Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, staff, and students that make the university a great place to work.  

As a community of Dornsife College “we are committed to the creation, preservation, and communication of fundamental knowledge in all its forms…as well as a lifelong passion for learning and a commitment to the betterment of society.”  The academic mission of Dornsife College can only be realized to its fullest potential when we build and protect a representative, equitable, inclusive culture of scholarship for students, faculty, and staff.  This is not done through initiatives but by embedding these values into the everyday interactions, relationships, policies, and practices of the College.  What is required is a seamless integration of the tenets of equity and inclusivity into every facet of academic life.  If we want our scholars, staff, and students to be able to give their very best, we must create an academic environment that portends success.  

Success is possible when every member of the Dornsife community owns their role as a steward of the culture in which we learn, research, and work; when we believe that it is because of who we are that we are able to do what we do: achieve excellence, together. 

Achieving a robust and inclusive academic culture requires more than just the completion of a task, but includes that person’s capacity to contribute positively to the relationships and culture of their office or department.  Therefore, any applicant seeking to advance the mission of Dornsife College should also be assessed on their capacities beyond the technical elements of their work, and demonstrate an understanding of their impact on others, and to articulate how they contribute positively to those around them.

The USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in the Neurobiology Department for the newly established Moore Laboratory. The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC Dornsife functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. The postdoc will direct and carry out state-of-the-art cell-type specific systems neuroscience research on brainstem neuronal circuits that control movement. This position is based on the beautiful University Park Campus of USC, close to downtown Los Angeles.

Responsibilities:

The postdoc will be involved in all aspects of lab operation and will supervise other lab members as needed. Responsibilities include electrophysiological studies, rodent stereotaxic  surgery, animal behavior studies, histology, molecular biology, data analysis, and/or computational modeling.  Successful applicants should be highly motivated, be able to organize and carry out research independently, and communicate effectively with all members of the team. The postdoc will have opportunities to learn new scientific techniques and to participate in other career development activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

Strong applicants will have experience working independently in a biology research laboratory, strong communication skills, and the ability to work well with others. Experience in the following is desired, but not required: electrophysiology, rodent surgery and behavior, microscopy, molecular biology, histology, programming, and data analysis. Above all, we value candidates who are highly motivated and willing to learn and thrive in a dynamic and multidisciplinary research environment.

• Ph.D. degree in biology, neurosciences, engineering or other relevant discipline.
• Previous research experience in systems neuroscience using rodent model organisms.

Salary range: The salary range for this position is $66,560 – $68,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents and Additional Information:

• Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.
• Job openings are posted for a minimum of (5) five business days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.
• Targeted start date: 02/01/2024

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.