The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) of Tokyo Institute of Technology was launched in December 2012 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The WPI grant is awarded to institutes with a research and administrative vision to become globally competitive centers that can attract the best scientists from around the world to come to work in Japan.

ELSI aims to answer the fundamental questions of how the Earth was formed, how life originated in the environment of early Earth, and how this life evolved into complexity.

ELSI pursues these questions by studying the "origin and evolution of life" and the "origin and evolution of the Earth" through an interdisciplinary collaboration between the fields of Earth, Life, and Planetary Sciences. By understanding the early Earth context that allowed for the rise of initial life, we also work to establish a greater understanding of the likelihood of extraterrestrial life elsewhere in the universe.

In order to succeed in this mission, ELSI seeks a highly motivated individual who wishes to pursue original research and also actively engage in cross-disciplinary discussions and synergistic research projects. We are a truly integrative institute, with a genuine commitment to bridging diverse disciplines. This is not an empty promise written to satisfy our benefactors...we actually do it!

ELSI also provides a unique opportunity for those who wish to play a contributing role in the direction and development of an exciting and radical young research institute. ELSI has an open and flat research structure, in which each researcher is expected to collaborate with others, in particular in different fields. The ELSI Research Scientist position provides highly flexible connections to ELSI Principal Investigators or research groups. JPY 0.5 million/year will be available to each scholar as seed funding, in addition to support for seeking external funding and involvement in large collaborative proposals. Additional support for collaborative visitors and workshops is provided by ELSI.

Tokyo is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world. ELSI is situated in the Meguro Ward of Tokyo, with convenient and quick train access to all major city centers and attractions. ELSI has experienced staff who are dedicated to providing full relocation assistance to ease the transition to Japan, including help with immigration procedures, housing, health care, and all other basic needs.

We welcome all qualified candidates, regardless of nationality or gender. We encourage and support our candidates' close collaborations with overseas research institutes. Our institutional language is English; Japanese language skills are not required. An unprecedented level of support for researchers to live and thrive in Japan is provided by our talented staff.