Postdoctoral Fellow - Laboratories of Dr. Talmo Pereira and Dr. Eiman Azim

The Pereira and Azim laboratories at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to be a member of our teams focused on cutting-edge research in computational and behavioral neuroscience through the development and implementation of systems for performing neuromechanical simulations.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will have the unique opportunity to work at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, utilizing the latest technologies to extract quantitative measures of unrestrained behavioral kinematics, develop physics-based models of biomechanics, and develop simulated agents that behave like real animals. Working closely with software engineers, computer scientists and neuroscientists, they will implement simulation pipelines to train deep neural network models for control using deep reinforcement learning. Simultaneously, working closely with neurobiologists, they will implement artificial neural network-based models of neural circuit architectures and computations that will drive the simulated agents.

Competitive candidates will have substantial technical experience with deep learning and Python-based software engineering. They will also have a strong interest in some combination of natural behavior, biomechanics, control theory, computational neuroscience and/or NeuroAI.

This position will have significant room for creativity in defining the research direction within the scope of the larger project in collaboration with the PIs, other project team members, and the broader collaborative team at Harvard (Bence Olveczky, Kanaka Rajan), Stanford (Scott Linderman), the University of Washington (Bing Brunton), as well as other colleagues.

Education

PhD or MD/PhD in neuroscience, physics, computer science, robotics, data science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, bioinformatics, or a related field.

Experience

A successful candidate must have experience conducting independent and productive research. The specific topic of this previous research is not as important as the candidate's creativity in framing an innovative question around their expertise and curiosity.

Job location is in Salk Main Campus

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces diverse perspectives and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's vibrant community comprises a diverse and talented group of individuals, each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. From visionary leaders to dedicated administrators and brilliant faculty members, the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What We Can Offer

The full postdoctoral salary range for wet lab opportunities is $70,000-$77,500 (see below). This range covers the entire postdoctoral training period; recent Ph.D. graduates should expect an offer at or close to $70,000 (minimum of the salary range). Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.
Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.