Postdoctoral Fellow – Oldenburg Laboratory

Position Details

Position Information

Recruitment/Posting Title	Postdoctoral Fellow – Oldenburg Laboratory
Job Category	Staff & Executive – Research Support (Laboratory/Non-Laboratory)
Department	RWJ-CABM
Overview	New Jersey’s academic health center, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) takes an integrated approach to educating students, providing clinical care, and conducting research, all with the goal of improving human health. Aligned with Rutgers University–New Brunswick and collaborating university wide, RBHS includes eight schools, a behavioral health network, and five centers and institutes that focus on cancer treatment and research, neuroscience, advanced biotechnology and medicine, environmental and occupational health, and health care policy and aging research. Our faculty are teachers, clinicians, and scientists with unparalleled experience who advance medical innovation and provide patient care informed by the latest research findings. We offer an outstanding education in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, biomedical research, and the full spectrum of allied health careers. Our clinical and academic facilities are located throughout the state—at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, including Piscataway; and at locations in Newark, Scotch Plains, Somerset, Stratford, and other locations. Clinical partners include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Newark’s University Hospital in Newark, and other affiliates. Through this community of healers, scientists, and scholars, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.
Posting Summary	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow for the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM) located on the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Campus in Piscataway, NJ. The Oldenburg Laboratory at CABM is seeking an outstanding Postdoc to join an exciting neuroscience project developing and utilizing new optical and molecular tools to study neural circuits. Under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Ian Oldenburg, the Postdoctoral Fellow will investigate of the role of neural activity in guiding and initiating motor actions. The Oldenburg Lab uses and develops advanced microscopy techniques, including multiphoton holographic optogenetics and calcium imaging in awake head fixed mice, to understand how groups of neurons work together to enact motor actions. Neural activity is complex and high dimensional with some activity patterns being associated with movements and others not. By using our novel techniques, that can drive precise patterns of activity distributed across many neurons, we can test different theories of the ‘population code’, gaining a causal understanding of how population activity drives actions. The postdoc will work with the PI to develop an independent project, that leverages the expertise of the lab and the skills and interests of the postdoc. In addition to multiphoton imaging and multiphoton optogenetics, projects may also involve animal training, electrical and optical engineering, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and/or computational analyses. The fellow will have the opportunity to guide the research of an undergraduate research assistant, if desired. Mentorship is a core mission of the Oldenburg Lab. All members of the lab are expected to be helpful and supportive of each other. The PI will endeavor to do what he can to help each member succeed, both within the lab and when they eventually move on. As such, every member of the lab is encouraged to explore that which interests them and to share their specific expertise. In addition, the postdoc will have the opportunity to attend scientific conferences and learn appropriate scientific methods and procedures. Among the key duties of this position are the following: Carry out multiphoton optogenetic manipulation and imaging of neural activity in head-fixed rodents. Conduct rodent surgeries, rodent training, computational analyses, and other procedures necessary for the advancement of the project. Participate in the configuration and maintenance of laboratory instrumentation and equipment, including computers, necessary for conduct of the project. Prepare scientific manuscripts for publication, and contribute to the preparation of research grant and fellowship applications. Supervise and guide the research project of an undergraduate research assistant.
Position Status	Full Time
Hours Per Week
Daily Work Shift	Day
Work Arrangement
FLSA	Exempt
Grade	99S
Position Salary
Annual Minimum Salary
Annual Mid Range Salary
Annual Maximum Salary
Standard Hours	37.50
Union Description	Non-Union
Payroll Designation	PeopleSoft
Benefits	Rutgers offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. For details, please go to http://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/benefits-overview . Rutgers also offers a benefit program to eligible full-time postdoctoral fellow students. For details, please go to https://finance.rutgers.edu/healthcare-risk/insurance/postdoctoral-health-insurance.
COVID-19 Immunization Requirement	Under Policy 60.1.35 , Rutgers University requires all prospective employees to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated and have received a booster (where eligible) against COVID-19 prior to commencement of employment, unless the University has granted the individual a medical or religious exemption. Prospective employees who are not eligible for a booster at the time of an offer of employment must provide proof they have received a booster within two weeks (14 calendar days) of eligibility . Based on current guidance, individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved for use in the United States by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eligibility for a booster against COVID-19 varies and is explained on the University’s web site located at https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/covid-19-vaccine . Failure to provide proof of primary vaccination and booster will result in rescission of a prospective employee’s offer of employment and/or disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Seniority Unit
Terms of Appointment	Staff – 12 month
Position Pension Eligibility	None

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience	Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Optical Physics/Engineering, Molecular Biology, or a related science. Ph.D. Candidates who meet requirements with All But Degree (ABD) will be considered. Prior experience and productivity in research must be demonstrated. Experience with modern analytical neuroscience techniques.
Certifications/Licenses
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities	The candidate is expected to be proficient in spoken and written English.
Preferred Qualifications	Previous experience with optics, in vivo imaging, mouse genetics, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and computational analyses. Previous mentoring experience.
Equipment Utilized
Physical Demands and Work Environment	PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Manual dexterity and vision sufficient for standard laboratory operations including pipetting and use of microscopes. Lifting up to 25 lbs. WORK ENVIRONMENT; Lab environment. Universal precautions are mandatory.
Special Conditions

Posting Details

Posting Number	22ST3125
Posting Open Date
Special Instructions to Applicants	Please highlight in your cover letter a description of your research experience, and what interests you about this position
Regional Campus	Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS)
Home Location Campus	Piscataway (RBHS)
City	Piscataway
State	NJ
Location Details	Piscataway, NJ

Pre-employment Screenings

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.

Infection Control and Safety

This position is subject to all Rutgers University policies, including TB surveillance and other infection control and safety policies. Please review the Tuberculosis Surveillance Policy for additional information.

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement