Postdoctoral Scientist - Dennis Lab

About the role:

In this position, you will work towards understanding how auditory or frontal brain regions and circuits support flexible, sensory-guided decision-making and strategies as mice hunt for prey in a large environment using ambiguous sensory cues. You will build on the foundation of an established but flexible behavioral task and arena ready for tetrode, silicone probe, and/or one-photon miniscope recordings. This position is ideal for a collaborative person who is interested in combining both experiments and computation, with some experience and comfort with both animal behavior and neural data. The details of the project(s) are flexible, and extensions into further circuit, molecular, evolutionary, or behavioral mechanisms are available depending on interest.

About the lab:

The Dennis Lab is a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary team studying the behavioral, neural, molecular, and evolutionary mechanisms of “hunting in the dark” in Mus mice. In the wild, mice often need to forage in low-light conditions and complex environments. Inspired by this, we have created a rich, flexible behavioral paradigm where mice search for hidden food items in a large, dark arena, guided by hard-to-locate sounds. We are using this assay to ask: how do animals use ambiguous sensory cues to perform this flexible behavior? What strategies do mice use under changing environmental conditions and uncertainty? What motivates our mice to solve this difficult problem? How does the brain support flexible behavior and strategy-switching?

What we provide:

• A collaborative lab environment with strong support for your research and development.

• Access to state-of-the-art equipment and core facilities.

• Opportunities to collaborate across disciplines and learn new methods.

• Strong administrative support.

• A competitive compensation package, with comprehensive health and welfare benefits.

• Amenities that enhance work-life balance such as on-site childcare, free gyms, available on-campus housing, social and dining spaces, and convenient shuttle bus service to Janelia from the Washington D.C. metro area.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the acquisition and analysis of neural data as mice hunt for prey using ambiguous information in a large arena.

• Analyze results and present research findings at lab meetings, seminars, and conferences.

• Read and discuss the scientific literature relevant to your project and the lab’s work more broadly, including foraging and systems neuroscience.

What you bring:

• A PhD in neuroscience or related field.

• Experience analyzing, and ideally acquiring, both neural and behavioral data.

• A willingness to work with mice.

• An interest in publishing pre-prints and publicly releasing all code and data gathered for all projects.

• Problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to work within a team and discuss findings.

• A flexible and adaptive approach, with the ability to pivot as needed, learn new techniques, share knowledge, and contribute to the collective success of a team.

Physical Requirements

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Compensation:

A Postdoc 00 (0 to 1 year research experience after obtaining a PhD) is compensated at a rate of $74,200.00 annually at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus.

Pay Type:

Annual

HHMI’s salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate's education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal consistency when making job offers.

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