The Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) invites applications for the position of Director for a five-year term starting on April 1, 2028.
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/32058/
Kavli IPMU has ambitious goals to discover the fundamental laws of nature and to understand the universe from synergistic perspectives of mathematics, theoretical and experimental physics, cosmology, and astrophysics. Kavli IPMU is an international research institute established in October 2007 with English as its official language. Its annual budget is approximately $11M. Kavli IPMU is on the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo and has a branch in Kamioka. More than half of all scientific members come from outside Japan. We aim to maintain and strengthen our diverse and highly interactive membership.
The successful candidate is expected to carry out the following:
(i) actively manage research activities across the fields of mathematics, theoretical and experimental physics, and cosmology/astrophysics,
(ii) be responsible for the operation of the institute, efforts of the administrative staff, handling of reviews, reporting, and running committees,
(iii) interact and negotiate with the headquarters of the University of Tokyo,
(iv) lead efforts on establishing a longer term research plan beyond the term of the Director and
(v) if desired, continue to carry out their own scientific research programs.
Candidates are further required to have a high integrity of character, excellent academic knowledge, and strong leadership skills. In case of joint appointments, the Director must be effectively acting as a University of Tokyo employee for at least half of each year. The appointment comes with the title of Full Professor with tenure until the retirement age set by the University of Tokyo. Salary will be negotiated within the bounds set by the University of Tokyo system. The steering committee of Kavli IPMU retains the ability to impose additional requirements, if needed.
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply including underrepresented minorities, female scientists, and international applicants. For prescreening, the application should simply include a CV, including a date of birth if there are no legal or ethical reasons to not do so. The CV should be uploaded through Academic Jobs Online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/32058/apply. Applications received before July 24, 2026 will receive full consideration.
Contact email: director-nomination@ipmu.jp
Personal information received through this application process will not be used for any other purpose.
Due to recent revisions of the Japanese government rules on protection of personal information and on foreign trades, we are required to include this link to this solicitation.
