Research Scientist I
About The Position
The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene is seeking a full-time postdoctoral researcher for the Anacker lab at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. The researcher will use in vivo brain imaging and rodent models to investigate neural circuits involved in vulnerability and resilience to stress. The work combines mouse models of social stress and early life adversity with circuit tracing, optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques, in vivo calcium imaging, and biosensors to study neural activity and neurotransmitter changes in freely moving mice during fear generalization and cognitive flexibility tasks. The position involves collaboration within the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University and NYSPI, as well as contributing to the development, execution, analysis, and dissemination of research projects. The job posting lists an annual salary range of $67,552 to $81,257 and a work location of 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032. The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation, not a New York State agency; its employees are not state employees and do not receive state fringe benefits. The posting states that an excellent benefits package is offered.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree and two years of professional research experience in an appropriate field; a master's degree in an appropriate field may substitute for one year of experience, or a Ph.D. is listed as an alternative qualification.
Nice To Haves
- At least two years of experience working with rodents.
- At least one year of experience with rodent stereotactic brain surgery for virus injection and/or implantation surgeries.
- More than one year of experience using either optogenetic or in vivo imaging techniques in the rodent brain.
- Basic skills using MATLAB or Python for data analysis of in vivo imaging data.
- Basic skills in R to analyze RNA sequencing data.
Responsibilities
- Conduct stereotaxic surgeries for viral injections and fiber-optic implantations into the mouse brain.
- Conduct mouse behavioral experiments, including fear generalization and cognitive flexibility tasks.
- Perform optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation of neural circuits in freely moving mice.
- Conduct in vivo calcium imaging of neural activity and neurotransmitter release in the mouse brain during behavioral tasks.
- Maintain transgenic mouse colonies and perform mouse genotyping.
- Perform immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy.
- Independently conduct and manage daily experimental procedures.
- Analyze and interpret in vivo imaging data using MATLAB and/or Python.
- Apply statistical analysis using SPSS, R, and GraphPad.
- Contribute to project development, including conceptual framing, experimental design, conducting experiments, and data analysis.
- Present scientific findings at conferences and scientific meetings.
- Prepare and publish research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- Work collaboratively within the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Benefits
- Excellent Benefits Package.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
