Department of Environmental Studies for Advanced Society,
Division of Environmental Policies,
Industrial Ecology Laboratory
Call for Applicants: 1 specially Appointed Research Fellow

Application Deadline：October 31, 2025

Recruitment Information for Specially Appointed Research Fellow co-supervised by Prof. Daniel Moran and Assoc. Prof. Keiichiro Kanemoto at Tohoku University, Sendai

Duties

Prof. Daniel Moran and Assoc. Prof. Keiichiro Kanemoto at Tohoku University are seeking a dedicated researcher to be co-supervised by both professors, who will explore how spatial land use and its economic dimensions connect with supply chains and environmental challenges. We will employ geospatial data to analyze inter-industry connections at both national and global levels. This position offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to advancing research on economic and environmental challenges.

Required Skills and Knowledge

Candidates should have high-level numerical programming (MATLAB, Python, R, Julia etc.) experience and one or more of the following:

1. Spatial data analysis or GIS
2. Understanding of machine learning and statistics
3. Environmental impact analysis and/or environmental accounting methods such as MRIO analysis and environmental footprinting

Related Papers

• Daniel Moran, Keiichiro Kanemoto. “Identifying Species Threat Hotspots from Global Supply Chains” Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1(1), 0023, 2017
• Nguyen Tien Hoang, Keiichiro Kanemoto. “Mapping the deforestation footprint of nations reveals growing threat to tropical forests” Nature Ecology & Evolution, 5(6), 845–853, 2021
• Nguyen Tien Hoang, Oliver Taherzadeh, Haruka Ohashi, Yusuke Yonekura, Shota Nishijima, Masaki Yamabe, Tetsuya Matsui, Hiroyuki Matsuda, Daniel Moran, Keiichiro Kanemoto. “Mapping potential conflicts between global agriculture and terrestrial conservation” PNAS, 120(23), e2208376120, 2023
• Francis Barre, Evert A Bouman, Matthew James Ross Simpson, Hilde Sande Borck, Edgar Hertwich and Daniel Moran. “High resolution GDP modelling for climate risk assessments with an application to coastal flooding”, Environmental Research Letters, 20(9), 094045
• Yuya Katafuchi, Xinmeng Li, Daniel Moran, Taiki Yamada, Hidemichi Fujii, Keiichiro Kanemoto. “Construction of Enterprise-Level Global Supply Chain Database”, Research Square, 2024
• Profile of Prof. Kanemoto: https://sites.google.com/site/keiichirokanemoto/
• Profile of Prof. Moran: https://folk.nilu.no/~dmor/

Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree or equivalent in computer science, economics, environmental science, engineering, agriculture or similar field
• Programming skills in Julia, MATLAB, Python, and/or R are highly desirable
• Good level of spoken and written English

Working Place

Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
468-1 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, JAPAN

Salary

• Annual salary system (based on career and Tohoku University regulations)
• Salary range: 5,000,000 to 6,800,000 JPY/year (adjusted for cost of living this range provides equivalent or greater purchasing power as a similar position in Norway).

Employee benefits

• Health insurance
• Employees’ Pension Insurance
• Unemployment insurance
• Access to employee housing is available.
• Relocation support to Japan is available. https://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/en/

Number of Positions

1

Employment Duration

Fixed-term contract until August 31, 2030

Contact

Further information can be obtained from:
Keiichiro Kanemoto　and/or　Daniel Moran
keiichiro.kanemotogmail.com　and/or　 dmornilu.no

Application

Applications must include:

1. CV (including educational background, work experience, and list of publications)
2. Cover letter
3. Research statement

Please send applications to:
megumi.hoshi.e3tohoku.ac.jp

Application Deadline: October 31, 2025
The call may close earlier if an appropriate candidate is found.

