Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS) was established in September 2006 to enable promising and talented researchers to focus on their research activities under fixed-term contracts in a rich research environment. Waseda University announced in a message issued by the president on June 20, 2025, that the university would provide support to early-career researchers facing difficulties in continuing their research activities in the United States. Based on this announcement, WIAS encourages researchers to apply for this position who meets the following qualifications.
Reference: President’s Message, June 20, 2025
Message to international students and researchers in the United States from the President of Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan – 早稲田大学
1. Recruitment Fields
Fields within the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences
* WIAS seeks widely to recruit researchers who will undertake highly creative research projects that have the potential to identify issues for future investigation, and who will carve out new fields of study within the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences.
2. Number of Positions
Approx. 10 researchers
3. Appointment Position
In principle, Assistant Professor (non-tenure-track) or Associate Professor (non-tenure-track)
Note: Appointment positions will be determined based on the results of screening and interviews.
4. Application Qualifications
Researchers who are currently affiliated with or have been offered and accepted a position in the university or research institute in the US, and who satisfy either of the qualifications below (a. or b.) will be considered.
- a. Persons with a doctorate, preferably granted after April 1, 2016.
- b. Persons expecting to be granted their Doctorate by the time of their appointment.
Note: If you are unable to provide an official letter no later than one month prior to the date of your appointment, stating that your doctorate will be granted by the time of your appointment, your appointment will be revoked.
Note: Waseda University is committed to enhancing diversity and inclusion. In all matters related to faculty recruitment and promotion, the University prohibits any form of discrimination on the basis of sex, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, creed, and age.
5. Expected Role as WIAS Researcher
- a. Become a PI (Principal Investigator) in the future to organize and lead research projects as an independent researcher.
Note: Applicants are expected to strengthen collaborative networks between domestic and international research institutions and researchers. - b. Be enthusiastic about collaborating with researchers at Waseda University and actively promoting research at Waseda University.
Note: Applicants are expected to proactively participate in research and educational initiatives implemented by Waseda University. - c. Make a contribution to research fields that Waseda University considers highly important from the perspective of their own research expertise. (Direct contribution is not required.)
*See 6. Important Research Fields and Themes at Waseda University below - d. Actively participate in various activities at WIAS and interact with WIAS researchers in various research fields.
- e. Cooperatively relate to WIAS and its activities after term of office.
6. Research Theme
Waseda University has been selected for one of the Top Global University Projects (TGU) instituted by the MEXT*, and is working on a project entitled: Waseda Goes Global—A Plan to Build a Worldwide Academic Network that is Open, Dynamic and Diverse. This project is aimed at accelerating efforts to realize the goals set forth in Waseda’s mid-to-long-term strategic plan called Waseda Vision 150. Efforts are being made to strengthen the model units in the TGU project and initiatives in the area of Carbon Neutrality, Life Science, and Data Science at Waseda University. These are highly valued internationally and form the core of this project. If your research theme covers aspects that are relevant to these areas, select the relevant model unit or discipline in the application form. Model units and fields of science are listed below. Research themes that are related to any of the model units or to the designated fields of science will be positively considered.
* MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
TGU model units and designated fields of science
* Empirical Analysis of Political Economy
* Health Promotion: The Joy of Sports and Exercise
* Frontier of Embodiment Informatics: ICT and Robotics
* Multiscale Analysis, Modeling and Simulation
7. Duties
- （1）Research activities in accordance with the Research Plan submitted at the time of employment.
- （2）Researchers will be required to teach at least equivalent to two half-year class per academic year and may teach equivalent to up to six half-year classes per academic year at Waseda University.
Note: “One class” means one, 100-minute lecture per week; 14 times per subject.
Note: If the researcher works as a part-time lecturer at a university other than Waseda, prior approval of the Directors of WIAS will be required for appointment.
- （3）Other duties:
a. Attendance at WIAS meetings
b. Planning and organization of symposiums and the like sponsored or cosponsored by WIAS
c. Publication of research findings in WIAS bulletins, discussion papers, and the like
d. Applying for Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI)
Note: Acquisition of public or business-consigned research grants or subsidies as well is desirable.
e. Other matters deemed necessary by the Directors of WIAS
8. Working Conditions
- （1）Waseda University will be the researcher’s primary place of employment.
- （2）Workplace: As a general rule, work will be conducted at one of Waseda University’s Campuses (including Waseda, Toyama, Nishiwaseda, Kikuicho, the Center for Advanced Biomedical Sciences (TWIns), and Tokorozawa)
- （3） As a general rule, overseas trips or short-term stays may not exceed three months, per year.
- （4）Other working conditions will be in accordance with Waseda University regulations. The details are outlined below.
