The Multimodal Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, led by Dr. Runnan Cao at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, invites applications for postdoctoral research associate positions.

Our laboratory investigates the neural computations and network-level dynamics underlying visual perception and social cognition in neurotypical individuals and people with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions, including autism and schizophrenia. We combine human intracranial electrophysiology, including iEEG and single-neuron recordings, with high-resolution fMRI, behavioral experiments, and computational modeling to determine how the brain transforms visual input into representations that support social perception and behavior.

These positions offer a distinctive opportunity to join a new laboratory at a formative stage. The successful candidates will help shape its scientific direction, analytical infrastructure, collaborative culture, and multimodal research program.

Research

Projects will be tailored to each postdoctoral researcher’s expertise, interests, and career goals. Potential research areas include:

• Neural coding of faces and socially relevant visual information
• Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying visual perception and social cognition
• Neural coding and network-level dynamics associated with autism and schizophrenia
• Multimodal integration of iEEG, single-neuron recordings, high-resolution fMRI, and behavioral data
• Computational models linking neural activity to perception and behavior
• AI-enabled methods for analyzing complex multimodal neuroscience data

Required Qualifications

Applicants must have:

• A PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, biomedical engineering, computer science, or a related discipline by the appointment start date
• A strong research background in fMRI and/or electrophysiology
• Experience analyzing neuroimaging, neural, behavioral, or computational data
• Proficiency in scientific programming, particularly Python and/or MATLAB
• Evidence of research productivity appropriate to career stage
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:

• Acquisition or analysis of 7T fMRI data
• Human intracranial EEG, ECoG, depth-electrode, or single-neuron recordings
• Advanced statistical methods, neural signal processing, or network neuroscience
• Machine learning or deep learning applied to neural and behavioral data
• Multimodal integration of neuroimaging, electrophysiological, and behavioral data
• Agentic AI or AI-assisted scientific workflows
• Development of reproducible data-processing pipelines, workflow systems, or reusable computational tools

Candidates who have deep expertise in one methodological area and are eager to develop complementary skills are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mentoring and Professional Development

Each postdoctoral researcher will work with Dr. Cao to develop an individualized research and career-development plan. Training may include advanced fMRI and electrophysiological analysis, computational modeling, machine learning, scientific writing, grant preparation, project leadership, mentoring, and the development of reproducible research tools.

Postdoctoral researchers will be encouraged to establish a clear area of scientific ownership, pursue external funding, build an independent scholarly profile, and develop the skills needed for their chosen career path.

Why Join Our Laboratory?

Postdoctoral researchers will have the opportunity to:

• Work with distinctive human intracranial and single-neuron datasets
• Develop expertise across complementary spatial and temporal scales of brain measurement
• Help establish the methods, workflows, and scientific culture of a growing laboratory
• Receive individualized mentoring in research strategy, scientific writing, grant development, and career planning
• Build collaborations spanning cognitive, computational, clinical, and systems neuroscience
• Pursue independent fellowships and develop a path toward scientific independence
• Present their work at national and international scientific meetings

The laboratory is committed to rigorous and open science, intellectual curiosity, constructive collaboration, and an environment in which researchers with different backgrounds and methodological strengths can thrive.

Why WashU and the Neuroimaging Labs?

The laboratory is based in the Neuroimaging Labs Research Center at WashU Medicine’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. The NIL-RC brings together investigators, postdoctoral researchers, students, clinicians, engineers, and research staff from Radiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, and other departments.

The center has a longstanding record of innovation in neuroimaging methods and has supported major scientific initiatives, including the Human Connectome Project and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Its research spans human cognition, functional connectivity, precision neuroimaging, brain development and aging, psychiatric and neurological disorders, brain parcellation, and imaging methodology.

The WashU neuroimaging environment includes:

• A dedicated research MRI facility with three Siemens PRISMA 3T scanners and experienced research imaging personnel
• A Siemens MAGNETOM Terra.X 7T MRI system supporting ultra-high-resolution structural and functional imaging
• Internationally recognized expertise in functional connectivity, precision neuroimaging, brain mapping, neuroinformatics, and multimodal imaging
• Strong connections with Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroscience, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Computer Science
• Opportunities for clinical and translational collaboration in autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurological and psychiatric conditions
• A broad seminar, training, and professional-development community across WashU Medicine and the university

This environment is especially well suited to researchers who want to connect fine-grained neural recordings with whole-brain imaging, behavior, and computational theory.

How to Apply

Applicants should email the following materials to Dr. Runnan Cao at r.cao@wustl.edu:

1. A cover letter describing the applicant’s research experience, methodological expertise, scientific interests, career goals, and potential fit with the laboratory
2. A current curriculum vitae
3. Contact information for two professional references; letters are not required with the initial application

Please use the subject line: Postdoctoral Application – [Applicant Name].