Remarks

• We may ask you to make a presentation during the selection process.
• We may request a visit to observe candidates (teaching, etc.) at their workplace as part of the selection process.
• Tohoku University promotes activities to increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and encourages people of varied talents from all backgrounds to apply for positions at the university.
  Tohoku University’s website about the DEI Declaration is here
• Pursuant to Article 8 of the Act on Securing, Etc. of Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment, Tohoku University shall, as a measure for increasing the presence of women among the academic staff, prioritize the hiring of women deemed qualified for each job opening, based on impartial evaluation.
• Tohoku University has published ‘Tohoku University-Live as Who You Are-Guidelines for Gender and Sexual Diversity' to provide explanations and details of how those at the university should respond with respect to diverse sexuality. The purpose of the guidelines is to create an environment in which all students, faculty, and staff respect diverse sexuality in their academic, research, and professional activities.
  Please see the Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion Brochure.
• Tohoku University has the largest on-campus childcare system of all Japanese national universities. This network comprises three nurseries: Kawauchi Keyaki Nursery school (capacity: 22) and Aobayama Midori Nursery school (116), both open to all university employees, as well as Hoshinoko Nursery school (120), which is open to employees working on Seiryo Campus. In addition, Tohoku University Hospital runs a childcare room for mildly ill and convalescent children which is available to all university employees.
• See the following website for information on these and other programs that Tohoku University runs to assist work-life balance, to support researchers, and to advance gender equality, including measures to promote childcare leave among male employees.
  Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI Center), Tohoku Universitywebsite
  Human Resources and Planning Department website

Department of Environmental Studies for Advanced Society,
Division of Environmental Policies,
Environmental Urban Energy Laboratory
Call for Applicants: 1 Post-doc (Specially Appointed Research Fellow)

Application Deadline：September 30, 2025

For the detailed description

Affiliation

Environmental Urban Energy Laboratory (Kobashi Lab), Division of Environmental Policies,
Department of Environmental Studies for Advanced Society, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University

Duties

The successful candidate will conduct research related to the socio-technical analysis of sustainable urban energy transitions.
Specific focus areas include:

• Urban decarbonization
• Decentralized energy systems
• Social acceptance of smart energy technologies
• Data governance
• Institutional design
• Equitable and innovative business models

The researcher will contribute to projects within the Graduate School of Environmental Studies and the Institute for Climate and People (ICP), a university-wide platform for research on climate resilience, renewable energy, and environmental governance.

Required Qualifications and Conditions

1. A doctoral degree in a relevant field
2. Research experience and interest aligned with the themes described above
3. Ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary research
4. Proficiency in English for communication and academic writing

The main areas for which the successful candidate will be responsible

The post-doctoral researcher will contribute to one or more of the following research themes:

• Integrated Technological, Social, Economic, and Policy Modeling for Urban Energy Transitions:

  Moving beyond traditional techno-economic analysis, this theme focuses on developing comprehensive models that integrate social acceptance factors (e.g., perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, community participation ) and policy variables (e.g., specific incentive structures, regulatory frameworks, governance mechanisms). The goal is to incorporate multi-objective analysis of social equity, urban resilience, energy justice, and public acceptance, and to utilize advanced data analysis and machine learning for highly localized adaptive optimization and robust scenario planning.

• Advancing Data Governance and Institutions in Integrated Smart Energy Systems:

  This theme addresses the risks of datafication, surveillance, and cybersecurity in smart cities. It focuses on developing and implementing privacy-by-design principles from the initial stages of smart energy system development. This includes exploring advanced data minimization techniques, anonymization methods, data perturbation strategies, robust encryption technologies, and the application of blockchain technology to enhance trust and data ownership.

• Designing Innovative and Equitable Business Models for Community-Scale Energy Integration:

  This theme focuses on developing innovative business models to ensure the financial sustainability and equitable access to urban energy solutions for all socioeconomic strata. It involves investigating hybrid business models that strategically combine elements of public-private partnerships, community ownership structures, and innovative revenue-sharing mechanisms. It also includes developing comprehensive frameworks for assessing social and environmental ROI alongside traditional financial ROI, and exploring the transformative role of digital platforms for decentralized energy markets.

