Post-Doctoral Associate - Sleep-specific DBS for Parkinson's disease

The Neuromodulation Research Center (NMRC) at the University of Minnesota is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to study the effects of Parkinson's disease (PD) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) on basal ganglia-cortical brain networks during sleep. Under the direction of Luke Johnson, PhD and Jerrold Vitek, MD PhD, the fellow will work collaboratively within the NMRC on a clinical research project and have the unique opportunity to perform cortical and subcortical electrophysiological recordings across the sleep-wake cycle in patients receiving DBS implants. The fellow will also be involved in a study utilizing high-field 7T MRI fiber tractography and computational modeling to associate pathway activation patterns with sleep outcomes following clinically optimized DBS in PD patients. The fellow's research will provide a better understanding of the brain circuitry involved in disordered sleep in PD, inform the development of electrophysiological based strategies (e.g., closed-loop DBS) for the treatment of sleep-wake disturbances, and provide the rationale for selection of DBS targets and programming settings in PD patients for whom sleep disturbances play a major role in their disease.

We are a large collaborative research team and part of the NIH funded University of Minnesota Udall Center of Excellence in PD Research (Center Director: Jerrold Vitek MD PhD). Our research involves collaborations across multiple fields including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology, and Biostatistics. We also have a robust preclinical translational research program that includes sleep studies in the nonhuman primate model of PD. Together this provides a vibrant training and research environment for the postdoctoral fellow.

The candidate should have a strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity. Candidates with a background in sleep physiology are especially encouraged to apply.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

75% Research duties: Data collection, analysis, method development, publication of results in manuscripts, proceedings, and conference abstracts

10% Supervision and Project Management: Manage junior lab members, and volunteers to ensure timely completion of project aims.

5% Career Development: Professional skills, leadership training, technical skills development

5% Outreach: Patient/community outreach, Industry Partnerships

5% Travel: Attending/presenting at local/national/international conferences

Required Qualifications:
* PhD in Neuroscience, BME, ECE, or similar field
* Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others
* Strong quantitative background and signal processing expertise appropriate for the analysis of neural activity
* Strong record of presenting research results through publications and conference abstracts

Preferred Qualifications:
* Programming in MATLAB
* A background in sleep physiology

Pay Range: $61,008 (Year 0) - $74,088 (Year 7); depending on education/qualifications/experience, per NIH Guidelines..

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.