Postdotoral Research Associate

Job Title

Postdotoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Department

Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment
Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & identities. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who we are
As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.

What we want

The Health Science Center (HSC) is looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to serve as a member of the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics in the Wang Lab. The Postdoctoral Research Associate is responsible for studying neural circuit mechanisms of drug and alcohol addiction, focusing on medium spiny neurons and cholinergic interneurons in the dorsomedial striatum of the basal ganglia circuitry.  Research in the lab utilizes state-of-the-art technologies, including in vivo dual-channel optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation of striatal neuron activities, fiber photometry, rabies-mediated brain-wide neuronal mapping, and FosTRAP approaches in combination with behavioral procedures (e.g., operant alcohol self-administration) and slices electrophysiology. Candidates with a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and prior in-depth experience in slice electrophysiology or in analysis of addictive behaviors (including operant alcohol self-administration) are encouraged to apply. Knowledge of mouse genetics, optogenetics and chemogenetics are desired; ability to conduct stereotaxic infusion in rodents and experience with immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging are expected.

What you need to know

Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire’s experience.

Required Education and Experience:

• Appropriate doctoral degree

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience

• Knowledge of neural circuitry studies in drug and alcohol addiction or other neuropsychiatry disorders

• Knowledge of rodent models of drug or alcohol abuse

• Knowledge of mouse genetics, optogenetics/chemogenetics

• Skills of in vivo measuring neuronal activity or neurotransmitter release using fiber photometry

• Skills of retrograde tracing using rabies viruses

• Skills of identifying and manipulating behavior-related neuronal ensembles using FosTRAP approaches

• Ability to measure drug- or alcohol-seeking behavior and relapse with Coulbourn or Med Associates operant chambers or to measure synaptic transmission/plasticity (LTP/LTD) using whole-cell patch-clamp recording, stereotaxic infusion in rats and mice, immunohistochemistry, and confocal imaging

Responsibilities:

Laboratory Research

• Measuring/manipulating drug- and alcohol-seeking behavior in operant chambers and/or whole-cell patch-clamp recording in acute brain slices, data analysis and presentation, graph construction, and manuscript writing.

• Fiber photometry measurement of in vivo neuronal activity or neurotransmitter release.

• Utilize rabies or other viruses to retrograde or anterograde label neurons in a neural circuit.

Stereotaxic infusion

• Stereotaxic infusion of AAV, rabies, beads, etc. Fiber implantation..

Confocal imaging and image analysis

• Intracardiac perfusion of rodents with PFA, cyostac section, confocal imaging, image analysis using Imaris or other programs.

Grant writing

• Write and submit grant proposals with the PI’s assistance. 

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.