At the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, scientists and clinicians are working in close cooperation to understand the causes of complex diseases of the brain, searching for new prevention and treatment strategies. This translational research strategy is supported by a modern psychiatric research hospital as well as a number of research departments and research groups with expertise ranging from neurobiological research methods as well as clinical and behavioral studies to molecular genetics. The overarching goal is to optimize the benefit of research advances for the patients by way of close and innovative networking of basic research-oriented and clinical neuroscience.
The Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany is one of the leading research institutes worldwide focusing on the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders with a truly translational approach, combining both clinical and basic research in the same Institute.
The Research Group “Stress Resilience” led by Dr. Mathias Schmidt (
https://www.psych.mpg.de/1496026/schmidt_m) is looking for a motivated
Post-doc (m/f/d) in “Linking complex behavioral phenotypes and brain circuit activity to understand individual stress resilience”
Code: 8771
Job Description
In the research group “Stress Resilience” we use various mouse stress models in combination with genetic manipulations to unravel the molecular, genetic and circuit-level underpinnings of individual stress resilience and the vulnerability to stress-related disorders. The successful applicant will integrate the manipulation of stress-related brain circuits under different environmental conditions with in-depth behavioral analyses. To reach this goal, the applicant will apply optogenetic, chemogenetic, genetic or pharmacological manipulations and investigate the effect of these interventions on long-term behavioral alterations in group-living mice using a high-throughput automated behavioral monitoring system.
Your Qualifications
- PhD in neurobiology or a related field
- Experience in working with mouse models
- Experience in brain circuit manipulations, specifically using optogenetics and/or chemogenetics
- Strong interest in working with complex data sets. Previous experience in programming (R, python, Matlab) will be beneficial
- Strong interest to understand the biological mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders
- Ability to work independently
- Excellent skills in spoken and written English
Our Offer
- The multi-disciplinary environment in the research group fosters close collaborations between basic scientists as well as clinicians
- State-of-the-art facilities, including a new animal facility
- Access to numerous scientific core units, including virus production, electrophysiology, mass spectrometry, animal neuroimaging and proteomics
- Computational infrastructure supplied by the Max Planck Computing & Data Facility
- Travel budget to visit national and international conferences or workshops
- The Max Planck Society offers a variety of soft skill and career-oriented courses for post-docs open to the successful applicant
- Flexible work hours and the opportunity for occasional home office
- Full time position (100%) initially for 2 years
- Salary is calculated according to the collective agreement for public service employees (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst - TVöD-Bund)
- Social benefits are paid in compliance with the regulations of the Max Planck Society
- Very good connection to the Munich transport association (job ticket)
Women are especially encouraged to apply and handicapped applicants with equal qualifications will be given preferential treatment. To apply, please provide: (1) a cover letter expressing research interests, along with a brief summary of your previous projects, including applied techniques; (2) a complete CV, and; (3) contact information for at least two references.
For additional information on the Max Planck Institute and its research groups, please contact
www.psych.mpg.de
We look forward to your
Online-Application.