place

National Institute for Materials Science, Sengen-Site/ NamikiｰSite/ Sakura-site (Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan)

 

Eligibility​


Applicants must fulfill all of the following conditions.

  1. Pursue research independently based on your own research plan.
  2. Have a Ph.D. obtained within 10 years as of the date of appointment, or expect to be awarded a Ph.D. by the date of appointment.

    *In case it is not possible to submit a certificate of expected Ph.D. completion by the application deadline, submit a letter signed by the supervisor stating the expected date when the Ph.D. will be awarded.

  3. Applicants must propose research that can be conducted at one of the NIMS research centers listed below.​

NIMS Research Centers

Research Center for Energy and Environmental Materials (GREEN)
Main Research Fields: Battery and Cell Materials, Hydrogen Technology Materials
● Battery and Cell Materials Field
Solid-State Battery ／Battery Materials Analysis／Photovoltaic Materials／Rechargeable Battery Materials／Solid State Battery Ionics／Environment-Controlled Microscopy／Frontier Battery Materials／Automated Electrochemical Experiments ● Hydrogen Technology Materials Field
Magnetic Refrigeration System Group／Superconducting System／Hydrogen Production Catalyst Materials／Advanced Superconducting Wire／Hydrogen Ion Materials／Electrochemical Energy Conversion／Mathematical Catalysis Research

Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials​
Main Research Fields: Functional Materials, Optical Materials​
● Functional Materials Field​
Ultra-wide Bandgap Semiconductors／Environmental Circulation Composite Materials／Nano Electronics Device Materials​／Electro-ceramics／Amorphous Material​ ● Optical Materials Field
Optical Single Crystals／Optical Ceramics／Advanced Phosphor／Semiconductor Epitaxial Structures／Nanophotonics​／Semiconductor Defect Design／Quantum Photonics／Polycrystalline Optical Material

Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials (CMSM)
Main Research Fields: Magnetic Materials, Spintronics​
Magnetic Functional Device／Magnetic Recording Materials／Spintronics／Spin Physics／Spin Caloritronics／Spin Theory​／Green Magnetic Materials​

Research Center for Structural Materials (RCSM)
Main Research Fields: Materials Manufacturing, Materials Evaluation​
● Materials Manufacturing Field ​
Polymer Matrix Composites／Ceramic Matrix Composites／Thermomechanical Processing／Light-weight Metallic Materials／High Temperature Materials／High-Reliability Heat-Resistant Materials／Additive Manufacturing／Anisotropic Materials／Corrosion and Protection​ ● Materials Evaluation Field​
Creep Property／Fatigue Property／Cryogenic Fatigue／Steel Research／Corrosion Research／Welding and Joining Technology／Mechanical Properties／Microstructure Analysis／Computational Structural Materials／Structural Thermodynamics／Computational Microstructure Design​

Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA)
Main Research Fields: Semiconductor Materials, Quantum Materials​, Nanomaterials
● Semiconductor Materials Field
Nanostructured Semiconducting Materials／Quantum Materials Simulation／Semiconductor Functional Device／Thin Film Electronics／Neuromorphic Devices／Semiconductor Nano-integration／2D Semiconductor／Photonics Nano-Engineering／Ionic Devices／Semiconductor Device／Smart Interface​ ● Quantum Materials Field​
Surface Quantum Phase Materials／Frontier Superconducting Materials／Quantum Solid State Materials／2D Quantum Materials​／Quantum Material Properties／Quantum Materials Modeling／Qubit Materials／Quantum Materials Design／Quantum Magnetic Materials​ ● Nanomaterials Field​
Thermal Energy Materials／Functional Nanomaterials／Layered Nanochemistry／Frontier Molecules／Functional Chromophores／Supermolecules／Nanoparticle／High-Pressure Materials Synthesis／ElectroActive Materials／Optical Nanostructure

Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials (RCMB)
Main Research Fields: Macromolecules, Biomaterials​
● Macromolecules Field​
Molecular Design and Function／Electronic Functional Macromolecules／Molecular Mechatronics／Printed Electronics​／Electrochemical Sensors／Data-driven Polymer Design／Autonomous Polymer Design and Discovery／Supramolecule／Polymer Materials／Polymer Process Technology／Polymer Surfaces and Devices​ ● Biomaterials Field
Mechanobiology／Medical Soft Matter／Polymeric Biomaterials／Bioceramics／Tissue Regeneration Materials／Smart Polymer ／Olfactory Sensors／Electrochemical Nano-Bio／Polymer Surfaces and Devices​

Center for Basic Research on Materials (CBRM)
Main Research Fields:Advanced Materials Characterization, Materials Design
● Advanced Materials Characterization Field
Electron Microscopy／In-situ Electron Microscopy Technique／Nanoprobe Group／Solid-State NMR／Photoemission Spectroscopy／High Magnetic Field Physics／Quantum Beam Diffraction​ ● Data-driven Materials Research Field​
Data-driven Inorganic Materials／Data-driven Materials Design／Materials Modeling／Computational Materials Science​／Data-driven Algorithm​

How to Apply

Send the following documents by email to ICYS Recruitment Desk <icys-recruitnims.go.jp>, with a subject line of [ICYS PI Application].
Do not use HTML mail.

* You cannot apply for both ICYS PI and ICYS RF.
* If you are not selected for the ICYS PI position, you may be considered for the ICYS RF position if you wish.

Please download ICYS designated forms (1, 2, 5, and 6) below.

  • 1. CV [MS-Word] Please submit the CV in Word format. (Do not convert it to PDF.)
  • 2. Application form [MS-Word] Please convert the Application Form to PDF before submission.
  • 3. PhD Certificate (If you are expected to obtain a PhD, a certificate of expected PhD completion is required.) Please submit in A4 size.
  • 4. PDF files of three significant publications Submissions of more than three (3) PDF files will not be accepted.
    Please ensure file names are within 50 characters.
  • 5. List of DOI of journal publications [MS-Excel] (instruction for preparing the List of DOI)
    Please submit the file in Excel format. (Do not convert it to PDF.)
  • 6. Pre-Submission Self-Checklist for ICYS Application [PDF] Please download this checklist and be sure to complete the self-check before submission.
    Applications that do not meet the requirements listed in this checklist will not be accepted.
    Submission of this checklist is not required.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

 

Selection Process

Number of Positions: A few
Selection will begin after the application materials are received at the ICYS office. The selection process consists of an initial screening of documents, followed by an interview for those who have passed the screening. The applicant will be promptly notified of the final result according to the schedule below.

 

2026-2027

Item Date/Period
Application period August 3, 2026 - September 29, 2026
Notification of Document Screening Results Early December, 2026
Interview Dates January 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2027

*Interviews will be held on one of these four days.
Details will be provided to successful candidates after the document screening.​
Notification of Final Selection Results​ Late January to early February, 2027
Appointment Period​ Between April 1, 2027 and September 1, 2027

 

Summer Break Notice​

The ICYS Recruitment Desk will be closed for summer break from August 8 to 16, 2026.
​ Inquiries received during this period will be answered in the order received from August 17, 2026, onward.​

Inquiry for Recruitment

ICYS Recruitment Desk, National Institute for Materials Science

1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047 JAPAN

Email: icys-recruitnims.go.jp

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