Recruit Detail
Find out more about the work we do, the experience and skills we can bring to the table, and our terms and conditions.
Company Name
TOWING Co., Ltd.
Job Type
[Research Department] Soil Environment Researcher (Team Manager or Principal Researcher)
Work Detail
Don't let research end with a "paper." This position focuses on scaling sustainable agriculture in the niche field of microorganisms x biochar. ◆ About TOWING Established in February 2020, TOWING is a green & agritech venture company originating from Nagoya University, with the mission of "realizing a hyper-circular society starting with sustainable next-generation agriculture." 🌐 Company Website: https://towing.co.jp/ TOWING possesses a technology (high-performance soil technology) that applies sake fermentation techniques to intentionally reproduce "soil microbial communities" within biochar. Furthermore, utilizing this technology, we have developed the high-performance biochar "Soratan." ◆ What is Soratan? Soratan is a high-performance biochar made by carbonizing unused local biomass (rice husks, livestock manure, tree bark, etc.), adding a uniquely screened soil microbial community, and cultivating microorganisms using locally used organic fertilizers. Furthermore, by introducing this carbon sequestration agent, it is possible to sequester 1 to 4 tons of CO₂ per 10 ares of field. In addition, it has other benefits such as shortening the time required for soil preparation suitable for organic fertilizers and improving yields. Beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is a soil conditioner that enables reduced chemical fertilizer use and organic conversion. Pilot implementation has already begun in 30 prefectures in Japan, and activities are expanding to all 47 prefectures by 2025, as well as overseas. ▼Ryoya Nishida selected for MIT Technology Review's "Innovators Under 35 Japan 2022": https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000006.000081010.html ▼May 2023 | TOWING Co., Ltd. completes Series A funding round, achieving a total funding of 1 billion yen https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000010.000081010.html ▼First in Japan to be certified as a foundation-establishing business under the Green Food System Law, approved for J-Credits for the application of biochar to agricultural land https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000011.000081010.html ◆ Recruitment Background TOWING is entering a phase of social implementation of sustainable agriculture, such as environmental conservation agriculture and environmental regeneration agriculture, as a "reproducible technological system," with microorganisms and biochar (including airborne carbon) at its core. The next bottleneck is the lack of a leader who can not only accumulate demonstration results but also integrate multidimensional data such as soil, plants, microorganisms, biochar, management conditions, and weather, and strongly design and operate a research strategy and database infrastructure that simultaneously increases both short-term and medium- to long-term results. Therefore, in this position, we are seeking someone who, based on their experience in the soil and fertilizer field, can build a data infrastructure capable of supporting environmental business decision-making, and who can also drive the improvement of academic value, including publications, collaborative research, and course management. Due to the highly specialized nature of this field, we value both the self-reliance of a researcher and the project management skills to translate into business-oriented solutions. [Job Description] This position involves leading the Soil Environment Team, integrating research strategy formulation, project promotion, external collaboration, and database construction. 1. Research Strategy and Roadmap Formulation: Design research themes from both short-term (product value validation, customer problem solving, etc.) and medium- to long-term (database implementation, publication, new product creation) perspectives, and translate them into experimental and demonstration plans. 2. Research Project Management: Prioritize multiple projects, design trials, manage costs, and handle risks. 3. Integrated Database Construction for Soil, Plants, Microorganisms, and Biochar: Lead data requirements definition, measurement item and SOP standardization, metadata design, and analysis pipeline design, connecting to sustainable agricultural decision-making. 4. Industry-Academia Collaboration and External Dissemination: Plan collaborative research with universities and companies, and promote the acquisition of competitive funding, publication of papers, presentations at academic conferences, and building a presence in industry-academia collaborative research programs. 5. Organizational Management: Responsible for member development, evaluation, research guidance, recruitment, and team culture formation, including researchers and part-time staff. 【Rewards】 ・Build a long-term career and develop a career tailored to your needs in a rapidly growing startup. ・Work in an international team environment where you can leverage your individual strengths. ・Flexible working hours and remote work options to suit your lifestyle. ・Contribute to socially impactful projects through your daily work. ▼ Learn more about TOWING 🌐 Company Website: https://towing.co.jp/ ▶️ YouTube (Business & Research Introduction): https://www.youtube.com/@biochar_towing 🙋 Recruitment Page: https://herp.careers/v1/towing/ 𝕏 (Old Twitter): https://twitter.com/TOWING_0227 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/towing_official/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/towing.soratan/
Ideal Profile
Required Skills * PhD in soil science, environmental science, agriculture, or a related field, or equivalent research experience * Ability to understand diverse fields (cultivation, microbiology, biometric indicators, bioinformatics, etc.) and integrate them into the overall research design * Project management skills to manage multiple themes in parallel (objective setting, decision-making, communication, deadline management) * Proficiency in internal and external communication in Japanese, and the ability to write papers, proposals, and promote collaborative research in English Preferred Skills * Experience in securing competitive funding (JSPS, NEDO/JST, international grants, etc.), leading or participating as a key member in multiple projects * Experience as the lead author or core author of peer-reviewed papers in international journals Desired Candidate Profile * We envision a researcher with strong self-motivation skills who can appropriately translate research content into a format that can withstand business decision-making. * It is important to be able to design research that not only has novelty but also includes reproducibility, data quality, scalability, customer value, and external explainability. We believe that individuals who are committed to achieving results as a team, rather than focusing solely on individual achievements, and who can appropriately differentiate between areas where they are actively involved and areas where they delegate, while involving other teams, would be a good fit. ◆ For example, consider these types of people! ・Researchers who have led product development related to soil microorganisms at the research institute of an agricultural materials manufacturer. ・Researchers who have led core themes in soil science/environmental science/agriculture (soil organic matter, minerals, fractionation, biochar, etc.) at universities and research institutions in Japan or overseas. ・Individuals who have practical experience in carbon cycles in agricultural land and forests, greenhouse gases, soil improvement materials, measurement and standardization at national research institutes or testing and research institutions. ◆ Team Composition The Soil Environment Team consists of 5 members (1 manager and 4 members), and the entire Research and Development Department has 13 researchers. Several foreign researchers are also on staff, creating an environment where research can be advanced in collaboration with members from diverse backgrounds. ◆ Team size: 5 people - Manager: 1 person - Members: 4 people (Foreign member: 1 person, Japanese members: 4 people)
What we especially look for in a PhD or postdoctoral fellow
• A PhD in soil science, environmental science, agriculture, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
Work Location
◆ Research Laboratory at Nagoya University 4F, Akasaki Memorial Research Building, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan *We anticipate you will be working approximately 3 days a week.
Phd. Stating Salary
◆ Annual Salary: ¥7,000,000 - ¥10,000,000 * Monthly Salary: ¥583,333 - ¥833,333 * Basic Salary: ¥444,400 - ¥634,900 * Fixed Overtime Pay: ¥138,933 - ¥198,433 (for 40 hours) * Overtime exceeding this amount will be paid separately. * Salary Supplement * Annual salary will be finalized based on your work history and in consultation with you. * Stock options (SO) are available depending on the length of service, etc. The amount granted will vary depending on the length of service and contribution.