Open positions

Are you passionate about Systems Neuroscience, research in memory and cognition, and high-throughput electrophysiology in rodents? The Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, invites applications for a postdoc position in Systems Neuroscience. The starting date is 1 December 2024 or as soon as possible after that. The position is fixed-term, full-time, for two years, with the possibility of an extension.

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About the position:

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow for a project focused on studying the generation and functions of theta oscillations in spatial navigation using systems neuroscience and population-level approaches. The project will involve conducting Neuropixels recordings from awake rodents, performing circuit manipulation, and analyzing spiking data at the population level. This research will take place at the Department of Neuroscience (in.ku.dk) at the University of Copenhagen in Dr. Peter C. Petersen’s lab (PetersenLab.org). The successful applicant will join a diverse, interdisciplinary team of neuroscientists and data analysts and will be part of a thriving international neuroscience environment at UCPH. The applicant will play a major role in all aspects of the project, including designing and performing experiments, developing technical advances, performing data analysis, and presenting the results.

Denmark is home to multiple funding bodies offering attractive grants and fellowships. The successful candidate will be provided mentorship and support to apply for their own funding.

Your responsibilities:

As a Postdoc, your position is primarily research-based but may involve teaching assignments. Your core responsibilities will include:

• Conduct independent research of high international quality, including publications and other research outputs.
• Perform the project described above.
• Collaborate with lab members and other project participants.
• Assist with student supervision.

Our research
Our lab was founded in 2022 with the goal of understanding the neuronal mechanisms involved in memory and cognition and how imbalances in the circuits can lead to pathological conditions. In particular, we study spatial memory and theta oscillations in behaving rats and how the distributed populations of neurons across the distributed brain circuits central to memory coordinate their dynamics to generate complex cognitive functions in awake rodents.

We are using state-of-the-art methods for measuring and manipulating neuronal activity at large-scale and high specificity, together with advanced data analysis. This includes using Neuropixels and other high-density silicon probes, optogenetics, thermal and other perturbation techniques, dimensionality reduction, and other advanced population-analysis methods.

We also strongly support open science and have developed several tools and solutions for the neuroscience community (both software and hardware solutions). We built CellExplorer, a framework for analyzing single cells (CellExplorer.org), and are currently developing BrainSTEM (BrainSTEM.org), a collaborative electronic lab notebook for FAIR experimental neuroscience. Our hardware development includes 3D-printed metal reusable microdrives, head cap systems, and surgical protocols.

Candidate Profile:

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience or other related sciences.
• You are experienced in electrophysiology.
• You have an active interest in the brain’s memory mechanisms.
• Experience with data analysis of single cells.
• Proficient communication skills and ability to work in teams.
• Excellent English skills, written and spoken.

Desirable experience and skills:

• In-vivo electrophysiological experiments in rodents
• Knowledge of and experience with optogenetics/virus/genetic techniques and tools.
• Data analysis using Matlab or Python applied to single cells and populations (e.g., spike sorting and LFP analysis).
• Computational neuroscience with knowledge in applying dimensionality reduction methods and population-level approaches.

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Peter Petersen at petersen.peter@sund.ku.dk or visit our website at PetersenLab.org to learn more about our lab and ongoing research.

Place of employment

You will be employed at the Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen.

Living in Copenhagen and Denmark

Copenhagen is a fantastic city and a wonderful living experience, and it has consistently been ranked among the world’s best cities to live in. Our lab is located centrally in Nørrebro, ranked as the world’s coolest neighborhood by Time Out Magazine. The University of Copenhagen has an International staff mobility program to help accommodate international researchers with practical matters before arrival, such as with residence permit, housing, and childcare/school, as well as during the stay with salary, tax, pension, insurance, banking as well as getting accustomed with language and culture. Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate. Access to schools, higher education, and health care is free. Generous parental agreements are available. People moving to Denmark are also eligible for free Danish classes if desired.

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 desired starting date is December 1, 2024.

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 38,575 DKK/ 5,170 EUR (April 2024 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.

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:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page).
2. CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
3. A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.
4. List of publications.

Deadline for applications: September 15, 2024, 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.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 41 (week of October 7nd).

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