Post-Doctoral Associate: Sleep-specific DBS for Parkinson's Disease

University of Minnesota; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages and generous time 0ff

Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans

HSA contributions

Employee wellbeing program

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) at the University of Minnesota seeks a Post-Doctoral Associate to study brain mechanisms of sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease and to develop sleep-specific DBS therapies. The role involves electrophysiological recordings across the sleep-wake cycle in DBS patients, with potential 7T MRI studies.

Candidates should have a PhD in neuroscience or a related field, strong quantitative and signal processing skills, and a proven publication record.

Qualifications

• PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar field.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity.
• Strong record of presenting research results through publications and conference abstracts.

Responsibilities

• Data collection, analysis, method development, publication of results.
• Supervision and project management of junior lab members and volunteers.
• Career development: professional skills and leadership training.
• Outreach: patient/community outreach and industry partnerships.
• Travel: attend/present at conferences locally and internationally.

Skills

Quantitative background

Signal processing

Interpersonal skills

Publications/Conferences

Education

PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar

Background in sleep physiology

Tools

MATLAB

Job description

Location

Twin Cities

Contract Type

Full-Time

Schedule

Hybrid, M-F, 8:30am - 5pm

About the Job

Position Summary:
The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) at the University of Minnesota is seeking a Post-Doctoral Associate to study the brain mechanisms involved in disordered sleep in
Parkinson's disease (PD) and develop sleep-specific deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapies. Under the direction of Luke Johnson, PhD and Jerrold Vitek, MD PhD, the Post-Doctoral Associate will work collaboratively within the NMRC on a clinical research project and have the unique opportunity to perform cortical and subcortical electrophysiological recordings across the sleep-wake cycle in patients receiving DBS implants. The Post-Doctoral Associate may also be involved in a study utilizing high-field 7T MRI fiber tractography and computational modeling to associate pathway activation patterns with sleep outcomes following clinically optimized DBS in PD patients. The Post-Doctoral Associate's research will provide a better understanding of the brain circuitry involved in disordered sleep in PD, contribute to the development of electrophysiological based strategies (e.g., closed-loop DBS) for the treatment of sleep-wake disturbances, and provide the rationale for selection of DBS targets and programming settings in PD patients for whom sleep disturbances play a major role in their disease.

We are a large collaborative research team and part of the NIH funded University of Minnesota Udall Center of Excellence in PD Research (Center Director: Jerrold Vitek MD
PhD). Our research involves collaborations across multiple fields including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology, and Biostatistics. We also have a
robust preclinical translational research program that includes sleep studies in the nonhuman primate model of PD. Together this provides a vibrant training and research environment for
the Post-Doctoral Associate.

The candidate should have a strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity. Candidates with a background in sleep
physiology are especially encouraged to apply.

Work Schedule: Hybrid, M-F, 8:30am - 5pm

Job Duties/Responsibilities

• 75% Research Duties: Data collection, analysis, method development, publication of results in manuscripts, proceedings, and conference abstracts.
• 10% Supervision and Project Management: Manage junior lab members, and volunteers to ensure timely completion of project aims.
• 5% Career Development: Professional skills, leadership training, technical skills development.
• 5% Outreach: Patient/community outreach, Industry Partnerships.
• 5% Travel: Attending/presenting at local/national/international conferences.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar field.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others.
• Strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity.
• Strong record of presenting research results through publications and conference abstracts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Programming in MATLAB.
• A background in sleep physiology.

About the Department

To learn more about the Department of Neurology, please visit https://med.umn.edu/neurology.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $65,480 annually - $79,076 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.