Job ID: 113787

Post-doctoral Research Association in Behavioural Neuroscience

Position: Post-doctoral Position

Deadline: 21 July 2023

Contract Length: 3 years until 30th November 2026

City: Oxford

Country: United Kingdom

Institution: University of Oxford

Department: Experimental Psychology

Description:

We are looking to recruit a post-doctoral behavioural neuroscientist to develop a project that combines approaches from behavioural neuroscience and behavioural ecology to reveal how dopamine and serotonin interact to regulate flexible foraging behaviour in mice.  The project is supported by a new BBSRC Project Grant and builds on a collaboration between Mark Walton and Thomas Akam (Experimental Psychology) with Alex Kacelnik (Biology) and Trevor Sharp (Pharmacology).

The primary objectives of the post holder will be to plan and execute experiments to take forward the project, implement optical methods to record and manipulate dopamine and serotonin release in behaving mice, use computational approaches to analyse the data, and manage their own research and administrative activities within guidelines provided by senior colleagues. You will also contribute to graduate training and supervision of undergraduate or graduate research students, and in the context of the research work for this project and resources available, the opportunity to prepare for appropriate career advancement.

This post is full time and fixed-term for three years until 30th November 2026, with a 1st December 2023 start date (or as soon as possible thereafter).

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in a relevant discipline with experience of running behavioural studies in mice. Experience with neurosurgical techniques in rodents and the analysis of such data sets is essential. You will be proficient in programming for analysis of large data sets and have an excellent academic track record commensurate with career stage.

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Mark Walton (mark.walton@psy.ox.ac.uk) or Thomas Akam (thomas.akam@psy.ox.ac.uk)

The closing date for applications is midday on 21st July 2023.