• Regulatory Innovation and Legal Frameworks for Renewable Energy Adoption in Urban Planning:

  This theme focuses on designing adaptive regulations and legal frameworks to enable widespread adoption of urban renewable energy. It involves developing and advocating for rights to sunlight and solar access laws to protect existing solar installations from future shading legally. Additionally, it aims to standardize and streamline permitting processes for renewable energy installations, integrate and optimize financial incentives into regulatory frameworks, and establish clear legal frameworks for critical grid infrastructure upgrades and the integration of distributed energy resources.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research with significant real-world impact on urban decarbonization and sustainable development. We particularly encourage applications from candidates who can foster interdisciplinary collaboration and contribute to a vibrant research environment. The inherent complexity of challenges in urban renewable energy integration, such as spatial constraints, grid limitations, regulatory hurdles, social acceptance, and aesthetic concerns, necessitates concerted efforts across technological, economic, policy, and social dimensions.

We look forward to receiving applications from highly qualified candidates who share our commitment to accelerating sustainable urban energy transitions.

Start Date

As soon as possible after October 1, 2025 (negotiable)

Salary and Benefits

Application materials

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) – Free format, with a photo attached
2. Cover letter outlining your motivation for application
3. Outline of research interests and plan (within two A4 pages)

Application Deadline

Application documents must arrive by Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Address to which applications should be sent

By post:
Environmental Urban Energy Lab (Kobashi Laboratory)
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
468-1 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
Attention: Ms. Sonoko Wilson
sonoko.wilson.e4tohoku.ac.jp

Please write in red on the envelope: “Application Documents for Post-doctoral Researcher in Division of Environmental Policies” and send by registered mail. Submitted documents will not be returned.

By e-mail:
Applicants should submit their application, together with the above 3 documents in PDF format, to the following address:
sonoko.wilson.e4tohoku.ac.jp

Contact Details

Associate Professor: Takuro Kobashi
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University
Tel/Fax: +81-22-752-2259
E-mail: takuro.kobashi.e5tohoku.ac.jp
Website: https://web.tohoku.ac.jp/tkobashi/web/

Associate Professor Masaru Yarime
Division of Public Policy and Division of Environment and Sustainability
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Tel/Fax: 022-752-2259
E-mail: yarimeust.hk
Website: https://yarime.net/

Remarks

• Tohoku University promotes activities to increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and encourages people of varied talents from all backgrounds to apply for positions at the university.
  Tohoku University’s website about the DEI Declaration is here
• Pursuant to Article 8 of the Act on Securing, Etc. of Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment, Tohoku University shall, as a measure for increasing the presence of women among the academic staff, prioritize the hiring of women deemed qualified for each job opening, based on impartial evaluation.
• Tohoku University has published ‘Tohoku University-Live as Who You Are-Guidelines for Gender and Sexual Diversity' to provide explanations and details of how those at the university should respond with respect to diverse sexuality. The purpose of the guidelines is to create an environment in which all students, faculty, and staff respect diverse sexuality in their academic, research, and professional activities.
  Please see the Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion Brochure.
• Tohoku University has the largest on-campus childcare system of all Japanese national universities. This network comprises three nurseries: Kawauchi Keyaki Nursery school (capacity: 22) and Aobayama Midori Nursery school (116), both open to all university employees, as well as Hoshinoko Nursery school (120), which is open to employees working on Seiryo Campus. In addition, Tohoku University Hospital runs a childcare room for mildly ill and convalescent children which is available to all university employees.
• See the following website for information on these and other programs that Tohoku University runs to assist work-life balance, to support researchers, and to advance gender equality, including measures to promote childcare leave among male employees.
  Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI Center), Tohoku Universitywebsite
  Human Resources and Planning Department website

Department of Environmental Studies for Advanced Society,
Division of Energy Resources,
Distributed Energy System Laboratory
Call for Applicants: 1 full professor

Application Deadline：September 30, 2025

Duties

Successful candidates will be engaged in education and research for graduate students in Graduate School of Environmental Studies and undergraduate students in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering.

