Post Doctoral Associate - Collinger lab

University of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a full-time Postdoctoral Associate position to work on the development of spinal cord stimulation for people with upper limb paralysis due to spinal cord injury. The overall goal of the project is to compare the efficacy and mechanisms of action of transcutaneous and epidural spinal cord stimulation for restoring hand and arm function. Individuals with spinal cord injury will be enrolled in a clinical trial in which they will participate in transcutaneous and epidural spinal cord stimulation sessions combined with rehabilitation exercises. We will explore the effects of each spinal cord stimulation paradigm on spinal cord circuitry using subject-specific computational models. This work will be conducted in the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, a collaborative research space led by 9 principal investigators dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals living with neurological impairments by advancing the scientific understanding of the motor and somatosensory systems to engineer new rehabilitation therapies and technologies.

Requirements

• PhD in Biomedical/Neural Engineering, Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Design, execution, and management of experiments involving transcutaneous and epidural spinal cord stimulation, rehabilitation, and functional assessments.
• Develop and implement stimulation protocols to facilitate selective activation of muscles in the arm and hand.
• Analyze biomechanical and neurophysiological data to quantify changes in arm and hand function.
• Use CT and MRI images to develop subject-specific computational models to better understand the mechanisms of action of transcutaneous and epidural spinal cord stimulation.
• Develop independent research projects/expertise.
• Participate in professional development opportunities.
• Disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications and scientific meetings.
• Develop and submit fellowship grant proposals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree