Recruitment of Researcher or Postdoctoral Researcher at WPI-AIMEC (Tohoku University and JAMSTEC)
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (WPI-AIMEC), Tohoku University and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Our mission is to elucidate the response and adaptation mechanisms of ecosystems to changes in the marine environment using an approach that combines ocean physics, ecology, and data science.
Furthermore, we will realize predictions of marine ecosystem change at various scales from the northwest Pacific to the global ocean, and thus establish a new academic field: ‘‘Ocean and Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS).’
Homepage: https://wpi-aimec.jp/en/
Job Description
A double-host type research center, WPI-AIMEC, established by Tohoku University and JAMSTEC, is recruiting for 2-3 positions of AIMEC Researcher or AIMEC Postdoctoral Researcher to engage in the following research.
As a research start-up grant for the first year, AIMEC researchers will receive 3 million yen, and AIMEC postdoctoral researchers will receive 2 million yen. (No further payments will be made after this.)
[Research Description]
(Immediately upon employment)
1.We embark on pioneering research that will provide new and exciting insights into the trophic cycles and material cycles of marine ecosystems. This research will involve measuring the elemental and stable isotopic compositions of specific biopolymers contained in marine (micro)organism tissues, bones, and marine particles, etc., using cutting-edge techniques and instruments.
The specific research activities are as follows:
(1) Develop analytical protocols that enable the measurement of the stable isotopic composition of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulfur, and other elements in proteins, nucleic acids, and other biopolymers collected from the marine environment using a Fourier transform high-resolution mass spectrometer or similar instrument.
(2) Integrate the obtained data and analytical protocols into genomics, proteomics, and physical oceanographic data sets.
(3) From these data, we aim to develop an integrated understanding of food chains, elemental and material cycles, and spatiotemporal migration and advection patterns of species and ecosystem functions in marine ecosystems.
2. We conduct modeling research on Climate-Ocean-Ecosystem interactions, including the physical and chemical environments of the oceans and atmosphere and artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches. The successful candidate will be engaged in research using, and development an advanced Earth System Model (ESM) that incorporates regional-to-global-scale processes for marine ecosystem dynamics to advance projection studies on their future change, with the potential to significantly impact the field.
The specific research topics are as follows:
(1) Improvement of the treatment of marine and terrestrial carbon uptake processes in the ESM, including the introduction of a sophisticated scheme to represent complex coastal carbon uptake and transport processes,
(2) Development of an advanced marine ecosystem model that reproduces the complex structure of lower trophic level marine ecosystems and its incorporation into the ESM and/or ocean general circulation model, followed by analyzing the dynamics of marine ecosystems using the developed model,
(3) Development of the ESM to improve the reproducibility of extreme events such as typhoons and marine heat waves that cause changes in the ocean surface layer and to assess their impact on marine ecosystems,
(4) Enhancement of the ESM through methods such as AI-based surrogate model.
(The scope of possible changes)
The duties designated by WPI-AIMEC.
[Related fields of expertise]
Marine Physics, Marine Ecology, Geochemistry, Ocean Engineering, Geomicrobiology, Computer Science, Meteorology, Meteorological and oceanographic modeling, Earth Sciences, etc.
Work Place
The work place will be determined based on the successful candidate’s research background, future research direction, and research environment.
a) Tohoku University
Aobayama Campus, 6-3, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, JAPAN
*Measures to prevent passive smoking: No smoking on the premises, no work in areas where smoking allowed.
b) JAMSTEC
Yokohama Institute for Earth Sciences (YES), 3173-25, Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0001, JAPAN
*Measures to prevent passive smoking: No smoking on the premises (smoking areas are available outside), no work in areas where smoking allowed.
To apply, please visit:
https://www.jamstec.go.jp/recruit/e/details/wpi20250615/
Closing Date
June 15, 2025 at 23:59 in Japan time
*Depending on the situation of applications, the closing date may be extended.