Post-Doctoral Research Associate

University of Texas at Dallas • Richardson, TX

27d • Onsite

About The Position

Dr. Kirupa Suthakar, Principal Investigator (PI) of the Descending Auditory Circuits (DAC) Laboratory, invites applications for a highly motivated post-doctoral fellow with expertise in auditory neuroscience. The ideal candidate will have previous basic science laboratory experience including rodent handling and colony management, rodent survival surgeries, auditory function testing, neurophysiology, microscopy, complex statistical analysis and coding in MATLAB/Python. The lab's research focuses on understanding neural circuits in the descending auditory system, specifically how auditory brainstem neurons encode acoustic information and identifying/characterizing neuromodulatory (e.g. serotonergic) pathways that influence sound processing in the brain and cochlea. Using normal hearing and noise-induced hearing loss models, our long-term goals are to (1) improve basic knowledge of brain processes that modulate sound encoding by the cochlea and (2) identify translatable therapeutic otoprotective targets to reduce susceptibility to hearing disorders resulting from acoustic overexposures (i.e. noise trauma). This position offers a unique opportunity to be part of a collaborative research network spanning both The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW). Located in the brand-new Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (TI-BMES) building, the successful applicant will have access to cutting edge equipment/technologies through core facilities at both UTD Richardson and UTSW Dallas campuses in addition to those contained within the lab. As part of the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing, the lab works closely with other basic science laboratories and is uniquely positioned to collaborate with clinicians and audiologists to bridge basic science and clinical research. The post-doctoral fellow will be responsible for leading research using rodent (mouse) models, consisting of neuroanatomical circuit mapping (survival surgeries, brain/cochlear tissue preparation, immunohistochemistry, microscopy), in-vivo sound evoked neurophysiology (auditory function testing, single unit electrophysiology), in-vitro whole cell patch-clamp electrophysiology from brain slices (pharmacology), optogenetics and animal behavior. Enthusiastic commitment to basic scientific research in auditory neuroscience and experience working with rodent models and colony management are required for this position. This position is intended to provide the experience in publishing, presenting, grant-writing, and graduate/undergraduate mentorship necessary to prepare the fellow for an Assistant Professor position. The anticipated start date for this position is January 2026. The salary for Post-Doctoral Research Associates in BBS is determined by years of experience per the current NIH (NRSA) stipend levels. Salary will be dependent on experience and qualifications. The appointment is for one year, with the possibility of renewal contingent upon continued funding and satisfactory performance

Requirements

• Ph.D in a related field.
• Technically minded, practical and pragmatic
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and strong interpersonal abilities
• Effective time management and problem-solving skills
• Proven project management ability
• High proficiency in statistical methodologies
• Detail-oriented, consistent, reliable, and trustworthy
• Ability to troubleshoot and work independently
• Collegiate and professional
• Motivated to learn quickly and achieve mastery of new techniques
• Proficient working with computers and technologically savvy

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Hearing Science, Physiology, Bioengineering, or related field
• Strong programming skills (e.g., R, MATLAB, Python)
• Expertise in data handling and management
• Stereotaxic or other animal surgery
• Experience with electrophysiology
• Comfortable working with variety of scientific equipment (e.g. microscopes, amplifiers, pipette pullers, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Coordinate research projects (independent and collaborative)
• Planning and executing research experiments (formulate hypotheses, design & conduct experiments, collect & interpret research data, perform statistical analysis)
• Presentation of project results (conference presentations, preparing manuscripts)
• Contributing to grant proposals for funding
• Assist the PI with general lab management (ordering supplies, equipment maintenance)
• Maintain protocols and compliance paperwork for the lab
• Coordinate and train research assistants and students
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students
• Actively participate in lab meetings, department and school-wide events
• Publish findings in top-tier academic journals and present research at professional conferences
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Tuition Benefits
• Internal Training
• Medical insurance - including 100% paid employee medical coverage for full-time employees
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Long and short-term disability
• Retirement Plan Options
• Paid time off
• Paid Holidays
• All UT Dallas employees have access to various professional development opportunities, including a membership to Academic Impressions, LinkedIn Learning, and UT Dallas Bright Leaders Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees