Open Rank, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Neurosurgery invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant, Associate Professor or Full Professor. We seek outstanding scientists whose research centers on human cognition using invasive and/or non-invasive neuromodulation (e.g., DBS, SEEG/ECoG, TMS/tDCS, FUS) and electrophysiology (e.g., intracranial, EEG/MEG) or neuroimaging, with strong quantitative/computational approaches. Focus Areas (cognitive, human neuromodulation, psychiatric and neurological neuromodulation) We are especially interested in candidates whose work advances mechanistic understanding and treatment of cognitive dysfunction. Example domains include: · Executive control (cognitive control, conflict monitoring, inhibitory control, task switching, working memory) · Learning & decision-making (reinforcement learning, valuation, risk/loss aversion, habit/goal-directed control, credit assignment) · Attention & arousal (vigilance, selective/sustained attention, cognitive fatigue, mind-wandering) · Memory systems (episodic/semantic, encoding–retrieval dynamics, consolidation, sleep–memory interactions) · Language & higher cognition (speech/language, social cognition, metacognition) · Affective–cognitive interactions (motivation, apathy, reward sensitivity, affective bias) Translational goals that align with campus strengths is welcome, e.g., Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders (DBS), epilepsy (SEEG/ECoG mapping), OCD/depression (DBS/TMS), Tourette/dystonia, TBI/stroke, MCI/Alzheimer’s, addiction, and anxiety/PTSD, with emphasis on cognitive endpoints, biomarkers, and closed-loop strategies. Ideal candidates have an interest in investigating the neural mechanisms of cognitive, affective, or decision processes in humans through carefully designed behavioral tasks, rigorous signal processing, and computational modeling. We especially encourage applicants whose work complements and extend our strengths in neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, biomedical engineering, and imaging, and who will engage in collaborative team science across the Anschutz Medical Campus. Successful applicants are expected to lead a vigorous, externally funded research program and to participate in professional and graduate teaching. Appointees will join a vibrant and growing Department under the new leadership of Dr. Peter Fecci – hired as Chair in January 2025 – and Research Vice Chair Dr. Cristin Welle. Neuromodulation will be a primary pillar of the department. The department currently features several cutting edge projects within neuromodulation including restorative applications of vagal nerve stimulation, brain computer interface investigations into repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions, adaptive deep brain stimulation in movement disorders, exploring cognitive behavioral functions in the context of the epilepsy monitoring unit with both single neuron and local field potentials, exploration of cognitive function using Neuropixels in human and psychiatric deep brain stimulation. Extra-departmental interactions span clinical and basic departments/programs including Physiology and Biophysics, Neurology, Psychiatry, Bioengineering, and Computational Biosciences.

Requirements

Ph.D. degree with specialty in Computational Neuroscience/Physiology/Biophysics, Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Neuromodulation or closely related field
A strong record of peer-reviewed academic publications
A well-developed plan for independent research and funding