Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Job title:

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Company

University of Edinburgh

Job description

Job Description:Grade UE07: £40,247 – £47,874 per annumCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine / Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesFull time: 35 hours per weekFixed term: For 18 monthsThe Opportunity:Precise electrical signalling at a millisecond time scale is critical for healthy functioning of the brain. Future advances in understanding functions and disorders of the brain will require new tools to resolve fast electrical signals in identified cells in freely moving mouse models. Recently developed fluorescent indicators enable electrical signals to be observed with microscopes. However, because current microscopes able to do this are bulky, they can only be used with mice that are restrained, which severely limits their usefulness. To address this, we have been developing miniature microscopes that by incorporating novel imaging sensors are capable of ultra-high frame rate imaging of the electrical activity of populations of neurons in freely moving mice. The next phase of the project will be to 1) validate ultra-fast imaging through single cell electrophysiological recordings in vivo to provide important “ground truth” data and 2) test the technologies in freely behaving mice. If you are interested in combination of neuroscience and technology development and would like to know more, you can contact me at or DM me on BlueSky @ianduguid.bsky.social.The salary for this post is £40,247 – £47,874 per annum.Your skills and attributes for success:

• A PhD in Neuroscience or related subject.
• Experience in quantitative analysis of rodent behaviour.
• Experience in In vivo electrophysiology and/or 2-photon imaging.
• Analysis of electrophysiology and/or imaging timeseries data.
• Rodent microneurosurgery.
• Demonstrable fluency in the Python (or related) programming language.

Click to view a copy of the fullAs a valued member of our team, you can expect:

• Joining a multi-disciplinary collaborative team of engineers, imaging technology developers and system neuroscientists to develop, implement and validate ultra-fast frame rate cameras for in vivo imaging of neural activity. We promote a team-based approach to science that draws on expertise from the School of Engineering (

), Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences ( ) and Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain ( ) at The University of Edinburgh. * A competitive salary.

• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our

(opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits.Championing equality, diversity and inclusionThe University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our (opens new browser tab).The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.Key dates to noteThe closing date for applications is 18 March 2025.Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.Interviews will be held: 2 – 4 weeks after the application closing date.Application InformationPlease ensure you include the following documents in your application:– CV– Letter of motivation– 2 letters of referenceAbout Us: As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.About the Team:The Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, which is headed by Professor Mike Shipston, employs around 390 staff. Biomedical Sciences hosts the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences (CDBS, Head: Professor David Wyllie) and Infection Medicine (IM, Head: Professor Juergen Haas). These have strong links with Edinburgh Neuroscience (Co-Directors: Professor Cathy Abbott and Professor Malcolm MacLeod) and Edinburgh Infectious Diseases (EID, Co-Directors: Professor David Dockrell and Professor Sarah Reece). Research themes within Biomedical Sciences include: Genes and Development; Synapses Circuits & Behaviour; Injury & Repair; Signalling, homeostasis & Energy Balance; Ageing & Degeneration; Antimicrobial Resistance; Host-pathogen interactions; Global Health and Diagnostics Research. Our excellence in research is underpinned by the hosting within Biomedical Sciences of the UK Dementia Research Initiative (UKDRI) at Edinburgh (Head: Prof Giles Hardingham) and the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (Head: Prof Peter Kind).Also within Biomedical Sciences is the Biomedical Teaching Organisation (BMTO) which plays a vital role in the administration, coordination and implementation of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. The BMTO is responsible for the BSc Medical Sciences programme and twelve BSc Biomedical Sciences Honours Programmes. Twenty-three Biomedical Sciences courses are delivered to first to third year undergraduates and approximately thirty Honours elective courses along with seven Bachelor of Medical Sciences Honours programmes as part of the Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (MBChB) degree and five BSc Veterinary Sciences Honours Programmes as part of the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery (BVM&S) degree. In addition, the BMTO has responsibility for a large portfolio of on-campus and online MSc programmes run by Biomedical Sciences. The BMTO student population is approximately 1500 undergraduate students and 550 postgraduate students.Biomedical Sciences is also home to The Zhejiang University – University of Edinburgh (ZJE) Institute which is the University’s flagship overseas institution for education and scientific research. The partnership is responsible for two Dual Award BSc Honours programmes as well as a Dual Award PhD programme and a one-year Masters by Research Programme and 4 Year PhD programme.Biomedical Sciences is located across a number of sites: the Chancellor’s Building and Queen’s Medical Research Institute at Little France; the Medical School in Teviot Place; the Hugh Robson Building, George Square and No 1 George Square.In REF2021, the College submitted to three Units of Assessment (UoAs): UoA1 Clinical Medicine, UoA4, Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and UoA6 Agriculture, Veterinary & Food Science. Most of the staff in Biomedical Sciences were returned in UoA4 (Neuroscience); this return was ranked 2nd in the UK for “quality” and 3rd in the UK for “power”. Edinburgh’s submission is the only one in the UK to have been ranked in the top three for both of these descriptors. Fifty two percent our research papers were awarded the highest score of 4*, defined as world-leading, and a further 38% were rated 3*, defined as internationally excellent. Moreover, 100% of our ten impact case studies were awarded 4*, meaning they are world-leading in reach and significance and 100% of our environment was awarded 4*, meaning the context in which our research takes place is world-leading in vitality and sustainability.Biomedical Sciences holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award denoting our commitment to the aims of the Charter, showing that we have recognised and responded to challenges and planned activities for the future.

Expected salary

£40247 – 47874 per year

Location

Edinburgh – Midlothian

Job date

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:21:57 GMT

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