Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Vacancy Reference Number
4678
Closing Date
15 Aug 2022
Salary
£34,304 - £40,927 per annum
Address
UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh
Duration
Fixed-Term until 31st March 2023, with possible extension up to 5 years

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellow position in Dr Jian Gan’s lab in the UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, at the University of Edinburgh.

We investigate real-time neurocircuit dynamics underlying network oscillations, cognition, and decision-making in vivo. With such knowledge, we sort to elaborate on what, where, when, and how such dynamism goes wrong in disease conditions, e.g. dementia. We approach these questions by a combination of state-of-the-art methodologies in neuroscience, for instance in vivo patch-clamp recording, large-scale silicon probe recording, well-controlled quantitative behaviours in virtual reality, and optogenetics.

Your skills and attributes for success:

  • Ph.D. in neuroscience/physiology/pharmacology/psychology or related quantitative disciplines (e.g. computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics)
  • a strong curiosity in neural circuits and animal models of neural diseases
  • Experience in electrophysiology or Ca2+ imaging in vivo, patch-clamp recording in vitro, stereotaxic surgery, behavioural training, and histology is highly desirable
  • Either good experimental skills or strong computational/quantitative ability
  • Some proficiency in relevant programming languages (e.g. MATLAB, C++, Python, R) with regard to analysing electrophysiological/imaging data or signal processing of neural networks is advantageous

Click here for a copy of the full job description

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work. We give you support, nurture your talent and reward success. You will benefit from a competitive reward package and a wide range of staff benefits, which includes a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family friendly initiatives, flexible working and much more. Access our staff benefits page for further information and use our reward calculator to find out the total value of pay and benefits provided.

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Interviews will be held in August 2022.

If invited for interview you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK.  Further information is available on our right to work webpages.

The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role.? If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.

Further Information

About Us
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.

About the Team
The Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences (CCBS; Director Professor Siddharthan Chandran) is part of Edinburgh Neuroscience and Edinburgh Medical School. CCBS comprises the Divisions of Clinical Neurosciences (Head: Professor Siddharthan Chandran), Psychiatry (Head: Professor Daniel Smith) and Neuroimaging Sciences (Head: Professor Joanna Wardlaw). Our work integrates laboratory science, data science, health informatics and clinical research to study the causes, consequences and treatment of all major neurological and psychiatric disorders. Methodological strengths include neuroimaging, clinical trials, neuropathology, neuropsychiatric genetics and regenerative neurology.

We have 56 Principal Investigators, 70% of whom are NHS clinicians, grounding our work in clinical need and facilitating translation into patient benefit. We produce more than 500 research outputs per year, leading to improved patient care and NHS policy changes, with substantial impact on morbidity and mortality. CCBS researchers attracted £49M in external funding over the last three years and we collaborate globally, leading national and international consortia in neurodegenerative disorders, global mental health, psychiatric conditions, stroke and small vessel disease.

With bases at Edinburgh BioQuarter, Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Western General Hospital, CCBS locations link laboratory and clinical science with informatics, public engagement and commerce to facilitate creative interdisciplinary working. CCBS hosts c.60 postgraduate students, mostly PhDs. We are particularly strong in clinical PhD training, with bespoke funding schemes (e.g. Rowling Scholars), and we host the Wellcome Translational Neuroscience Doctoral Training Programme. Through generous philanthropic support, CCBS has established many specialist research hubs that are expanded by community fundraising and which engage closely with patient groups, policy-makers and public.

Contact Details

To apply, please follow this link: https://elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1001/job/4678