Experimental Neuroscientist
Leads end-to-end experimental systems neuroscience programs studying perception, thought, and internal state through large-scale neural recording and causal perturbation experiments. The role requires multi-animal neurophysiology experience, quantitative analysis skills, and close collaboration with computational and engineering teams.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Design behavioral paradigms, including perceptual and cognitive tasks, aligned with scientific goals.
- Execute large-scale, multi-area neural recording experiments in awake, behaving subjects performing complex perceptual, working-memory, and higher-cognitive tasks.
- Use high-density Neuropixels probes, chronic polymer probe arrays, two-photon imaging, and holographic optogenetics.
- Conduct write-in causal perturbation experiments targeting visual percepts, thoughts, and internal states using model-guided closed-loop stimulation.
- Build and analyze datasets spanning sessions, animals, and paradigms to support stable, brain-wide, single-neuron-resolution representations.
- Collaborate with electrophysiology, holography, computational, and engineering teams.
- Mentor research technicians and, at senior or principal levels, junior scientists.
- Contribute to hiring, onboarding, lab culture, publications, talks, open data and tooling releases, and scientific-community engagement.
Requirements
- Hands-on experience across multiple animal models in systems neurophysiology, including acute and chronic large-scale electrophysiology in awake, behaving subjects.
- Strong quantitative and computational skills with fluency in Python and/or MATLAB.
- Experience with modern neural data-analysis pipelines, including Kilosort, spike sorting, and quality-control workflows.
- Track record of leading systems-neuroscience experiments end to end, from paradigm design through data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Comfort working closely with software engineers, computational neuroscientists, and hardware engineers in a fast-moving, multi-team environment.
- Commitment to open science and collaborative shared infrastructure.
- PhD in neuroscience, cognitive, behavioral or medical sciences, biology, biomedical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience with complex cognitive paradigms, high-density Neuropixels recordings, and chronic polymer probe systems.
- Experience with optogenetic, electrical, or other causal perturbation methods across multiple animal models.
- Experience with closed-loop or real-time experimental control and stimulation.
- Familiarity with neural population dynamics and dynamical-systems modeling.
- Experience contributing to or leading large, multi-team research programs.
- Track record of mentorship and technical leadership.
Compensation and benefits
- Salary range: $120,000–$220,000, based on location in the Bay Area.
- Competitive compensation package with comprehensive benefits, commensurate with experience.
Skills
Python, MATLAB, Kilosort, Spike Sorting, Neuropixels, Two-Photon Imaging, Optogenetics, Electrophysiology, Neural Data Analysis, Closed-Loop Stimulation, Behavioral Paradigms, Neural Population Dynamics
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