Required Qualifications and Conditions

We are looking for candidates to conduct research and provide education on innovative technologies that contribute to the development of next-generation clean energy. Specifically, candidates should have extensive knowledge and research experience in the design, development, and evaluation of energy systems and next-generation materials based on "mechanics of materials" and "strength and fracture of materials" etc. They should also have a high level of insight into the subject matter and excellent leadership skills. Candidates must possess a doctoral degree and have a strong motivation to create new research fields and to participate in the education for graduate students in Graduate School of Environmental Studies and undergraduate students in Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering. Furthermore, the candidate is able to actively promote industry-academia collaboration. Any nationality is acceptable, but candidates must possess the Japanese language ability to carry out education, university management, etc.

Responsible subjects

Graduate School level
Seminar on Environmental Studies for Advanced Society
Master Course Seminar on Environmental Studies for Advanced Society
Advanced Seminar on Environmental Studies for Advanced Society
Doctor Course Seminar on Environmental Studies for Advanced Society
Introduction to Environmental Studies
Advanced energy and environment
Advanced Energy and Resource Sciences
Advanced Studies on Global Energy and Environment etc.

Undergraduate level
Subjects Related to the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Part of General Education classes taught by Graduate School members

Job Type

Tenured

Application deadline

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled; all applications received by September 30, 2025 will be considered.

Start Date

April 1, 2026 (or at the earliest opportunity following the decision in or after April.)

Application materials

1. Curriculum Vitae (with photograph attached)
2. Summary of research activities to date (about 3 pages on A4 paper) and up to 10 major research papers
3. List of research achievements (research papers (peer-reviewed journal papers. The corresponding author must be specified.), conference proceedings, reviews, books, patents)
4. List of research funding/grants (Please indicate whether you are the principal investigator or a co-investigator, and the amount of the funding/grant.)
5. List of awards and honors
6. List of educational activities and social activities
7. Future research plan (about 2 pages on A4 paper)
8. Aspirations for educational activities (about 2 pages on A4 paper)
9. Reference (five persons): name, institution, position, telephone number, and email address

Selection method: Selection will be made through an application screening. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for interviews. We cannot pay for expenses such as transportation expenses.

Address to which applications should be sent

Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 468-1, Aramaki-aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8572, Japan

Salary and Benefits

In accordance with Tohoku University’s employment regulations.

Contact Details

Professor Yoshinori Sato
E-mail: yoshinori.sato.b5tohoku.ac.jp

Remarks

• Tohoku University promotes activities to increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and encourages people of varied talents from all backgrounds to apply for positions at the university.
  Tohoku University’s website about the DEI Declaration is here
• Pursuant to Article 8 of the Act on Securing, Etc. of Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment, Tohoku University shall, as a measure for increasing the presence of women among the academic staff, prioritize the hiring of women deemed qualified for each job opening, based on impartial evaluation.
• Tohoku University has the largest on-campus childcare system of all Japanese national universities. This network comprises three nurseries: Kawauchi Keyaki Nursery school (capacity: 22) and Aobayama Midori Nursery school (116), both open to all university employees, as well as Hoshinoko Nursery school (120), which is open to employees working on Seiryo Campus. In addition, Tohoku University Hospital runs a childcare room for mildly ill and convalescent children which is available to all university employees.
• See the following website for information on these and other programs that Tohoku University runs to assist work-life balance, to support researchers, and to advance gender equality, including measures to promote childcare leave among male employees.
  Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI Center), Tohoku Universitywebsite
  Human Resources and Planning Department website