July 2025 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Subject: PhD Position – Computational Modeling of Dopamine Dynamics (Ruhr University Bochum)
by Robert Schmidt July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Subject: PhD Position – Computational Modeling of Dopamine Dynamics (Ruhr University Bochum) The Neural Data Science Group (PI: Prof. Dr. Robert Schmidt, https://www.ini.rub.de/the_institute/people/robert-schmidt/) located in the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), invites applications for a 3-year PhD position (75%, TV-L E13) in computational neuroscience, starting as soon as possible. The position is part of a DFG-funded project and embedded in the new research building THINK (Center for Theoretical and Integrative Neuroscience and Cognitive Science). The project develops a biophysical computational model of striatal dopamine signaling, simulating release, diffusion, uptake, and receptor binding to uncover the structure of dopamine “landscapes” in health and disease (e.g. Parkinson’s disease). The aim is to bridge this mechanistic modeling with dopamine’s cognitive functions in action selection, behavioral flexibility, and reinforcement learning. ⸻ Your profile: • Master’s degree in computational neuroscience, computer science, (bio-)physics, or a related field • Strong programming skills (Python, C/C++) • Interest in biophysical models of neural systems and data-driven neuroscience • Team-minded, self-motivated, and fluent in English We offer: • A 3-year position (75%, TV-L E13) with the opportunity to pursue a PhD in Computer Science • An interdisciplinary and collaborative environment within the RUB’s thriving Faculty of Computer Science (https://informatik.rub.de/en/) • Research integration in the Institute for Neural Computation (https://www.ini.rub.de) and the research building THINK (https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/think/) • Access to high-performance computing resources, mentoring, and career development support ⸻ Application: Send a single PDF including your CV, transcript(s), short statement of interest, and contact info for 1–2 referees to: robert.schmidt(a)rub.de The application deadline is the 15th July, 2025. -- Prof. Dr. Robert Schmidt Neural Data Science www.ini.rub.de/the_institute/people/robert-schmidt/ Institute for Neural Computation Faculty of Computer Science Ruhr-Universität Bochum Universitätsstr. 150 44801 Bochum, Germany

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Senior ML Research Engineer (NeuroAI) at Kempner Institute, Harvard University
by Shad, Max July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Dear colleagues, We're hiring a Senior ML Research Engineer (NeuroAI) at the Kempner Institute<https://kempnerinstitute.harvard.edu/> for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University. We're looking for someone at the intersection of machine learning and computational neuroscience to contribute to our NeuroAI research projects. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with leading researchers in neuroscience, AI, and related fields and work on one of the largest academic AI clusters in the US. Position details and application link: Https://careers.harvard.edu/job/senior-ml-research-engineer-in-cambridge-ma…<https://careers.harvard.edu/job/senior-ml-research-engineer-in-cambridge-ma…> Please feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested in the role. Best, Max Max Shad, PhD Senior Director for AI/ML Research Engineering Kempner Institute | Harvard University

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What can you do with 1000 neurons?
by Nicolas P. Rougier (inria) July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Dear all, There exists a lot of computational models of decision making that can give account on this or that experimental data. The question is whether we can adapt these models to solve an actual decision task? You'll find at https://github.com/rougier/braincraft the rules of a simple decision making challenge. Roughly, you have have 1000 neurons (leaky rate models), 100 seconds of training time and 10 runs for evaluation. The difficulty comes from the imposed constraints. The first challenge runs from now until August 31 and we'll see if it can be solved (one way or the other). Best, Nicolas Rougier -- Nicolas P. Rougier —— www.labri.fr/perso/nrougier Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bordeaux

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