The IBS Biomedical Mathematics Group Senior Researcher Positions and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (Due: March 5, 2025)

Open positions

Biomedical Mathematics Group (BIMAG) is a research group in the Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS),  which is located in Daejeon, South Korea. BIMAG is the place where researchers from various backgrounds including mathematics, physics, biology and medicine research together to develop mathematical theories and tools and apply them to solve various biological and medical problems. The Chief Investigator of BIMAG is Jae Kyoung Kim, and BIMAG consists of three teams.

1. The intracellular dynamics team aims to develop reduction methods for multi-scale systems and apply them to understand molecular dynamics underlying enzyme kinetics, pharmacokinetics, cancer immunotherapy, and circadian rhythms.
2. The intercellular dynamics team aims to develop inference methods for dynamic cellular networks and apply them to uncover structures underlying various biological networks. 
3. The systemic dynamics team aims to develop digital medicine for sleep disorders based on health-wearable devices via mathematical modeling and machine learning. 

In BIMAG, researchers can investigate mathematical theories, collaborate with various experimental groups, invite international visitors and organize regular international workshops. Currently, BIMAG researchers collaborate with >20 experimental labs.

We are hiring two Senior Researchers and two Postdoctoral Fellows. Applicants may apply for only one position.

The Senior Researcher positions are available for individuals who have research experience for 5 years or more after their Ph. D. The appointment is initially for two years and can be extended for three more years after reviews of the research performance.

The Postdoctoral Research Associate positions are available for individuals within the first five years after obtaining their Ph.D. at the date of appointment or expecting to obtain a Ph.D. within three months from the appointment date. The appointment is initially for two years and can be extended for one more year after reviews of the research performance.

All positions do not have any teaching duties. BIMAG offers internationally competitive salaries (starting annual salary>KRW 57,000,000), travel funds, and benefits (medical insurance, travel insurance, and retirement funds). Furthermore, IBS has a childcare facility, dormitory, and family housing for researchers. The expected appointment date is June 1st, 2025, but it can be adjusted. Successful candidates should have experience in mathematical modeling or data analysis of biological systems.

□ Application Submission and Period

〇 How to apply: e-mail at bimag@ibs.re.kr

〇 E-mail Title: 

    ▪ [2025-1 BIMAG Senior-YYY(name)]

    ▪ [2025-1 BIMAG Postdoctoral-YYY(name)]

〇 Required Documents

     1. Curriculum vitae including a list of publications and preprints

       (PDF format)

     2. Research statement 1page (PDF format) 

     3. At least 1 recommendation letter (3 letters are recommended)

     ※ letters forwarded by an applicant will not be considered.

     4. Consent to Collection and Use of Personal Information (attached)

     5. Application for the institute for Basic Science (attached)

〇 Closing dates: 6:00 pm, Mar 5, 2025 (KST)

BIMAG encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Support Systems for International Researchers

Roughly one-third of all researchers at IBS are from overseas. These international researchers have three support options to adapt to life in Korea.

1. IBS supplies a 24/7 service called the Global Help Desk, which offers personalized help via email and phone.
2. IBS has its own support website called “Living in Korea”.
3. We have several staffs who help with work and non-work situations.

For more information on these support options, please see the related page on Living in Korea at https://centers.ibs.re.kr/html/living_en/overview/support.html

한국어 공고는 https://www.ibs.re.kr/prog/recruit/kor/sub04_01/view.do?pageIndex=1&searchCondition=&searchKeyword=&idx=1852 에서 확인할 수 있습니다.

Experience at BIMAG

If your passion to do research is not limited to the bounds of your comfort zone, IBS BIMAG is the right place for you. Having had the opportunity to be in several places in different labs, I could say that IBS BIMAG affords a conducive environment to learn new skills and incubate state-of-the art ideas. You will be generously provided with necessary resources, technical and administrative support, and appropriate academic network, in order to advance novel research works. Its competitive members (especially the graduate research students) will encourage you to do better. Very intelligent supervision from the chief investigator will be expected. Being in this lab for a year exposed me to real and relevant biological problems. I have been (re-)introduced to other mathematical and statistical approaches in modeling biological systems. Work could be challenging, but at the same time, exciting. If you are keen on advancing your academic career, come and join IBS BIMAG!!! 

Across IBS is Shinsegae department store, selling high-end products – jewelries, perfumes, shoes, clothes, appliances and many more branded items! The basement and the fifth floor house a food-court serving very decent international food. Next to IBS is the Hanbit tower, where fountain shows played with feel-good music and seasonal events are exhibited regularly. One can also walk across the expo bridge leading to Hanbat arboretum to enjoy a botanical garden. If you get tired of the food around IBS, one can explore restaurants around the vibrant area between KAIST and Chungnam, or around Galleria in Dunsan-dong. If life gets boring in Daejeon, one can easily access scenic places in South Korea using Korean train express (KTX).

