The Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai is seeking to appoint two talented and motivated individuals to serve as full time Post-doctoral Research Associates in a laboratory led by A/Prof. Deniz Vatansever (https://www.researchgate.net/ profile/Deniz_Vatansever). Utilising cutting-edge cognitive assessment methods and neuroimaging technologies (3T, 7T MRI), the team aims to improve our understanding of the macro-scale brain network organisation and its relevance to human cognition in health and disease. Fully-funded research projects include neuroimaging-based investigations into the representation of cognitive flexibility, automaticity and plasticity in the human functional connectome and its dysfunction across mental health disorders.

Dr. Deniz Vatansever

Young Principal Investigator

(https://istbi.fudan.edu.cn/lnen/info/1158/1812.htm)

Fully-Funded Research Projects

•     Plastic Brains: Investigating Experience-Dependent Plasticity in the Human Connectome (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant)

•     BrainTrack: Dense mapping and tracking of learning-related neural plasticity in a single human connectome (Funded by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Grant)

•     Cognitive automaticity and decision-making in the brain (Start-up Grant)

The Post-doctoral Research Associates will be involved in the coordination and implementation of research projects, including experimental design, neuroimaging data collection, advanced data analytics, and preparation of research outputs. The initial appointment for this position will be for a two-year term, with a potential extension based on performance. The Associates will work directly with the team leader, will receive extensive training on cognitive/clinical neuroscience research methods, have opportunities to participate in international conferences and lab visits, collaborate on research publications and run independent projects. This position is ideally suited for individuals who are interested in pursuing an academic or industry career in the fields of neuroimaging, cognitive, clinical, computational neurosciences, psychology or data science.

Job Description

The Post-doctoral Research Associates will be responsible for:

•     Carrying out all research activities related to scientific investigations within the laboratory.

•     Designing experimental protocols, implementing and assisting in the collection of cognitive, biometric, psychometric and neuroimaging data from human volunteers.

•     Developing and maintaining study-specific databases, recording and compiling information related to research data and performing quality control checks.

•     Analysing, processing and summarising study-specific data using advanced scientific methods and statistical techniques, assisting other members of the laboratory in data analyses, and reporting on the status of all research projects/activities.

•     Producing research publications and supporting publication efforts within the laboratory.

•     Assisting with the preparation of conference posters and figures for paper publications.

•     Aiding in the organisation of both local and international workshops and conferences.

•     Participating in both national and international laboratory visits to acquire new skills.

•     Performing basic administrative duties such as assisting with the preparation of Institutional Review Board (IRB) ethics applications and basic aspects of grant applications.

•     Acting as a liaison between the laboratory members and the university/institute.

Job Requirements

•     PhD degree (or near completion) in cognitive, clinical, computational, systems neuroscience, experimental psychology or a related field.

•     Outstanding language skills in both written and spoken English.

•     Self-motivated, mature, and enthusiastic about working in an academic setting.

•     Great interpersonal skills and a professional approach to working with human subjects.

•     Attention to detail and outstanding organisational skills.

•     Ability to work in a fast-paced setting and advance multiple tasks simultaneously.

•     Ability to handle fluctuating priorities and deadlines.

Preferred Experience and Skills

•     Prior research experience in experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience or neuroimaging laboratories, including running experiments with human volunteers.

•     A good track record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.

•     Proficiency in programming languages (e.g. MATLAB, Python and/or BASH).

•     Familiarity with software packages used in the collection of experimental data such as PsychoPy, PsychToolbox or E-prime, and in the analysis of neuroimaging datasets such as FSL and SPM.

•     Proficiency in statistical analysis, and experience with SPSS, SAS or R packages.

Job Benefits

•     The initial appointment period is for 2 years with a potential extension up to 4 years based on performance and the progress of the projects within the laboratory.

•     Salary is ¥300-500k/year (~£34-55k/year) based on experience.

•     Additional research funding up to £24k will be provided to support researchers with exceptional ideas and the capability to run independent projects.

•     Opportunities to top-up salaries up to £11k/year with grants from Shanghai Government.

•     Opportunities to visit collaborating labs at the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Sydney or Harvard University.

•     Opportunities to transfer to faculty position with a start-up fund of £58k~116k.

•     In accordance with the policies of Fudan University, assistance will be provided to candidates with children to apply for admission into kindergarten or primary schools affiliated with Fudan University.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants should send their CV, contact information of two referees, and a short personal statement describing their relevant background, reasons behind their interest in the above-described position, and future goals to A/Prof. Deniz Vatansever at deniz@fudan.edu.cn with the relevant job ID.  The deadline for application is 5 PM CST, 31st of August, 2020. Informal enquiries should also be addressed to A/Prof. Deniz Vatansever. Successful candidates will be invited for an online or an on-site interview at ISTBI, Shanghai. An internationally competitive salary and benefits package (e.g. low-cost housing, assistance for childcare) will be provided. Starting date is negotiable.

The applications will be considered on a rolling basis, hence we encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

ISTBI

Established in 2015 at Fudan University, ISTBI is an interdisciplinary research institute that aims to train the next generation of leading neuroscientists. In addition to an excellent team of researchers and technical staff, ISTBI is home to the newly-constructed Zhangjiang International Brain Imaging Centre (ZIC), which houses state-of-the-art neuroimaging equipment that includes 3T, 7T and 11.7T MRI scanners, MEG/EEG tools as well as neuromodulation systems such as TMS and tDCS. For more information about the institute please visit: https://istbi.fudan.edu.cn/