September 26th, 2025
Recruitment
Senior Researcher/ Researcher【Contracted Employee】, Fashloks Project, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)
（Application Deadline: Monday 24 November 2025 by 10:00 a.m. Japan Time )
| Recruitment (Persons) |
2–3 positions |
|---|---|
| Work location | (At the time of appointment) Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (Address: 457-4 Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 603-8047 Japan) (Scope for changes) None. |
| Job Description | (At the time of appointment) The project “Fair and Sustainable Hunting Management through Dialogues between Local Knowledge and Science (the Fashloks Project)” (Project Leader: Associate Professor Shun Hongo; https://sites.google.com/kyoto-u.ac.jp/rihn-hunting-project ), under the Global Environmental Culture Creation Program (Matsuda Program), conducts research that contributes to the creation of an integrated environmental culture by connecting scientific knowledge with Indigenous and local knowledge. Concretely, across rural sites in tropical rainforest regions (Cameroon, Colombia, Gabon, Malaysia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo), the project builds research through equitable dialogue and collaboration between local communities (Indigenous and local knowledge) and conservation agencies and scientists (science), with the aim of co-producing a management system for sustainable wildlife hunting. The successful candidate will, in collaboration with the Project Leader, domestic and international project members, and stakeholders at each site, undertake the following: 1. Long-term fieldwork-based research in animal ecology, anthropology, and area studies at the project sites. Examples include: A) Research on the distribution, abundance, ecology and behaviour of wildlife, with an emphasis on mammals. B) Research on local livelihoods (especially hunting practices), diets, and cultural aspects related to wildlife. C) Interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary research on the implementation of wildlife monitoring and hunting management in cooperation with local communities and conservation agencies. 2. Close coordination with the Project Leader and project members to support day-to-day project operations. 3. Planning and delivery of project-organised meetings, symposia, and outreach activities in Japan and overseas. (Scope for changes to duties) None. |
| Qualifications | We are looking for motivated and adaptive candidates who are interested to learn new research skills in a friendly and collaborative environment: ① A doctoral degree or equivalent research ability, and the capacity to conduct independent research. A PhD is required for appointment at Senior Researcher level. ② Experience of field-based research. Experience in sub-Saharan Africa and/or Latin America is highly desirable. ③ Proven ability in academic communication—including scholarly writing, conference presentations, and collaboration—in Japanese or English. Field experience/ability in French or Spanish would be an advantage. For Senior Researcher, at least three first-author articles in international peer-reviewed journals are required. ④ Strong motivation to engage in collaborative research across disciplines and in practice-oriented work with diverse actors in society and local communities. ⑤A demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with project members to ensure smooth project management and effective dissemination of outputs. |
| Terms of Employment | From 1 April 2026 until 31 March 2027. (The contract may be renewed after the term expires. However, the maximum term is until 31 March 2030.) |
| Working Hours | Based on the general working hours of Mon.–Fri. 8:30-17:00 (excluding the 12:15-13:00 lunch break), with discretionary employment system of professional work. Holidays: Japanese national holidays and 29 December–3 January. |
| Salary | Daily Wage 19,000 JPY (Researcher) or 22,100 JPY (Senior Researcher) |
| Other Allowances | Commuter Allowance, Rent Allowance, and Overtime Allowance (No other compensations, awards and termination benefits). |
| Insurances | Health Insurance (Mutual aid association of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) and the Employees’ Pension Insurance, and the Employment Insurance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. |
| Application Materials | Please prepare the following in Japanese or English and submit them as email attachments. 1. Curriculum Vitae (with photograph) using the NIHU format. If you have not yet been awarded a PhD, be sure to state the expected conferral date. 2. List of research outputs (doctoral thesis, peer-reviewed articles, books/monographs, awards). If your researchmap page already contains these four categories, you may provide the URL in lieu of a separate list. 3. Offprints (or photocopies/PDFs) of up to three key publications or books/chapters. 4. Statement of research experience and achievements (approx. 2,000 characters in Japanese or approx. 1000 words in English), written so it is clear you meet the eligibility criteria. 5. Statement of your aspirations for the post and duties (approx. 1,000 characters in Japanese or approx. 600 words in English). 6. Contact details for two referees who can comment on your application (name, affiliation/position, telephone number, and email address). [Notes] All documents must be A4 size and horizontally written (left-to-right). Prepare each as a separate file and include your name on each file. Then place all documents in a single ZIP folder and submit it by email. The submitted materials will be used solely for recruitment screening and will not be disclosed, transferred, or lent to any third party without due cause. CV format: PDF EXCEL *Residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) are required to submit the "Consent form for handling personal information based on GDPR" with your signature. PDF |
| Application Deadline | Monday 24 November 2025 by 10:00 a.m. Japan Time |
| Selection Process | Screening will be based on the submitted documents. On the basis of this screening, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview either at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) or online (via Zoom), scheduled for early to mid-December 2025. Details will be provided to candidates when interviews are confirmed. Please note that travel and related expenses will not be covered for interviews held at RIHN. |
| Submit to （Contact Information） |
Submission email：hongo[at]chikyu.ac.jp (please replace [at] with @) ※ Please set the email subject line to “Application for Fashloks Researcher”. ※ If you do not receive an acknowledgement within three working days, please contact the above address again by email. 【General enquiries about the call】 HONGO Shun E-mail：hongo[at]chikyu.ac.jp (please replace [at] with @) |
| Others | ・ The applicant who has excellent research achievements and is judged to play an important role in the project may be hired as a senior project researcher. ・ The travel costs (flight, per diem and accommodation) will be provided for the relocation of international researchers to Kyoto in accordance with the regulations of RIHN. ・ RIHN seeks to prevent passive smoking by prohibiting smoking in all our facilities except in designated areas. ・ RIHN guarantees equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of nationalities and gender orientations. ・RIHN promotes gender equality. We look forward to receiving applications from female candidates. |