Our laboratory is interested in understanding the neural circuits underlying complex social behaviors, in health and disease, using rodents as an animal model system. We are offering 1 RESEARCH TECHNICIAN position (m/f/d) to technically strengthen our research, which focuses on the neural and behavioral mechanisms of complex social behaviors in rodents. We are looking for candidates with interest in quantitative behavior, calcium imaging and optogenetics in behaving animals and expertise on behavioral prototyping.
Duration – uncertain term employment contract: the contract’s maximum forseen duration is 4 years, never going beyond the project’s end date.
Team – The selected candidate will join the Neural Circuits of Social Behavior Lab, coordinated by Dr. Cristina Márquez, at the CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cellular Biology, UC-Biotech, Cantanhede, Portugal, under the European project DYNABrain. Check our previous work and publications here.
Your responsabilities
- Assist in data analysis of in vivo experiments with socially behaving rodents and establishment of social hierarchies in rodents;
- Assist in the performance of brain-wide analysis of c-fos expression after socially relevant tasks;
- Assist in monitoring neural activity in socially behaving animals;
- Be active in scientific discussions of the lab’s new data and during lab meetings;
- Support the research team in developing a common language and overarching theoretical framework.
Your competences
- Curious, prone to creative problem-solving and highly motivated to work in an interdisciplinary and diverse team;
- Ethical and open research conduct;
- Master’s degree in Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology, Computer/Data Science, Engineering or related fields;
- Strongly desired: proven academic interest in Social Neuroscience/Systems Neuroscience or related fields;
- Previous research experience in the research topics will be highly valued;
- Very good statistical and data analysis skills;
- Strong written and oral communications skills in English.
We offer
- An enthusiastic, collaborative and interdisciplinary research group;
- Mentorship and support to advance in your academic career;
- Top-level, innovative research on a new and exciting research field;
- Access to state-of-the-art methods and professional research infrastructure;
- Integration into the CNC research community;
- Open and transparent science;
- Remuneration level 20, in accordance with Portuguese guidelines (1,528.59 € gross/month for an exclusive basis work contract) for the duration of the project;
- Full time working contract, with social security and retirement benefits;
- Economic support for attending courses and conferences.
Deadline for applications: March 20th, 2023, 17:00 WET