Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow for a project focused on building BrainSTEM: A web application designed as an electronic lab notebook for describing neurophysiological experiments as well as a data-sharing platform for the community, where researchers can store and share the information and metadata about their experiments (www.brainSTEM.org). The research will take place at the Department of Neuroscience (in.ku.dk) at University of Copenhagen in the lab of Dr. Peter C. Petersen (PetersenLab.org).

The postdoc position is focused on the development of BrainSTEM, involving the design of a standard language for describing experimental neuroscience, semantic search functionality, stronger adoption of the FAIR principles, and stimulating and supporting community uptake. The project is primarily funded by the NIH, through the Brain Initiative U19 Oxytocin grant. The project will include occasional travels, e.g., to New York (NYU), Brain Initiate meetings, SfN, FENS, and to pilot user labs.

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. 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, applying optogenetics, thermal and other perturbation techniques, dimensionality reduction, and other advanced population-analysis methods.

But we are also strong supporters of 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 now developing BrainSTEM (BrainSTEM.org). The ultimate goal with BrainSTEM is to make neuroscience more open and FAIR, promote collaborations, break down barriers between labs, and for BrainSTEM to become the chosen platform of the community for sharing experimental work, within labs, and across the scientific community.

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

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in Neuroscience, Software engineering, Data science, or other related sciences.
• You are experienced in coding in Python.
• Proficient communication skills and ability to work in teams.
• You have experience with or an active interest in learning more about Neurophysiology.
• Excellent English skills written and spoken.
• Present results internally, via talks, and to the external community, via conferences and publications

Desirable experience and skills:

• Experience in machine learning, semantic search, or knowledge graphs.
• Experience with the Django web framework.
• Experience with relational databases and various data formats.
• Knowledge of in-vivo electrophysiological experiments or imaging methods.

Place of employment

You will be employed at the Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen in the center of Copenhagen. The successful applicant will join a thriving international neuroscience environment. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

The applicant will be the major participant in all aspects of the project, from designing, developing, and implementing technical solutions, perform community outreach, work with pilot groups, and present results at conferences. Please contact [email protected] for questions and comments or go to PetersenLab.org for more information.

Living in Copenhagen

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 the neighborhood Nørrebro, which recently was ranked as the world’s coolest neighborhood by Time Out Magazine. University of Copenhagen has an International staff mobility program to help accommodate international researchers with practical matters, before arrivals 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.

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

The position is a limited to a period of 2 years, with the possibility of extension. The desired starting date is March 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 36,400 DKK/approx. 4,880 EUR (October 2023 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 for 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 to 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: November 20, 2023, 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 http://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 mid December.

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

Kilde: Jobnet.dk