Postdoctoral Scientist - Schulze Lab

Howard Hughes Medical Institute • Ashburn, VA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Scientist with hybrid expertise spanning systems neuroscience, computer-vision, pose-tracking, behavioral ML, and VR technology to join the Schulze Lab. In this role, you will integrate custom hardware and software with computational analysis pipelines to probe the neural circuits underlying collective behavior and social cognition. To design and apply your own virtual reality paradigms, you will be working closely with our lab's VR specialist and collaborate across the team to investigate the rich, naturalistic behavior we study in Danionella. Further, you will use multi-animal tracking and behavioral classification to study latent structures and create brain-behavior maps. This is an excellent opportunity for a scientifically driven researcher who is comfortable tinkering and who is motivated to advance the understanding of how individuality, sex differences, and stress shape the brain and decision-making in groups.

Requirements

• A Ph.D. in neuroscience, computer science, engineering, or a closely related field.
• A hybrid background bridging software-hardware integration and computational as well as ML skills with a solid grounding in systems neuroscience.
• Demonstrated experience building or working with complex rigs, such as VR systems for behavioral neuroscience research.
• Working knowledge of scientific principles and the ability to exercise independent judgment in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria.
• Ability to perform highly complex experiments with high levels of reliability and accuracy within time constraints.
• Genuine interest in the neural basis of inter-individual differences, including sexually dimorphic and stress-related features in social contexts such as schooling behavior.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical reports and contribute to publications.

Responsibilities

• Design VR systems and paradigms to present naturalistic, socially rich stimuli.
• Write software to integrate ML-based/agentic approaches for multi-animal studies.
• Develop and execute experiments investigating the neural circuits underlying inter-individual differences, sexually dimorphic and stress-related traits in social behavior.
• Analyze the multivariate whole-brain activity, behavioral, and stimulus data using computational approaches.
• Interpret results in the context of project goals.
• Prepare technical reports, protocols, and quantitative analyses, and maintain familiarity with current literature in systems neuroscience and VR-based behavioral neuroscience.
• Collaborate with the lab’s VR specialist and other members of the Janelia community.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits
• Access to Janelia’s facilities and engineering support for imaging, custom-hardware, scientific computing, Unity-based visual environments, in-situ hybridization, and dissection.
• A highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research campus with close ties to labs working across systems neuroscience, computation, modeling, and tool development.
• One-on-one mentorship.
• Support to attend and present at scientific conferences.
• Amenities that enhance work-life balance such as on-site childcare, free gyms, available on-campus housing, social and dining spaces, and convenient shuttle bus service to Janelia from the Washington D.C. metro area.
• Exceptional health benefits
• Retirement plans
• Time off
• A range of recognition and wellness programs

What This Job Offers

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