Postdoctoral Neuroscience Scientist — In Vivo CNS Pharmacology

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 58,000 - 123,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentored postdoc

Publication support

Competitive stipend

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Psychiatry and Neuronal Health group, conducting in vivo pharmacology in rodents to explore reward, arousal, and stress‑related circuits pertinent to CNS drug discovery.

You will perform fiber photometry, microdialysis, and behavioral pharmacology experiments, with emphasis on chronic IV self‑administration, caffeine reinstatement tests, and neural circuit mapping, while collaborating on manuscript

Qualifications

• Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Behavioral Neuroscience, or a closely related field, completed within the last 1–3 years (or near completion)
• Hands‑on experience with in vivo fiber photometry (calcium/neuropeptide sensor recording, signal processing, and analysis)
• Demonstrated expertise in rodent stereotaxic surgery, viral vector delivery, and fiber optic cannula implantation
• Experience with rodent operant/behavioral pharmacology models (IV self‑administration, extinction, and/or cue reinstatement paradigms strongly preferred; IV catheterization experience a plus)
• Familiarity with in vivo microdialysis and downstream analytical quantification (HPLC/LC‑MS or similar)
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute in vivo experiments in rodent behavioral models relevant to CNS drug discovery, including chronic IV self‑administration, extinction, and cue‑induced reinstatement paradigms
• Perform rodent survival surgeries: stereotaxic viral injection, IV catheter implantation, and fiber optic cannula placement
• Perform single‑ and dual‑site in vivo fiber photometry recordings (genetically encoded calcium and/or neuropeptide biosensors) to characterize real‑time circuit dynamics during behavior, including during cue‑triggered reinstatement testing
• Conduct in vivo microdialysis paired with LC/MS or immunoassay quantification to measure neurotransmitter/neuropeptide efflux across relevant brain nuclei
• Apply circuit‑dissection techniques to map projections and test causal sufficiency/necessity in the behaviors under study
• Perform multiplex fluorescence and routine histological experiments
• Characterize sleep/arousal architecture (EEG/EMG) as relevant to project needs
• Support processing and molecular analysis of human postmortem brain tissue, including coordination with external tissue repositories
• Analyze and interpret multimodal datasets (behavioral, neurochemical, imaging, transcriptomic) using established computational pipelines
• Author manuscripts for peer‑reviewed publication and present findings at internal reviews and external scientific conferences
• Maintain rigorous documentation, IACUC protocol compliance, and data integrity standards

Skills

In vivo fiber photometry

Rodent stereotaxic surgery

Behavioral pharmacology models

IV self-administration

Rodent handling

Data analysis (MATLAB, Python, R)

EEG/EMG analysis

Education

Ph.D. in Neuroscience/Pharmacology/Behavioral Neuroscience

Tools

Fiber photometry system

Stereotaxic surgery equipment

HPLC/LC‑MS

Viral vector delivery

Job description

Eli Lilly and Company invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Psychiatry and Neuronal Health group, conducting in vivo pharmacology in rodents to explore reward, arousal, and stress‑related circuits pertinent to CNS drug discovery.

You will perform fiber photometry, microdialysis, and behavioral pharmacology experiments, with emphasis on chronic IV self‑administration, caffeine reinstatement tests, and neural circuit mapping, while collaborating on manuscript