Dear Colleagues, RIKEN (riken.jp), the largest comprehensive research institute in Japan (located near Tokyo), is currently accepting applications for the FY 2025 Special Postdoctoral Researcher (SPDR) programme. The programme aims to recruit postdoctoral researchers with a demonstrated or expected ability to direct and conduct their own independent research projects. The SPDR appointments have a start date of April 2025 and are for up to 3 years (provided a positive annual evaluation). The monthly salary for this program was revised as of FY2023 from 487,000 Japanese yen (JPY) to 550,000 JPY. SPRDs also receive an annual research budget of 1,000,000 JPY, and further research funds could be made available based on the interview. SPDRs are also eligible to apply for various other sources of internal and external funding. For details, see the programme's web page: https://www.riken.jp/en/careers/programs/spdr/career2025/index.html In particular, I want to draw your attention to: The Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS) programme, one of the laboratories in RIKEN that can host SPDRs. iTHEMS promotes and undertakes collaborative research across the disciplines of mathematics, theoretical physics, theoretical chemistry, numerical and data sciences, and theoretical biology. You can read about iTHEMS here: https://ithems.riken.jp iTHEMS currently has 11 researchers working in the general field of theoretical biology and biophysics, including researchers working on circadian rhythms, ecology and evolution, genomics, genetics, active/soft matter physics, virophysics, and cancer. There are approximately 70 positions available in the different laboratories and centres across RIKEN, including iTHEMS. The complete list of groups in RIKEN which can accept SPRD applications can be found here: https://www.riken.jp/medialibrary/riken/careers/programs/spdr/career2025/host_lab.pdf If you are interested to hold your SPDR within iTHEMS, please feel free to directly contact any iTHEMS researcher that most closely matches your research focus, or you can contact me (cbeau@riken.jp) if you have additional questions about an SPDR in iTHEMS in theoretical biology or biophysics in iTHEMS. It is best to establish a connection (email) with a researcher within your centre of interest before submitting an application. Deadline for registering basic information is 2024, April 9, Tuesday, 5 p.m. (JST) Deadline for revising or uploading documents and letters of reference is 2024, April 16, Tuesday, 5 p.m. (JST) Feel free to circulate widely to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. Sincerely, Catherine Beauchemin Deputy Program Director, iTHEMS, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan https://ithems.riken.jp/en/members/catherine-beauchemin Professor, Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada https://phymbie.physics.ryerson.ca/~cbeau Thomas Hitchcock (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)