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The EPFL Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics is seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher to contribute to groundbreaking data-driven research in neuroscience. The successful candidate will play a central role in advancing our understanding of human behavior, stress, and motivation by applying advanced analytical techniques to rich and multidimensional datasets. These include data from cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) experiments, physiological assessments (e.g., SNS, hormonal markers, and neurometabolism), behavioral metrics, and neuroimaging. This position is ideal for a data scientist eager to harness these diverse datasets to drive innovative insights and make significant contributions to ongoing and future projects in the lab.

Position Overview: The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team working on innovative projects that leverage VR scenarios and behavioral paradigms to study human stress, anxiety, and motivated behavior. The work involves analyzing diverse datasets, including behavioral responses, autonomic nervous system (SNS) and hormonal data, blood biomarkers, metabolic data, and fMRI outputs. This position provides an exceptional opportunity to apply and further develop expertise in advanced statistical and computational methods to uncover the neural and physiological mechanisms driving human behavior. The position will benefit from EPFL’s strong computational expertise and collaborative opportunities, with potential for synergy with leading data science groups on campus.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze large, multidimensional datasets, integrating behavioral, physiological, and imaging data (e.g., SNS, hormonal markers, metabolic profiles).
• Develop and apply data science tools and methodologies, including machine learning and advanced statistical modeling, to derive insights from complex datasets.
• Collaborate on the design of VR-based and other behavioral testing paradigms, as well as the analysis of the resulting data, to investigate stress, anxiety, and motivation.
• Investigate relationships between stress physiology, motivated behavior, metabolic markers and neural activity, identifying key mechanisms and biomarkers.
• Prepare high-quality manuscripts and present findings at international conferences.
• Supervise and mentor students and contribute to the collaborative lab environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field with a strong focus on data analysis
• Demonstrated expertise in analyzing complex, multidimensional datasets, including physiological signals, behavioral metrics, and imaging data.
• Strong programming skills in relevant languages (e.g., Python, R) and proficiency with statistical and machine learning frameworks.
• Experience in applying data science methods to areas such as stress physiology, motivated behavior, neuroimaging, or metabolic analyses is an asset.
• A track record of high-quality peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

Application Process

Candidates should submit a SINGLE PDF containing:

• A cover letter detailing your research background, technical skills, and fit for the position.
• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) including a full list of publications.
• Contact information for three professional references.

Applications should be emailed to Prof. Carmen Sandi ([email protected]). Review of applications will begin on January 6^th 2025 and continue until the position is filled.

Position Details

• Term of Employment: Fixed-term (CDD), initially for 1 year with potential for renewal for subsequent 4 years.
• Start Date: Position available immediately.
• Location: EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Why Join Us?

EPFL offers a dynamic and collaborative research environment with world-class facilities and a commitment to innovation and excellence. The Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics , embedded within the Brain Mind Institute, is at the forefront of research on stress, anxiety and motivation, providing a stimulating setting for scientific growth and impactful discovery. This position also benefits from the computational expertise and collaborative culture at EPFL, fostering opportunities for synergy with leading data science and neuroscience groups on campus. We are dedicated to fostering diversity and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Join us in advancing the boundaries of neuroscience and data science to uncover the complexities of human behavior. We look forward to your application!

The EPFL Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics is seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher to join our team in a cutting-edge project focused on understanding human behavior and stress responsiveness through advanced Virtual Reality (VR) environments and comprehensive behavioral and physiological assessments. The project Is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and conducted in the Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, led by Prof. Carmen Sandi.

Project Overview: This project aims to unravel the complexities of human behavior and stress responses by leveraging VR technology to simulate stress-inducing scenarios and monitor participants’ behavioral and physiological reactions in real-time. The selected candidate will work on the integration of VR systems with various physiological monitoring tools, including sensors tracking heart rate, skin conductance, and other stress-related biomarkers, as well as behavioral data from participant movements within the VR environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement VR-based experimental protocols to study human stress and behavior.
• Operate and program VR environments tailored to the specific needs of the research project.
• Collect, process, and analyze multidimensional data from physiological systems and behavioral sensors.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including engineers, neuroscientists, and data scientists, to ensure the robustness and validity of the research methodologies.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in high-impact scientific journals and present findings at national and international conferences.
• Mentor students and contribute to the broader research community.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychology, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in human subjects research, particularly using VR approaches.
• Strong technical skills in programming VR environments (e.g., Unity) and managing complex experimental setups.
• Experience in analyzing multidimensional data, including physiological signals (e.g., EEG, ECG, GSR) and behavioral data from motion tracking systems.
• Proven track record of published research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with wearable technology and real-time data processing.
• Familiarity with advanced statistical methods and machine learning techniques for analyzing large datasets.
• Prior experience in stress research or related areas of psychophysiology.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit the following documents (all of them as a single pdf):

• A cover letter describing your research experience, technical skills, and fit for this position.
• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) including a list of publications.
• Contact information for three professional references.

Interested candidates should send a SINGLE pdf including: CV, a brief research statement and the contact details of 3 reference persons to: Prof. Carmen Sandi ([email protected]).

The position is available immediately, and applications will be reviewed from October 1^st 2024, on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Term of employment: Fixed-term (CDD)

Duration: 1 year, renewable.

Why Join Us? At EPFL, we offer a vibrant research environment with access to state-of-the-art facilities and a supportive community dedicated to scientific excellence. This position provides a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of neuroscience, engineering, and data science, contributing to a deeper understanding of human stress and its impacts on health and behavior.

We are committed to fostering diversity and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

A Swiss National Science Foundation funded postdoctoral position is available to investigate the molecular and metabolic underpinnings of motivated behavior.

Candidates with strong background on the analyses of brain metabolism (e.g., P- or 1H-MRS, mitochondrial structure and function) are welcome. In addition, the ideal candidate would have a strong expertise in one or several of the following areas: behavioral testing; proteomics; lipidomics; genomics; neural circuit characterization. Expertise in high-density data analyses would be an asset.

The qualified candidate should have a PhD and able to work independently and in collaboration. He/she must have excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as a strong research track-record.

The research will be conducted at the Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics (http://www.epfl.ch/labs/lgc/), Brain Mind Institute, EPFL, a center dedicated to exploring higher brain functions across multiple levels, from gene expression to cognition and emotional processing.

Applications will be reviewed from October 20th 2020, and search will continue being open until position is filled.

Interested candidates should send a SINGLE pdf including: CV, a brief research statement and the contact details of 3 reference persons to Prof. Carmen Sandi ([email protected]).