Postdoctoral Associate

Position Summary

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate for the Brain Health Institute (BHI) within Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS).

The primary purpose of the Postdoctoral Associate is to work on research project investigating the neural mechanisms of sensory perception, learning, and decision-making. The laboratory uses state-of-the-art behavioral, neurophysiological, circuit, and computational approaches to examine neural activity in awake-behaving rodents performing auditory and audiovisual tasks. These approaches include high-channel count silicon-probe electrophysiology, optogenetics and opto-tagging, viral circuit tools, anatomical tract tracing, immunohistochemistry and imaging, and quantitative analysis of behavioral and neural data. The Postdoctoral Associate will perform research on cortical and downstream circuit mechanisms that support sensory-guided behavior using psychophysical training, in vivo multichannel recordings, circuit perturbations, histological validation, and computational analysis.

Among the key duties of this position are the following:

• Trains and tests rodents (gerbils) on auditory and audiovisual psychophysical tasks to assess auditory perception, learning, and decision-making.
• Performs anatomical tract tracing, AAV-based labeling, immunohistochemistry, imaging, and analyses of the neural circuits involved in auditory processing and decision-making.
• Performs stereotaxic surgical procedures, including craniotomies, implants, viral injections, and related recovery and animal care procedures.
• Performs high-channel-count in vivo electrophysiological recordings in awake-behaving animals, including silicon probe and optogenetic/opto-tagging approaches.
• Performs research using viral transfection and circuit manipulation techniques, including optogenetics and designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs), as appropriate to the project.
• Develops and applies computational workflows for electrophysiology, imaging, and behavioral data analysis using Python, MATLAB, ImageJ/FIJI, DeepLabCut, or related tools.
• Maintains accurate records of experimentation, animal procedures, data analysis, and research progress.
• Analyzes, organizes, and presents data at laboratory meetings, departmental seminars, and major scientific meetings; contributes to manuscript and grant preparation.

Minimum Education and Experience

• PhD in Neuroscience, Biological Sciences, Physiology, Biomedical Engineering, Psychology, or a relevant field required.