PhD position Neuroscience
Solliciteer nuPhD position Neuroscience
Understanding how patterns of neural activity give rise to behavior is a central challenge in neuroscience. Most of what we know about this relationship comes from rodent experiments performed under tightly controlled laboratory conditions. While these approaches are essential for identifying neural mechanisms, they capture only a fraction of the behavioral repertoire animals display in more complex environments.
PhD position Neuroscience
Solliciteer nu
What are you going to do?
In this project, you will investigate how neural population activity relates to behavior across environments ranging from standardized laboratory assays to large outdoor enclosures. Using miniaturized calcium imaging, you will record the activity of large populations of neurons in freely behaving mice and determine how neural activity relates to moment-to-moment behavioral changes.
A major component of the project will make use of large outdoor mouse enclosures at the University of Groningen. These environments allow mice to express a rich repertoire of species-typical behaviors, including exploration, shelter use, social interactions and responses to changing environmental conditions. You will combine RFID tracking, multi-camera recordings and deep-learning-based behavioral analysis to identify reproducible behavioral states and understand how they vary across individuals, sexes and environmental contexts.
Pharmacological manipulations will be used to experimentally validate specific behavioral states and investigate how they are modulated by neural systems involved in anxiety and behavioral adaptation. You will subsequently combine wireless miniature calcium imaging with automated behavioral monitoring to uncover the neural dynamics associated with these behaviors.
Methods: miniature calcium imaging, deep-learning-based behavioral tracking, RFID tracking, computational analysis of neural population activity, stereotaxic surgery, pharmacological manipulations and histology.
Who are you?
Candidates who do not meet all formal criteria but demonstrate strong affinity and motivation for the topic are strongly encouraged to apply
Ideally, you have:
- A Master’s degree in neuroscience, biology, biomedical sciences or a related discipline, with relevant experience in behavioral, computational and/or systems neuroscience. If you have completed all the requirements of your degree but are awaiting the official award, a statement from your university that all requirements are met is sufficient.
- A strong interest in neural circuits and rodent behavior.
- Experience with animal experimentation. Preference will be given to candidates with an Article 9 license (FELASA accreditation), or previous hands-on experience with animal experimentation.
- An interest in combining behavioral neuroscience with quantitative and computational approaches. Preference will be given to candidates that have previous experience analyzing neural or behavioral datasets, or used deep-learning based behavioral tracking (for example DeepLabCut or SLEAP).
- Experience with, or a strong motivation to learn Python or Matlab.
- An excellent command of English (oral and written). Candidates are exempted from proving proficiency in English if they (i) completed a secondary education (HAVO or VWO certificate) in the Netherlands, (ii) are a native English speaker, or (iii) completed a Bachelor or Master degree programme which was fully taught in English. If you are not exempt please provide sufficient evidence with your application, see the guidelines here: https://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/prospective/phd-positions/english-language-requirements
What can you expect from us?
- In accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities, we offer a salary of at least € 3.204 up to a maximum of € 4.051 (promovendus) gross per month for a full-time employment contract.
- 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
- End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
- A full-time position for 48 months (4 years). The successful candidate will first be offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another 3 years. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next 3 years is to be expected. A PhD training program is part of the agreement, and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Science and Engineering at the University of Groningen.
Where will you be working?
At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.
The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) provides teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy. In close collaboration with partners from industry, healthcare, and society, we contribute to the urgent challenges of our time, such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology. Our community is open and informal, with more than 7,000 students, 1,000 PhD students, and 1,400 staff members from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Science and Engineering, visit rug.nl/fse.
The University of Groningen (ranked among the Top 100 universities worldwide) is internationally recognized as a dynamic and innovative research university, home to over 33 000 students and 4200 academic staff (44% international). The Faculty of Science and Engineering unites researchers across biology, neuroscience, engineering and data science. The project will be embedded within the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), an internationally recognized center that comprises several strong, internationally recognized research groups in the field of behavioral neuroscience and evolutionary biology. The University of Groningen provides exceptional infrastructure, including access to the Hábrók high-performance computing cluster for large-scale data analysis, large outdoor rodent enclosures, and a vibrant intellectual environment with regular seminars, data clubs and workshops fostering cross-disciplinary exchange.
The candidate will work under the shared supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Suzanne van der Veldt, Assistant Professor Dr. Sanne Moorman and Associate Professor Dr. Jocelien Olivier.
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Application procedure
After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation by email.
The selection committee assesses your application and you will be notified as soon as possible whether you are invited for an interview.
We would like to get to know each other better in a first interview, which can take place either online or on location.
We may schedule a second interview with you. Depending on the position, this interview can be complemented with an assessment or guest lecture.
After a positive interview, we will discuss the terms of employment together. When everything is completed, we are happy to welcome you at the University of Groningen!
Interested?
Does this vacancy appeal to you? If so, click on the button below and apply straightaway.
Please add the following documents to your application:
- CV.
- Cover letter.
- Contact information 2 academic referees.
- list of examination marks, BSc and MSc degrees.
Do you have any questions or need more information?
-
Questions about the content of the job?
Suzanne van der Veldt
Assistant Professor
s.c.w.van.der.veldt@rug.nl -
Questions about your application process?
Diane ten Have
Education/Research Assistant
D.ten.Have@rug.nl
Information about applying
When scheduling meetings, we will take your schedule into account as much as possible.
The University of Groningen considers social safety important. We strive to be a university where staff and students feel respected and at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identity. For more information, see also our page about our diversity policy.
Acquisition is not appreciated.
Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the NVP Application Code.
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