Call for applications for directorships at IBS research centers

(Updated: January 2013)

The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) was established by the Korean government in November 2011 with the goal of creating a world-class research institute in the basic sciences. The IBS invites applications for directorial positions at a number of its research centers. These centers will foster growth in world-class basic-science research in order to advance knowledge and lay the foundations for emerging technologies to develop.

 

January 2012

Dr. Se-Jung Oh, IBS President

1. Research Areas
    ● Top-tier, world-class research into the basic sciences will focus on large-scale, long-term group programs that are unavailable at universities or existing government-supported institutes.
      ※ For more details regarding designated research areas or specialized research areas in campus research centers, please refer to the following article: "The IBS Calls for Applications in Designated Research Areas"

2. Requirements
    ● All candidates for IBS directorships must have either globally-recognized research achievements, or should have the potential for such achievements.

    ● All candidates must be willing and able to commit long-term to IBS research activities.

    ● All candidates must be able to undertake directorial and management duties at the research centers.

3. What we offer
     ● Directors will be given autonomy in hiring their staff, in organizing their teams, and in carrying out their research.

    ● Directors will be offered a tenured position at the IBS, a full-time professorship, or a permanent position at a partner institute.

    ● All directors will negotiate their annual salaries in separate meetings with the  president of the IBS. Each figure negotiated will be added to the contract, and will become effective as soon as the contract is signed.

4. Research Centers: Composition
     ● All IBS research centers will include a director and group leaders.

    ● Group leaders must be able of simultaneously conduct their own research activities and coordinate projects with their respective directors. Group leaders are expected to conduct research where their directors are based.

    ● Group leaders will be evaluated by the SEC and appointed by the president of the IBS.

      ※ In the fields of theoretical physics and mathematics, the IBS may select multiple directors at one research center. Please refer to the following article for more information: "The IBS intrroduces a co-director system into IBS research centers"(link)
 

5. Research: Budgets and Evaluations
    ● Each research budget will vary according to its respective research plan.

    ● Regular evaluations of research achievements will take place every three years. The evaluations will determine the amount of funding and support each center will receive thereafter. The first evaluation will take place five years after research center is established.

6. Regulations: Research Implementation
    ● Directors are required to work full-time at their research centers. Research- center staff are generally expected to conduct research at their research centers.
    ● All publications relating to IBS research programs involving and citing the names of participating researchers must cite the IBS as their primary affiliation.

      ※ For more information on the selection procedures and management practice at IBS research centers, please refer to the FAQ web page.

7. Selection Procedures
 

Procedures of Selection

Candidate Recruitment	Open invitation Candidate recommendation from the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)	President
Evaluation	Pre-screening of candidates for in-depth evaluation Formation of review panels for each selected candidate Peer review: Open symposium and discussion; reference letter) SEC recommendation	Selection & Evaluation Committee (SEC)
Consultation And Appointment	Consultation with the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Final choice of directors & negotiations Appointment of directors	President