Postdoctoral Scholar - Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics

Penn State University; Harvard (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Opportunities to publish research

Job summary

A prestigious academic institution is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Scholar for neuroscience research focused on addiction. Candidates should have a PhD in neuroscience or related fields, with skills in animal behavior tracking and circuit manipulation. The position offers competitive benefits and opportunities for collaboration and publication in leading neuroscience projects.

Qualifications

• PhD-level expertise in neuroscience with a focus on systems neuroscience.
• Experience with animal behavior tracking and circuit manipulation is desirable.
• Prior work with rats and basic surgical skills are strongly recommended.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on the influence of GLP-1R agonists on addiction behavior.
• Use experimental techniques to monitor animal responses in behavioral studies.
• Collaborate with a research team to publish findings in reputable journals.

Skills

Animal behavior tracking using deep learning

Circuit manipulation (e.g., optogenetics, chemogenetics)

Computer programming (e.g., Matlab, Python)

Neuroinformatics tools

Education

PhD in Neuroscience or related field

Tools

Operant conditioning software

Fiber photometry equipment

Job description

Postdoctoral Scholar - Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics page is loaded## Postdoctoral Scholar - Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeuticslocations: College of Medicinetime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todayjob requisition id: REQ\_0000072279# **APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:*** ## CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please to complete the. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please to complete the Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete . **Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see .**This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding. **POSITION SPECIFICS**The Grigson lab at Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, PA is looking for a highly motivated postdoc who is willing to embrace new approaches to important questions in neuroscience.We have multiple NIH-funded projects to study the influence of FDA-approved GLP-1R agonists on drug seeking and reinstatement in rodents. A newly funded NIH R01 has the goal to determine who may be vulnerable to developing substance use disorders, when, how, why, and what might be done about it. Here, we will use the aversive behavioral and neurochemical response to the intraoral (IO) delivery of a drug-paired taste cue (i.e., conditioned withdrawal) to track the development of addiction in the most vulnerable male and female rats and to test the hypothesis that engagement of, not only reward substrates, but also homeostatic need substrates, contributes to the catastrophic transition from liking and wanting drug to needing drug early in the development of the disease.Techniques that will be used in this project include intraoral catheter fluid delivery, video monitoring of facial responses (i.e., gapes), operant conditioning (Med Associates), telemetry for anterior digastric muscle activation (DSI, Harvard), and in vivo fiber photometry (TDT).We are particularly looking for a PhD-level systems neuroscientist with expertise in animal behavior tracking using deep learning algorithms and their causal link with specific neural circuits. Expertise in circuit manipulation (e.g., optogenetics, chemogenetics) and/or recording (e.g., fiber photometry) is highly desirable. However, candidates with other experimental and/or data skills are welcome to apply. Experience in computer programming (e.g., Matlab, Python) and neuroinformatics tools is a plus but not required. Previous work with rats and basic surgical experience is strongly recommended.We aim to build a strong research team with complementary expertise. Furthermore, we have several ongoing projects that bring different expertise and provide ample opportunities to publish with leading experts in different fields of neuroscience.Eligible candidates should send a CV including the names of three professional references and a brief statement of research and career plan with technical skills **BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES**Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. **BENEFITS**Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit our **CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS**Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review .**EEO IS THE LAW**Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. 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