Postdoctoral Scientist, Schulze Lab

About the Role

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Scientist to join the Schulze Lab. This role involves integrating custom hardware and software with computational analysis pipelines to investigate the neural circuits underlying collective behavior and social cognition. You will design and apply virtual reality (VR) paradigms, working with a VR specialist and collaborating across the team to study naturalistic behavior in Danionella. Key activities include using multi-animal tracking and behavioral classification to study latent structures and create brain-behavior maps.

About the Lab

The Schulze Lab investigates how neural circuits compute experience-dependent actions in complex social worlds, focusing on the interaction of individual traits, internal state, and context. The lab emphasizes the neural basis of inter-individual differences, sexually dimorphic, and stress-related features in social contexts like schooling behavior. Approaches include data-driven methods, closed-loop controlled VR experiments, two-photon calcium imaging, molecular phenotyping, and ultrastructural analyses using LICONN. HHMI Janelia Research Campus offers a collaborative, resource-rich environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design VR systems and paradigms to present naturalistic, socially rich stimuli.
• Write software to integrate ML-based/agentic approaches for multi-animal studies.
• Develop and execute experiments investigating the neural circuits underlying inter-individual differences, sexually dimorphic and stress-related traits in social behavior.
• Analyze multivariate whole-brain activity, behavioral, and stimulus data using computational approaches.
• Interpret results in the context of project goals.
• Prepare technical reports, protocols, and quantitative analyses.
• Maintain familiarity with current literature in systems neuroscience and VR-based behavioral neuroscience.
• Collaborate with the lab’s VR specialist and other members of the Janelia community.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Hybrid expertise spanning systems neuroscience, computer-vision, pose-tracking, behavioral ML, and VR technology.
• Experience integrating custom hardware and software with computational analysis pipelines.
• Experience with multi-animal tracking and behavioral classification.
• Experience building or working with complex rigs, such as VR systems for behavioral neuroscience research.
• Working knowledge of scientific principles and ability to exercise independent judgment in developing methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria.
• Ability to perform highly complex experiments with high levels of reliability and accuracy within time constraints.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical reports and contribute to publications.

Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in neuroscience, computer science, engineering, or a closely related field.
• A hybrid background bridging software-hardware integration and computational as well as ML skills with a solid grounding in systems neuroscience.
• Genuine interest in the neural basis of inter-individual differences, including sexually dimorphic and stress-related features in social contexts such as schooling behavior.

Compensation

• A Postdoc 00 (0 to 1 year research experience after obtaining a PhD) is compensated at a rate of $74,200.00 annually.
• Competitive compensation package.
• Access to Janelia’s facilities and engineering support for imaging, custom-hardware, scientific computing, Unity-based visual environments, in-situ hybridization, and dissection.
• Mentorship and support to attend scientific conferences.
• Amenities that enhance work-life balance.