We are looking for researchers (undergraduate to postdoc) to join a new systems neuroscience laboratory that will open in the rapidly growing Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in 2019.

     Under the direction of Dr. Carmen Varela, the lab will seek to discover fundamental cellular and network mechanisms that contribute to cognitive behavior, with a focus on learning and memory and on the role of the neuronal circuits formed by the thalamus https://www.thethalamus.org/   We will rely heavily on extracellular recordings in behaving rodents and quantitative analyses of cellular activity and local field potentials, in order to investigate how thalamic networks contribute to memory retrieval, problem solving, and sleep-dependent memory consolidation.  If you are passionate about these topics we would love for you to join us and be part of the founding projects of the lab!

General requirements:  Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrated initiative and dedication, ability to learn fast. Hands-on research experience in neuroscience preferred, particularly with rodent models. Knowledge of MATLAB (and/or other programming languages) and computational skills (signal processing, statistics) desirable. Candidates selected for an interview will be asked to provide contact information for two references.  Start date is flexible from January 2019.

What you get:

          · Research experience in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, electrophysiology, optogenetics, fiber photometry.

          · Mentorship and guidance to help you achieve your scientific and training goals.

The lab is located in the Jupiter campus of FAU, an expanding neuroscience hub that also holds our partners the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Scripps Research Institute.  If interested in joining as a graduate student, there are several programs within FAU and with the Max Planck and Scripps (http://www.ibrain.fau.edu/gradneuro/program.html). Application deadlines for graduate programs in the Fall of 2018.

Interested candidates please send a CV and a brief description of research skills and interests to:  carmenv@mit.edu