2025 Open Call for Applications : IBS Associate Director Position of “Center for Artificial Low Dimensional Electronic Systems”

The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) is a government-funded research institute founded in November 2011 to drive the development of basic science in South Korea through large-scale, long-term, and group research. IBS operates Research Centers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, Earth science, and interdisciplinary sciences.

IBS invites applicants for the position of Associate Director who are senior-level researchers with high research potential and are able to run his/her own research group in collaboration with the directors within the Research Center.

1. Introduction of the research center

• The Center for Artificial Low Dimensional Electronic Systems (CALDES) challenges major physics problems of low dimensional electronic materials that have been the central issues of modern condensed matter physics since 1970’s, which include quantum Hall effects, high-temperature superconductors, and 2D materials. CALDES would pioneer new types of materials with state-of-the-art measurement technologies and innovative approach to material fabrication. The new materials systems are low dimensional systems controlled and grown in atomic-scale precision, such as atomic layers, atomic wires, atomic rods, and their heterointerfaces. In particular, we hope to create unprecedented electronic systems at the heterointerfaces through the proximity coupling of different interactions. The state-of-the-art measurement technologies include scanning tunneling microscopy below 10 mK, and ultra-bright spin/angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, which can address the electronic and spintronic properties of atomic-scale low dimensional systems in truly single atom and single spin precision. With the atomically controlled low dimensional materials under atomically-resolved probes, CALDES investigates and manipulates exotic electronic and spin channels and topological excitations such as topological solitons and domain walls, topological magnetic semimetals, and atomic-layer semiconductor heterostructures and so on. CALDES aims to discover new physics and new functionality emerging from such atomically designed low dimensional electronic materials.
  • - For more information, visit the https://caldes.ibs.re.kr.

2. Job description

- Associate directors will serve important roles in achieving the goal of the research center in collaboration with the director as well as directing independently his/her own research group within the center. The specific field of research solicited for the associate director is the fabrication of novel topological materials and the investigation of their electronic and magnetic properties.

- Applicants should have a strong record of scholarly achievement at the international level, a significant record of securing external funding, and evidence of leadership ability in his/her research field.

- The candidates must have experience managing a large research program and staffs within an academic institution (or equivalent research agency) and be able to articulate a strong vision to further the research and outreach programs in IBS.

- The successful candidates should be able to acquire full professor-level positions at POSTECH.

3. Requirements for the position

- The candidate must be able to commit themselves entirely in the long term to IBS research activities and engagement in for-profit business is prohibited.

- The candidate must be able to manage his/her respective research groups in collaboration with the Director(s) within the Center

4. Offer

• - Authority to run his/her own research team.
• - Sizable independent research budget (the successful candidate may negotiate with the director of the Center to finalize the size of his/her research budget and how to set up his/her budget account if necessary).
• - Tenured or permanent position.

5. General Selection Procedure

① Recruitment of applicants by open invitation

② Selection of candidates for in-depth evaluation

③ Interview by in-depth evaluation panel

④ Decision by the Selection & Evaluation Committee (SEC) about the recommendation

⑤ Negotiation with Director

⑥ Appointment by IBS President

6. Application Submission

• - Fill out the application form in English and email it as a single PDF file to adapply@ibs.re.kr no later than 12:00PM, 20 March 2025 (KST).
• - E-mail title should include ‘Name of Applicant’ and ‘Name of Research Center’.
  • [Contact Information]
    • [Research Center]
      Genn Ia KIM, Center for Artifical Low Dimensional Electronic Systems.
      Email: gennia@ibs.re.kr
    • [Evaluation Process]
      LEE Juyoung, Research Evaluation Team
      Email: juylee@ibs.re.kr
    • * For more information, please visit the IBS website (www.ibs.re.kr).