                                                                                                – Aurelio A. de los Reyes V –

• BIMAG에서의 연구 활동
  • IBS 의생명수학그룹 연구원으로서 느낀 가장 큰 장점은 본인이 연구하고자하는 문제를 해결하기 위한 모든 시스템이 최적화 되어있고, 설령 장비 등의 한계가 있더라도 빠르게 조치를 취할 수 있는 부분이라고 생각합니다.
  • 국내외 뛰어난 학자분들의 강연, 유명 학회참석을 통한 교류 기회가 굉장히 많습니다. 최신 트렌드를 따라가고 본인의 역량이 어느 정도인지 체크 및 피드백 받을 기회가 많아 연구에 부족하거나 보완할 부분들을 빠르게 파악할 수 있습니다. 또한 제 연구에 관심있어 하는 분들을 많이 접하다보니 나름대로의 동기부여도 꾸준히 받을 수 있습니다.
  • 핵심은 수리의생명이지만 통계나 머신러닝과 같은 다양한 분야에서 연구하는 분들을  만날 수 있고, 그렇기에 본인 연구에 필요한 내용에 대하여 해당 필드의 전문가와 체계적으로 연구을 진행하거나 필요한 지식을 효율적으로 습득 수 있습니다.
  • 인건비나 개인 연구장비 세팅 관련하여는 단연 탑이라 자부할 수 있고, 연구 외 행정/전산업무가 거의 없어 (국외 출장 보고서 정도) 대부분의 근무시간을 본인 연구에 매진할 수 있습니다.

• 대전 생활 (복지)
  • 특별히 대전에 거주할 수 있는 곳이 없으시다면 첫 출근전에 연구원 숙소 이용이 가능합니다. 월 18만원 선 (1박 6천원 기준), 별도의 전기세나 관리비등을 납부하지 않아도 됩니다. 다만, 최대 1년간 이용 가능하여 아쉬운 부분은 있으나, 여유롭게 대전 내 월세등을 알아보기에 시간이 충분하다고 생각합니다.
  • 연구원 건물 내에 피트니스 센터, 당구, 마사지 기계, 휴식 공간 등 무료로 이용이 가능합니다. + 그룹 내 커피 무료 제공은 정말 만족합니다.
  • 임용 초에 연구원 내에서 사기업처럼 복지카드를 지급해주며, 바로 옆 신세계백화점에서 진행하는 행사에 종종 임직원 할인이 가능하여 나름대로 즐길 수 있는 문화들이 많습니다. 또한 연구원 바로 앞 갑천이 있고, 야경이 굉장히 좋은편입니다. 강을따라 평지가 넓게 펼쳐져있고 보도와 자전거도로가 잘 구비되어있습니다.
  • 대부분의 편의 시설들이 근처 스마트시티등에 위치하는데 걸어서 20분 내로 (차량 3분내외) 접근할 수 있습니다. IBS뿐만아니라 근처 도룡동~전민동은 무료 주차공간이 여유로운 편이고 출퇴근 시간대 제외하면 이동하는데에 크게 불편함을 느끼진 않습니다.

                                                                                                – 조현태 –

• This is my first experience of doing research outside the Philippines. I must say that IBS is really an ideal place for researchers, as they provide an environment conducive to do research, and they even give us a competitive salary. In my one-year stay at IBS BIMAG, I have had the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented and hard-working researchers who motivated me and influenced me to do more of what I could do, go outside of my comfort zone, and broaden my horizons. I am extremely happy and thankful as I improved a lot in this group professionally, from presenting a paper to writing a manuscript, which I thought I already learned well before, and, of course, personally, through communicating and working with international fellows.
• I also have struggles, not only work-related but those related to food, too. I am really a picky eater. At first, I only ate those foods that were familiar to me, such as chicken (the famous BBQ), samgeupsal, and bibimbap. But when I tried eating more of their food and got used to them, I realized that they were really good. Kalguksu, pajeon, and jjampong became my favorite dishes.
• Life in South Korea will never be complete without visiting wonderful places in the country. There are a lot of places to visit in South Korea, even inside Daejeon, which we did not know about before. Another thing that surprised me in this country is that the medical services and medicines are really cheap here if you are an employee because of their medical insurance.
• So, for those who want to do both research in mathematics and its applications to biological and medical problems and enjoy life in Korea, IBS BIMAG is the right place for you.

                                                                                                – Bryan S. Hernandez –

• 이곳의 박사후 연구원에게 제공되는 연봉과 복지는 국내에서 그 수준이 최상급입니다.
• 의생명과 관련된 다양한 분야의 전문가들과 협업이 가능하며, 당신이 그동안 가지지 못했던 시야를 제공해 줍니다.
• 만약 당신의 연구에 관련된 전문가를 찾는데 어려움이 있다면, 걱정하지 마세요. 이곳의 CI가 적극적으로 협업자를 찾는데 도움을 줍니다.
• 매학기 세계적수준의 연사를 초정하여 콜로키움을 합니다. 당신의 연구에 많은 영감을 줄 것이며, 어쩌면, 그들과 협업을 할 수도 있습니다.
• 자체적인 저널클럽과 세미나는 그 수준이 높습니다. 이 과정을 통해 뜻 밖의 수확을 거둘 수도 있습니다.
• CI를 포함한 모든 랩 멤버들이 연구활동에 관련된 토론에 열린 태도를 가지고 있기 때문에, 당신의 문제를 혼자서 풀지 않아도 됩니다.
• 모든 행정업무는 행정실 직원이 도와줍니다. 온전히 연구에 집중할 수 있습니다.
• 당신이 여전히 연구자가 되는 꿈을 꾸고 있다면, 다시 도전을 시작하기에 매우 좋은 곳입니다.

                                                                                                – 김현 –