POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE - KENNEDY LAB - Neuroscience

Scripps Research Translational Institute; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plans with employer contrib

Health and Welfare plans (medical, etc

Paid Time Off - 5 days annually

On-site Counseling Center

Free on-site parking

Pet Insurance

Job summary

Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, is seeking Postdoctoral Associates for the Kennedy lab. Multiple funded positions focus on theoretical and computational neuroscience, including reservoir computing, reinforcement learning, neuromechanical modeling, imitation learning, and neural population dynamics.

Appointments follow NIH and California salary guidelines. Positions offer on-site work, with comprehensive benefits and a pathway to collaborative research with local

Qualifications

• Must possess a doctoral degree.
• Pending doctoral degree may be considered with PI approval.
• Postdoctoral Associates appointed for up to five years.

Responsibilities

• Conduct theoretical and computational neuroscience research across listed topics.
• Collaborate with local experimental groups and other researchers.

Education

Doctoral degree

Job description

Job Category: Postdoctoral Associates/Fellows

Requisition Number: POSTD005163

• Posted : September 3, 2026
• Full-Time
• On-site

Locations

Showing 1 location

Description

ABOUT US
Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation. We celebrated our 100-year legacy in 2024. This significant milestone marks a century of seminal discoveries in immunology, infectious diseases (such as COVID-19, flu, HIV), neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, and more. Located in La Jolla, California, the institute houses six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates, a top-ranked graduate school and a leading postdoctoral training program. Scripps Research encompasses two elite and highly innovative institutes, the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines and Scripps Research Translational Institute, which merge foundational studies in biology, chemistry and computer science with translational science to produce pioneering drugs and advances in digital and precision medicine. Together, we cultivate new scientific leaders and expand the frontiers of knowledge to deliver medical breakthroughs impacting human health around the globe. If you have a passion for making a difference, this could be your opportunity to join our transformative team.

POSITION TITLE: Postdoctoral Associate POSITION SUMMARY:

The Kennedy lab is recruiting for multiple funded postdoctoral positions in theoretical and computational neuroscience. Ongoing projects in the lab span topics in:

• Reservoir computing with heterogeneous cell types
• Reinforcement learning/control theory analysis of complex behavior
• Neuromechanical whole-organism modeling
• Imitation learning/generative modeling of mouse social interactions
• Joint analysis/modeling of effects of internal states on neural + vocalization + behavior data

With additional NIH and foundation funding for:

• Characterizing progression of behavioral phenotypes in Parkinson’s
• Modeling cellular/circuit mechanisms underlying internal state-dependent changes in neural population dynamics
• Characterizing neural correlates of social relationships across species

Projects are flexible and can be tailored to applicants’ research and training goals, and there are abundant opportunities for new collaboration with local experimental groups.

Postdoctoral Associates are appointed positions for the purpose of developing scholarly competence, working under the supervision of a Scripps Research Faculty member. These appointments are normally not renewed beyond a total of five years. Postdoctoral Associates cannot apply for external funding either as a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator without prior approval from a Departmental Chair. Postdoctoral Associates do not have consulting privileges.

Must possess a doctoral degree. A pending doctoral degree may be considered with approval of the Principal Investigator.

COMPENSATION : Postdoctoral Associates will be hired following the National Institute of Health and California’s exempt salary guidelines, which provide for a starting range of $70,304- $75,353. Consideration for a salary above $75,353 will be given to experience that exceeds the listed requirements.

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Eligibility for retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Full suite of Health and Welfare plans including four medical plan options (including an HSA available option), dental, vision, life insurance, disability, EAP and more.
• Access to Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Paid Time Off - 5 days annually
• Free, on-site Counseling Center which provides confidential counseling services to benefits-eligible employees.
• Free, on-site parking.
• Pet Insurance

The above statements describe the level of work performed and expected in general terms. The statements are not intended to list all the responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of employees so classified, and the content herein is subject to change due to the business needs of Scripps Research, with or without notice. Furthermore, nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to be in conflict with or to eliminate or modify in any way the employment-at-will status of Scripps Research staff.

EEO Statement: The Scripps Research Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote diversity of thought, culture and background in the fields of science. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic or status.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.