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Q&A
Last Updated: July. 21, 2009
This Q&A page is provided for those who would like to know more about the international open recruitment for tenure-track lecturer positions at Osaka Prefecture University. Please visit this page whenever you have additional questions as it will be periodically updated.
（The accepttance of applications for the third-term tenure track positions has been closed. ）
1.Job Openings
Q1 :Is the number of available openings fixed?
A1 :Yes. Due to budget restrictions, the number has been set at three and is not subject to change.
2.Institution
Q1 :When will the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center be established?
A1 :The Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center (N2RC) has been established on October 1, 2008. Employed tenure-track special lecturers belong to N2RC.
3.Assigned Class Subjects
Q1 :Have the assigned class subjects been determined?
A1 :One of the serial lectures, named as Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (I-XIII), will be assigned to each special lecturer to deliver a lecture for graduate students of School of Engineering as well as School of Science.
4.Qualification requirements
Q1 :What does "a track record as an assistant professor, a postdoctoral fellow, or an equivalent title" specifically indicate?
A1 :This includes research activities at public and private, as well as domestic and international universities or research institutes recognized by our university.
Q2 :Should the acquisition of my PhD degree be within 10 years of the time of application or upon employment?
A2 :Acquisition of your doctorate degree should be within 10 years of the commencement of employment. These terms will be strictly enforced.
Q3 :Is fluency in the Japanese language required for application?
A3 :In order to recruit a diverse workforce, there will be no disadvantage for those who do not have strong Japanese skills in applying. However, it should be noted that for those considered for tenured faculty positions, a working knowledge of Japanese will be required.
5.Appointment duration
Q1 :After the end of the employment period as a special lecturer on March 31, 2015, is it possible to apply for a renewal of a tenure-track contract?
A1 :Applying to a renewal of a tenure-track contract is not permitted after termination of an employment term. However, after evaluation, advancement to a tenured faculty position, such as associate or full professor, is possible.
6.Research area
Q1 :How can I determine if my field of research complies with the university’s area of recruitment?
A1 :Please read the application guidelines carefully to determine whether your field of research meets the requirements for employment. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology cover a wide range of research areas and we are mainly seeking highly motivated young researchers.
7.Work Assignment
Q1 :Will college seniors be assigned to the research labs of tenure-track lecturers?
A1 :In principle, undergraduate programs will focus on education so that seniors will not be assigned to tenure-track lecturer labs. However, for those students who are joining tenure-track labs in graduate school, there will be cases that seniors can be accepted in the labs.
Q2 :Will graduate students be assigned to the research labs of tenure-track lecturers?
A2 :In order for tenure-track lecturers to gain experience in supervising research activities, a system to assign graduate students to tenure-track labs is now under development. However, to reduce the burden of supervising too many graduate students, the number will be limited.
Q3 :After being accepted as a tenure-track lecturer, will I be able to continue supervising the graduate students of my former university?
A3 :If an inter-university agreement exists between OPU and the former university, research guidance to former students is allowed without any change in the students' status. Many precedents already exist and this system can be applied immediately with universities having an agreement with OPU.
Q4 :Will the tenure-track lecturer be provided with an independent research lab or will he/she be working under the supervision of a faculty mentor?
A4 :Abiding by the principles of this tenure-track system, special lecturers will be able to work in an independent research environment. However, in order to encourage excellent research results, collaborative work with research labs within this university and with other outside labs will also be encouraged.
8.Work Conditions
Please refer to our Application Guidelines.
9.Annual Salary
Q1 :Is there a severance payment upon retirement?
A1 :The annual salary for special lecturers includes severance pay for retirement so that there is no particular payment at the end of the 5-year employment period.
Q2 :Will there be a raise in salary during employment as a special lecturer?
A2 :This tenure track special lecturer position has a fixed annual salary of 8,000,000 yen so that there will be no raises during this 5-year period. However, if a promotion to special tenure-track associate professor is granted during the interim evaluation, the annual salary will be raised to approximately 8,500,000 yen.
10.Research Support
Q1 :Is there a child-care center on campus?
A1 :Assistance in making arrangements at a neighborhood child-care facility will be provided. Also, a child-care center on campus is presently under consideration.
Q2 :Are there any special arrangements for female researchers with infants?
A2 :If necessary, an assistant to help with research activities will be assigned and a class-sharing system will also be considered.
Q3 :Is it possible to take maternity leave?
A3 :The 5-year employment period can be extended an extra year to a maximum of 6 years for maternity/childcare leave.
Q4 :Is there guidance or counseling for female researchers?
A4 :Counseling in various areas for female researchers will be made available. A mentor system which includes female researchers, such as a full-time project professor and incumbent professors, will also be arranged.
11.Promotion to tenured associate professors
Q1 :How can I learn about the OPU's assessment criteria for promotion to tenure?
A1 :Please refer to "Assessment for Promotion to Tenure".
Q1 :After being promoted to a tenured associate professor, to which department will I belong?
A1 :A distinctive feature of our system is that, at the time of promotion, tenure-track lectureres may be placed in a department and faculty appropriate to their field of study.
12.Application Materials
Q1 :Regarding the “five letters of recommendation or reference,” can these be five letters from one person or should they be one letter each from five different persons?
A1 :Please submit five letters from five different individuals, each in a sealed envelope.
Q2 :Is it alright for the letters of recommendation or reference to be written in Japanese?
A2 :All documents, including the letters of recommendation or reference, should be submitted in English.
Q3 :Should the letters of recommendation or reference also be sent by e-mail files?
A3 :There is a great change how to submit letters of recommendation or reference in the second term recruitment. Letters of recommendation or reference must be submitted directly from the recommenders. The recommenders cannot send them not by e-mail but by post. It is necessary for each applicant to submit a list of five recommenders (with names, addresses, and contact information) through our website.
Q4 :The application guideline says that the total size of upload files should be less than 12 MB. Will compressed files be accepted to be uploaded?
A4 :No, compressed files will not be accepted. Please use PDF or MS-WORD files.
Q5 :It was possible to submit the application materials by e-mail in the first-term recruitment. Is it possible to utilize the same method in the third-term recruitment, too?
A5 :No, you cannot send your application materials by e-mail in the third-term, but should submit them through our website using the upload form. The paper documents should follow the electronic submission by post.
Q6 :I applied the first-term and the second -term recruitment of the tenure-track position. Is it possible for the employer to treat my application as the third-term applicaiton automatically?
A6 :No, it is not possible to transfer your application to the third-term. You should apply the third-term position again in strictly keeping with the third-term application guideline.
Q7 :I would like to make a few modifications in the submitted application. Can I send you the new files directly by e-mail?
A7 :No, we are not accepting attachment of files to modify your application by e-mail. Please upload all the files again through the application form with giving your previous application ID number at "Correspondence column" box. You can find your ID number in the "Confirmation of Receipt" e-mail.
13.Submission deadline
Q1 :When is the deadline for hard-copy applications?
A1 :Hard-copy applications should submit immediately after uploading the application files.
The latest postmark of September 30, 2009 is considered to fit our policy.
14.Selection process
Please refer to our Application Guidelines.
15.Submission of application documents
Please refer to our Application Guidelines.
16.Contact Information
Q1 : Instead of e-mail inquiry system in the first term, how can I send an inquirty to Osaka Prefecture University in the third-term?
A1 :Please contact through
http://www.nanosq.21c.osakafu-u.ac.jp/en/contact/index.html