Note: Maternity leave is available in accordance with the Waseda University regulations. Parental leave and nursing leave are also available. Inquire for details regarding the eligibility of such leave.
| Working Hours | Scheduled working days and working hours (start and end of work, break periods) are subject to Waseda University regulations. A discretionary labor system for professional work (de facto working hours set at 8 hours per day) will be applied. Decisions on the means of conducting work and time allocations will be entrusted to each employee’s discretion, in light of the nature of their research work. |
|---|---|
| Salary | Salaries are paid in accordance with Waseda University regulations. |
| Travel allowances | Travel allowance will be provided in accordance with Waseda University regulations. |
| Severance / retirement benefits | Severance and retirement benefits are not provided. |
| Non-working days | Non-working days include Saturdays, Sundays, New Year holidays, legally recognized public holidays, and the anniversary of the founding of Waseda University (excludes holidays prescribed as instructional days, as determined in advance by the University) |
| Leave | Leave that is determined by the Labor Standards Act and other related laws, and other days designated by the University are considered to be leave days. |
| Social Insurance | Employees will enroll in the Employee’s Pension Insurance, Health Insurance, Workmen’s Accident Compensation Insurance, and Employment Insurance. |
9. Research Funds
Research funds will be provided in accordance with Waseda University regulations. Also, there are competitive research grants provided by Waseda University. This includes Waseda University Grants for Special Research Projects (Grant-in-Aid for Research Base creation for newly-hired faculty.)
Note: The application success rate for Waseda University Grants for Special Research Projects (for newly-hired faculty) was 100% in 2024.
10. Period of Employment
As a general rule, employment commences on April 1, 2026.
However, December 1, 2025 may also be possible only if approved by the University. Details are available upon request.
For researchers in the Humanities and Social Sciences, the employment period is three years from the starting date of employment, and is non-renewable (i.e. From April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2029, as a general rule).
Exception: For researchers in Natural Sciences, one-year reappointments are allowed up to a maximum extension of one year, if their research activities and achievements up to the end of their third year have been highly evaluated and are considered adequate. The maximum total period of employment at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, including the period of reappointment, is four years.
Note: There is an upper limit on the total length of fixed-term employment at Waseda University. This limit applies to those who have been working under fixed-term employment contracts concluded with Waseda University on or after April 1, 2013 (regardless of title or position) and with no lapse of employment for six months or longer at Waseda University before the time of appointment to WIAS. Therefore, the actual contract period may not be identical to the period of employment indicated above.
11. Selection Procedure
- （1）First selection stage (document screening)
Applicants will be notified of selection results by e-mail in early September 2025.
Note: Notification emails may be flagged as spam, so be sure to check your spam folder.
- （2）Second selection stage (interview)
Mid-September 2025 (tentative)
Applicants who pass the first selection stage will be notified of the details shortly after the results of the first screening are announced. Applicants who pass the first selection stage must submit two letters of recommendation WIAS will directly contact references you have listed to request their letters of recommendation. Please make sure to provide accurate information about your references and submit the letters in time for the interview.
Note: Interviews will be conducted online.
- （3）Notification of results
Early October 2025 (tentative)
12. Application Documents and Application Procedure
Complete the Online Registration Form on the website and submit the application documents specified below via the university’s online system. When your registration is successfully completed, a confirmation message will be sent to your e-mail address that you provide in the Online Form. You have to use the specified application forms (see below) to prepare your application documents. If an applicant uses forms that are not those specified by the institute, or exceeds the specified number of pages, their application will be rejected. Note that the application documents in PDF format must be submitted via the Online Form. They will not be accepted if they are sent by e-mail, regular post or any other means.
Note: The specified form consists of a “Curriculum Vitae,” a “Current Situation,” and a “Research Plan”. It must be submitted using the designated form and be kept within the designated number of pages.
Note: If you use the “Track Changes” feature in Microsoft Word, select “Accept all Changes in Document.” There are cases in which track changes are visible in a document under certain conditions.
Note: Submitted information and documents will only be used for the purposes of screening researcher candidates.
13. Deadline for Application
September 1, 2025 (Monday), 9 A.M. (Japan time)
* Submission of application documents through the Online Registration Form must be completed by this date and time.
14. Contact
Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, Waseda University
Email: [email protected]
Please read the “FAQs” and “Instructions for Online Registration Form” before sending your inquiries.
We strongly suggest that you use “Microsoft Edge” to fill in the Online Registration Form.
Online Registration Form
(Submission of Application Documents)
Download Forms
Application Documents (CV and Research Plan) Form Word
Guideline for Completing CV PDF
List of Fields of Specializations Excel
