Doctoral Researcher (Computational neuroscience) / Väitöskirjatutkija (laskennallinen neurotiede)

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences create a unique environment for multidisciplinary, inspirational and high-impact research and education. Our universities community has its competitive edges in technology, health and society. www.tuni.fi/en 

The Computational Neuroscience group at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology is looking for a Doctoral Researcher. Our group has a long history of studying neural systems and developing models of biological neural networks, cells and signal transduction pathways. The models developed by us help to explain the different observed types of excitability, activity dynamics and neurotransmission as well as growth, plasticity and learning in the brain. The work promotes understanding of complex dynamic phenomena underlying the structural and functional properties of the brain circuitry in health and disease. We use both detailed biophysical and biochemical (data-driven) and phenomenological modeling approaches while employing a variety of mathematical and computational techniques, not conventionally used in neuroscience.

Job description

We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher in the area of computational neuroscience. Doctoral Researcher is expected to work on computational modelling of mental disorder-linked disease phenotypes and their genetic mechanisms. The student will use and extend existing biophysically and biochemically detailed neuron models to study the disease mechanisms of schizophrenia. A specific aim of the Ph.D. project is to further the mechanistic understanding of schizophrenia-associated phenotypes such as deficits in prepulse inhibition and mismatch negativity and the contribution of genes identified by psychiatric genome-wide association studies to these phenotypes. The student will be supervised by Dr. Mäki-Marttunen at Tampere University, and will be employed in the Computational Neuroscience group led by Prof. Linne. The student is expected to be involved in our collaborative research with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and University of Oslo (Prof. Gaute Einevoll and Prof. Ole Andreassen).

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in scientific computing and dynamical systems, and a deep interest in molecular and cellular-level neuroscience. The candidate should hold an M.Sc. degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, or a related field and have good verbal and written communication skills in English. The candidate should be deeply motivated in obtaining a Ph.D. degree in the field of computational neuroscience.

Specific skills we are looking for:

-Experience in numerical solution of ordinary and partial differential equations

-Python programming and other programming skills

-Previous experience in neuroscience and parallel computing is a plus

We offer

The position will be filled for a fixed-term period of three (3) to four (4) years. The starting date is 1 December 2020 or as mutually agreed. A trial period of six (6) months applies to all our new employees. 

The salary will be based on both the job requirements and the employee’s personal performance in accordance with the salary system of Finnish universities. According to the criteria applied to teaching and research staff, the position of a Doctoral Researcher is placed on level 2—4 of the job requirements scale. A typical starting salary for Doctoral Researchers is approximately 2350 - 2450 EUR/month.

We offer a vibrant, English-speaking academic environment in Tampere, Finland. Tampere University is the second largest university in Finland. The project will employ local and national supercomputers needed for the simulations.  The university offers a range of staff benefits, including occupational health care, flexible working hours, sports facilities, and several restaurants and cafés on campus with staff discounts.  Read more about living and working in Tampere, Finland: https://www.tuni.fi/careers. For more information on Tampere, please visit here.

How to apply

Please submit your application through our online recruitment system. The closing date for applications is 25 October 2020 (23:59 EEST (GMT+3)). Please write your application and all the accompanying documentation in English and attach them in PDF format.

Please attach only the following documents to your application: 

• A letter of motivation and description of your research interests (max. 1 A4 page)
• Curriculum vitae (see, e.g., the TENK template), including the contact details of two referees).
• Transcript of records (master's degree studies).

For further information, please contact:

Academy Research Fellow Tuomo Mäki-Marttinen, email:  tuomo.maki-marttunen@tuni.fi 

***

Tampereen yliopisto ja Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu muodostavat yhdessä Suomen toiseksi suurimman monitieteisen, innostavan ja vaikuttavan tutkimus- ja oppimisyhteisön. Korkeakouluyhteisömme osaamiskärjet ovat tekniikka, terveys ja yhteiskunta. Lue lisää: www.tuni.fi

Lääketieteen ja terveysteknologian tiedekunnan Laskennallisen neurotieteen tutkimusryhmä etsii väitöskirjatutkijaa.

Tehtävänkuvaus

Väitöskirjatutkija työskentelee laskennallisten hermosolumallien parissa. Erityisenä kohteena on skitsofreniaan liittyvien geenivarianttien toimintamekanismin selvittäminen ja skitsofrenian fenotyypppien mallintaminen. Työtä ohjaa Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen, ja se suoritetaan Marja-Leena Linnen johtamassa Laskennallisessa neurotieteen ryhmässä. Työhön liittyy jatko-opinnoille tavanomainen tulosten julkaisu alan lehdissä sekä esiintyminen alan konferensseissa - odotamme väitöskirjatutkijalta myös osallistumista Oslossa sijaitsevien kollaboraattoreiden kanssa toteutettavaan yhteistyöhön. Työssä on 6 kuukauden koeaika.

Edellytykset

Väitöskirjatutkijalta odotamme maisteritutkintoa luonnontieteiden tai insinööritieteiden alalla. Etsimme vahvaa osaajaa tieteellisen laskennan ja dynaamisten systeemien mallinnuksen alalla - henkilöä, jolla on myös erityinen kiinnostus neurotieteeseen. Väitöskirjatutkijalla tulee olla hyvä englannin kielen kommunikaatiokyky, ja hänen tulee olla motivoitunut suorittamaan tohtoritutkinto laskennallisen neurotieteen alalla.

Erityistä osaamista, jota etsimme:

-Tavallisten ja osittaisdifferentiaaliyhtälöiden numeerinen mallintaminen

-Python-ohjelmointi ja muu ohjelmointitaito

-Muu kokemus neurotieteen alan simulaatioista on plussaa.

Hakuohjeet 

Lue tarkemmat tiedot tehtävästä ja hakuohjeet yllä olevasta englanninkielisestä ilmoituksesta.

Jätäthän hakemuksesi yliopiston sähköisellä hakulomakkeella (linkki löytyy tämän ilmoituksen alta). Hakuaika tehtävään päättyy 25.10.2020 klo 23.59.