Senior Research Scientist

University of Colorado; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 105,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement 401(a) Plan

Paid Time Off

Tuition Benefit

Job summary

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Neurosurgery, seeks a Senior Research Scientist to independently lead translational neuroscience projects with a focus on thalamic function, neural engineering, and brain–computer interfaces. The role includes mentoring graduate students, postdocs, and coordinating collaborative studies.

You will design experiments, develop software for data acquisition and analysis, plan intraoperative and clinical sessions, and contribute to

Qualifications

• PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in biomedical sciences.
• At least four years of experience in an academic medical or research setting.
• 3 or more publications as co-author or named collaborator
• Experience preparing grant applications

Responsibilities

• Coordinate behavioral neuroscience and human subjects research studies with collaborators.
• Lead project management activities including funded initiatives and staffing.
• Mentor, train, and supervise students, research assistants, postdoctoral fellows, and other research personnel.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain experimental systems, apparatus, and infrastructure.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct laboratory, intraoperative, inpatient, and outpatient research sessions.
• Design and implement research experiments, protocols, and participant activities.

Skills

Population-level latent space methods

Neural data analysis (single-unit, LFP

Intraoperative task design

Machine learning / neural decoding

Collaborative leadership

Education

PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in biomedical sciences

Tools

Data acquisition software

Experiment presentation platforms

Lab infrastructure maintenance

Job description

Senior Research Scientist

Position #:00852348 – Requisition #:40883

Job Summary:

University of Colorado Anschutz

Department: Neurosurgery

Job Title: Senior Research Scientist

Position #:00852348 – Requisition #:40883

Job Summary: The Senior Research Scientist position (2) with the Department of Neurosurgery is an at-will employment. Candidates should have research interests and experience in systems neuroscience with a focus on human translational neuroscience related to thalamic function, neural engineering, sensorimotor control, executive function neurophysiology, brain computer interface, and intraoperative task design to support Dr. Daniel Kramer’s laboratory work. The primary duties are to independently lead research projects in executive function, sensorimotor control, neural control system execution, and cerebellar control in the Kramer and Thompson lab, train graduate/medical students and postdoctoral fellows, and help Dr. Kramer in additional grant funding applications to expand the research program of Dr. Kramer’s lab).

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate behavioral neuroscience and human subjects research studies with internal and external collaborators.
• Lead project management activities, including funded initiatives, resource coordination, personnel supervision, and stakeholder engagement.
• Mentor, train, and supervise students, research assistants, postdoctoral fellows, and other research personnel.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain experimental systems, apparatus, and research infrastructure.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct laboratory, intraoperative, inpatient, and outpatient research sessions.
• Design and implement research experiments, protocols, and participant activities for scientific studies and demonstrations.
• Develop and maintain software platforms for experiment presentation, data acquisition, and research operations.
• Document research activities and maintain study records in compliance with project requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and improve data preprocessing and analysis pipelines.
• Collect, process, and analyze electrophysiological and behavioral data using neuroscience, statistics, machine learning, signal processing, and computer science methodologies.
• Prepare grant and fellowship proposals, manage awarded funds, and support ongoing funding efforts.
• Disseminate research findings through scientific publications, presentations, figures, conference presentations, and collaborative reporting.

Work Location

Onsite – this role is expected to work onsite and is located in Aurora, Colorado.

Why Join Us

The Department of Neurosurgery encompasses a broad range of research and teaching activities focused on basic mechanisms of host immune responses, viral and bacterial pathogenesis, and the intersection of these two fields. Working in the Department of Neurosurgery offers the opportunity of professional growth in a vibrant academic and scientific environment.

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year (based on percentage of time)
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 11/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in biomedical sciences
• At least four years of experience working in an academic medical or research setting (post-doctoral training period may be counted towards the three years’ experience).
• 3 or more publications as co-author or named collaborator
• Experience preparing grant applications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with machine learning and neural decoding approaches
• Experience integrating and implementing task synchronization and execution systems
• Experience with recording rig maintenance and neural data acquisition workflows
• Experience in systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience, neural engineering, or related fields

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency in population-level latent space methods, single-unit, and local field potential analysis
• Familiarity with intraoperative task design and human neuroscience research
• Expertise in modern neural population analysis techniques
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and self-motivation skills

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship. We are unable to provide work visa sponsorship or employment authorization for this position now or in the future.

Screening of Applications Begins

Immediately and continues until August 25, 2026.

Anticipated Pay Range

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as HIRING RANGE: Sr. Research Scientist: $105,000 to $110,000

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non-exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ADA Statement

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at [e-mail].

Background Check Statement

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.

Research Faculty

Job Category

Department U0001 -- Anschutz Med Campus or Denver

Schedule Full-time

Posting Date Aug 20, 2026

Unposting Date Aug 26, 2026, 1:59:00 AM