PostDoc Neural Circuits Dysfunction Lab - Mar2025

Champalimaud Foundation (Fundação D. Anna de Sommer Champalimaud e Dr. Carlos Montez Champalimaud), a private, non-profit research institution in Lisbon, Portugal, is looking for a Post Doctoral fellow to join our team at the Champalimaud Research Programme. 

The selected candidate will

Integrate the Neural Circuits Dysfunction Lab to be the researcher responsible for the implementation of a recently funded project that uses a mouse model to study task-specific dystonia. The postdoc will:

- Be responsible for keeping the execution of the tasks on track;
- Build/optimize the behavioral setups;
- Perform stereotaxic surgeries in mice for AAV vector injections, fiber and electrode implants;
- Be running operant behavior tasks in freely moving mice;
- Develop code for data acquisition and data analysis;
- Write supporting materials and documentation for code and data dissemination;
- The postdoc will have support from the rest of the group for these tasks, and more specifically from a PhD student and a Masters student that will be allocated to this project.

Number and type of fellowships or contracts to be awarded

1 Postdoctoral fellowship

Application start date

25 March 2025

Application closing date

Position open until filled

Expected position starting date

Mid-April, beginning of May 2025

Required Education Level

PhD Degree or equivalent.

Research Field

Neurosciences

Required Languages

Fluency in scientific English is indispensable, both in written and oral expression

Skills/Qualifications

Essential skills

- Animal experimentation certification (Felasa A or equivalent);
- Experienced with stereotaxic surgeries in mice;
- Experienced in running behavioral experiments in mice;
-  Programming skills, preferably in Python.

is preferable; 

- Having a Portuguese DGAV accreditation to do animal experimentation;
- Previous experience with calcium imaging or electrophysiology in vivo;
- Experience with EMG recordings in vivo;
- Experience with the ‘Bonsai’ software;
- Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently; 
- Team spirit, reliability, and sense of responsibility; 
- Demonstrates potential for technical proficiency, creativity, collaboration with others, and independent thought.

Desirable skills that will also be considered

- Experience in working with complex databases;
- Experience with the use of computational approaches to model behaviour.

Benefits

Full immersion into a research excellence ecosystem with highly motivated researchers, supported by state-of-the-art technology and continuous development opportunities.

Monthly salary in the range of 2000€ plus social security insurance (Portuguese seguro social voluntário, SSV). The fellowship ends on March 31 2027.

Eligibility criteria

National, Foreign or Stateless candidate(s) who hold a PhD degree Neuroscience or related scientific areas and a scientific and professional curriculum that reveals a profile appropriate to the activity to be developed. 

In case of PhD degrees awarded by foreign higher education institutions, the degree must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law No. 341/2007, of 12th of October, and all formalities established therein must be fulfilled by the deadline for application submission.

Selection process

Candidates will be screened to determine eligibility based on minimum qualifications listed in call. Candidates meeting minimum requirements will be scored according to the required application materials:  CV 70% weighting, motivation letter 20%, interview 10% (in case of a tie).

If provided, and if shortlisted, candidates’ referees may be contacted and may count towards evaluation. 

When tied, top candidates will be interviewed (in person, or remotely). The result of the interview is then the sole evaluation criteria (basic documentation required). If no tie, holding of interviews at the discretion of the Evaluation Committee.

Evaluation Committee members

- Filipa França de Barros
- Joaquim Alves da Silva
- Marcelo Mendonça 

Application materials

CV and letter of motivation indicating 2 references (one single pdf document). 

Proof of qualifications (certificates) may be required at a later date for the formalization of the contract agreement. Degrees obtained abroad may need to be formally recognised in Portugal. 

How to apply

Candidates must complete the standard application form and submit a single annexed PDF document containing the application materials stated in the call. 

The call reference will be asked and not having may invalidate your submission. This call reference is: PostDoc_ NCDLab Mar2025.

Applications are also accepted in paper, sent or handed to the Fellows Support Office at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.

Notification of results

All candidates will receive a receipt of acknowledgment within 7-10 business days. The highest scoring candidate will be notified by email or telephone. All other candidates will be notified solely by email of the final outcome of the recruitment process.

After being notified, candidates will have 10 working days to present a claim for redress by email (careers@research.fchampalimaud.org). If no claim is received by the Champalimaud Foundation, the Evaluation Committee's decision will become definitive.

About Us

Research is at the heart of the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, a modern research and clinical facility situated on the waterfront in Lisbon, Portugal. The goal of Champalimaud Research (CR) is to perform world-leading fundamental and translational research. Current research work is focused on the fields of neuroscience, physiology and cancer.  Champalimaud Research comprises a team of over 400 scientists from around the world. English is the official language of the Centre. Lisbon’s sunny Atlantic Mediterranean climate, vibrant culture and high quality of life make this a great place to live and work.

Relevant Institutional Information

In line with our community guidelines and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and Gender Equality Plan, no candidate may be privileged, favored, prejudiced or deprived of any right or excluded from any duty on the basis of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, disability, chronic illness, language, nationality, territory of origin, family status (marital, pregnancy and maternity, having or not having dependents), socioeconomic situation, education, religion, political or ideological beliefs,  trade union membership, or on any other grounds which are irrelevant to decision-making.

HR Excellence in Research

Legal Notices

The present call has the sole purpose of filling the indicated research position. This call may be canceled at any time on or before the jury’s evaluation of all eligible candidates and the recruitment process shall be concluded on the day of the full execution of the contract between the Champalimaud Foundation and the selected candidate.