Postdoctoral Research Associate

Texas A&M University System • College Station, TX

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Zarin Lab at Texas A&M University is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate the mechanisms of heterosynaptic structural plasticity (HTSP) in neural circuits using the Drosophila larval motor system. This project focuses on how motor neurons, premotor interneurons, glia, and muscles interact to rewire circuits after perturbation, with direct relevance to neural repair following injury or neurodegeneration. The successful candidate will lead interdisciplinary studies combining genetics, advanced imaging, connectomics, and quantitative analysis to uncover how intact neurons remodel and restore function in damaged circuits. In general terms, the Postdoctoral Research Associate, under general supervision, is responsible for conducting research into their field of expertise. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will utilize the skills and expertise granted to them by their education and experience to complete research projects in their field of expertise. Writes and may contribute to research papers, articles and publications. Assists with the preparation and cleaning of worksite. May collaborate with other researchers and/or faculty.

Requirements

• PhD in Neuroscience, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or related field.
• Strong publication record in neuroscience or related disciplines
• Experience with genetic model systems.
• Neural circuit analysis or connectomics
• Florescence or live imaging (confocal, light-sheet, or similar)
• Electrophysiology or calcium imaging
• Computational analysis (MATLAB, Python, or R)
• Neurodevelopment, plasticity, or motor systems
• Excellent written and verbal skills.
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC), molecular biology, genome editing, CRISPR

Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments to study neural circuit plasticity using genetic perturbations (e.g., ablation, silencing, CRISPR-based tools) and in vivo/ex vivo imaging techniques (confocal, expansion microscopy, calcium imaging).
• Analyze structural and functional neural circuit data and integrate experimental findings with connectomic and computational frameworks.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams (including neuroscience and robotics groups), mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers, and contribute to high‑impact publications.
• Support grant writing and project development, prepare manuscripts and reports for funding agencies, and present research at national and international conferences.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Free exercise programs and release time
• All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee

What This Job Offers

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