Postdoc in Stress Neurobiology at the Department of Neuroscience in Copenhagen

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic postdoc for a 2-year position to investigate the effect of early-life stress on neural circuits. The selected candidate will start on 1 December 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Information on the department can be found at: https://in.ku.dk/  

Our research
We are a systems neuroscience laboratory focusing on understanding the mechanisms by which neural circuits and behaviors are affected by stress, to better understand the etiology of mental disorders (https://in.ku.dk/research/kermen-lab/). Our expertise includes behavioral assays, neuronal tracing, in vivo calcium imaging of large populations of neurons (2 photon & light sheet microscope), opto/chemogenetics. We use transparent, transgenic larval zebrafish as a vertebrate model amenable to whole brain imaging at cellular resolution in vivo.

You will work directly with Associate Prof. Florence Kermen and in close collaboration with other team members. Frequent scientific and social events at the institute contribute to a collaborative and enjoyable work atmosphere. We are located in beautiful and well-connected Copenhagen.

Your job
In this project funded by the Lundbeck Foundation, your main task will be to determine the stress-induced changes in neural circuits of the zebrafish brain using immunohistochemistry, axonal tracing, quantitative behavioural assays, pharmacology and in vivo calcium imaging. You will play a key role in establishing the imaging and data analysis protocols and have a large degree of freedom in shaping the project, based on your experience.

You will have the opportunity to grow your professional network by participating in relevant conferences. You will actively contribute to the team’s scientific goals by training/supervising junior scientists.

Your profile
We are looking for an independent and highly motivated researcher with the following experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD and a good track record (first-author publications or preprints) in Neuroscience or in a related biological field
• You have documented experience with immunohistochemistry, and behavioural assays
• You hold a valid certificate in Laboratory Animal science (FELASA)
• You have good scientific communication skills and ability to work in teams
• You are proficient in English, written and spoken

Desirable experience and skills:

• Experience with calcium imaging or electrophysiology
• Experience with zebrafish or transgenic animals
• Experience with writing and publishing scientific articles

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Department of Neuroscience, Panum building, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories, zebrafish research facility, and microscopy facility (https://cfim.ku.dk/).

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 2 years. The start date is 1 December 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 35,600 DKK/approx. 4,700 EUR (April 2022 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information please contact Associate Professor Florence Kermen ([email protected]; www.sund.ku.dk )

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

Deadline for applications: 2 October 2022, 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.