Post Doctoral Associate-Schwerdt Lab at UPMC

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

23 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

25 Mar, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Computational Analysis, Data Collection, Animal Experiments, Electrophysiology, Photometry, Decision-Making Tasks, Systems Neuroscience, Microstimulation, Task Design, MATLAB, Data Science, Machine Learning, Grant Writing, Primate Neurophysiology, Behavioral Training, Neural Data Analysis

Industry

Hospitals and Health Care

Description

The Schwerdt Lab is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to lead computational analysis, data collection, and animal experiments to dissect dopamine's complex function in cognition, motivation, and learning. The Schwerdt Lab is focused on addressing questions about how dopamine and striatal circuits are involved in regulating movement, motivation, and decisions in health and in disease (e.g., Parkinson's disease). The lab applies multiple cutting-edge techniques (chronic electrochemistry, high-density electrophysiology such as Neuropixels, optical fiber photometry with fluorescent dopamine sensors) to measure neural activity in task-performing monkeys trained to perform eye or arm-reaching decision-making tasks to maximize rewards while learning the valence contingencies of various cues and contexts. The lab also works with neurosurgeons and clinicians to perform translational engineering and science to elaborate these dopamine functions in humans. Dopamine neurochemical recordings are done synchronously with electrophysiological neural recording (e.g., spikes and oscillations) to further elaborate the interactive dynamics between dopamine and neuronal activity and more accurately characterize behaviorally relevant neural activity patterns. This position offers opportunities for growth and expansion of skills in advanced primate neurophysiology and brain activity mapping (e.g., electrochemistry, electrophysiology, microstimulation, neurosurgery, task design), microfabrication, and systems neuroscience. The individual is expected to work as a team with the principal investigator, other undergraduate and graduate students, and laboratory technicians. The individual is expected to prepare and write high-quality journal papers for peer-review and scientific dissemination, present significant research progress in scientific workshops and/or conferences, and participate in grant writing. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in a STEM field. The incumbent should have some background, ideally working with dynamical systems, machine learning, animal behavior, and/or other forms of computational work and data analysis. Highly competitive applicants will have experience in one or more of the following: non-human primate electrophysiology; neuroscience; behavioral training and task design; computational analysis, modeling, and programming in MATLAB; data science, statistics, machine learning, or other advanced mathematical, computational, and analytic techniques to analyze neural data; animal handling and surgeries; and/or grant writing.

Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Associate will lead computational analysis, data collection, and animal experiments focused on dissecting dopamine's role in cognition, motivation, and learning within striatal circuits. Responsibilities also include preparing and writing high-quality journal papers, presenting research progress, and participating in grant writing.