Vacancy Research assistant Cognitive Neuroscience

Job description

Stress exposure can have a devastating impact on someone’s life, causing stress-related psychopathology such as posttraumatic stress disorder or depression. Yet, most individuals show resistance to these adverse consequences of stress exposure and are resilient to disease. In our research group, we aim to understand the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this interindividual variance in stress susceptibility, as we believe that mimicking the natural processing coding resilience would be the optimal treatment for disease.

We use animal models (mainly mice) to investigate this, as they allow for the controlled study and more precise assessment of the neurobiological underpinnings. Since the brain is organized as a set of functional neural networks, we focus our research on the neural circuit level (e.g., by whole-brain analyses of neuronal activation by means of rodent MRI in combination with optogenetics or neuronal activity markers, viral tracing, and chemogenetics) and combine this with molecular studies to provide detailed mechanistic insight in the causes of altered neuronal circuit structure and function (investigating epigenetic mechanisms and local gene expression). To assess interindividual differences in stress susceptibility, these brain analysis methods are combined with a wide variety of behavioural assays.

As a research assistant in our group, you will assist our postdoc and PhD students in their practical work. This will mainly involve work in the central animal facility, where you will perform (or assist in performing) behavioural studies and intracranial surgeries in mice. Additionally, you may be asked to assist in basic work in the wetlab, preparing solutions or ex vivo brain analyses.
 

Department

You will be embedded in the research group of Dr. Marloes Henckens, associate professor at the department of Cognitive Neuroscience (CNS) of the Radboudumc. The project is embedded in the unique and excellent infrastructure of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, a world-class research centre devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of cognition and behaviour in health and disease. It is a highly dynamic institute with a collaborative atmosphere and particular interest into translational research. For further information, please, visit the following websites: Radboud University Nijmegen; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience. Research into stress and stress-related disorders is an important focus area at Radboudumc. Researchers working on this theme jointly organize regular discussion meetings and lectures to promote integration of research conducted within molecular, cellular, systems, behavioural, and clinical neurosciences across campus.

Radboudumc
Radboud university medical center is a university medical center for patient care, scientific research, and education in Nijmegen. Radboud university medical center strives to be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare of the future. We do this in a person-centered and innovative way, and in close collaboration with our network. We want to have a significant impact on health and healthcare. We want to improve with each passing day, continuously working towards better healthcare, research, and education. And gaining a better understanding of how diseases arise and how we can prevent, treat, and cure them, day in and day out. This way, every patient always receives the best healthcare, now and in the future. Because that is why we do what we do.

Read more about our strategy and what working at Radboud university medical center means. Our colleagues would be happy to tell you about it. #weareradboudumc

Profile

The ideal candidate will have:

• A BSc or MSc degree in veterinary science, (medical/molecular) biology, molecular life sciences, biomedical sciences, neuroscience, or in a related field.
• FELASA Certificate Article 9 or Article 13 to conduct animal experiments.
• Experience with working with laboratory animals, experience with stereotaxis surgeries is a plus.
• A proactive and goal-directed attitude, good organizational skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• The interpersonal capacity to participate in an interdisciplinary, international, and translational research environment.

Terms of employment

Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. And there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together.

• A gross monthly salary between € 2.711 and € 3.627 (scale 7) based on full-time employment. 
• From 1 November 2023 the wages will increase by 4%.
• An annual vacation allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
• As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
• Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
• You get a discount on health insurance as well: you can take advantage of two group health insurance plans. UMC Zorgverzekering and CZ collectief.
• We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

Application procedure

Will you make a difference for our patients? We would like to receive your application before 3 July 2023. We will then contact you shortly.

What else can you expect?

When you begin employment, we will request a certificate of conduct (VOG) and, depending on the position, you may be screened. You do not need to do anything for this; we will inform you later. 
 
Radboud university medical center is an employer that welcomes everyone. Every colleague brings valuable experience, expertise, and creativity. We believe in the benefits of a diverse and inclusive organization. #weareradboudumc

Read more about our application procedure or take a look at the frequently asked questions. 
 
We are recruiting for this vacancy ourselves. We only accept applications directly from the applicants themselves, but intermediaries are welcome to share our vacancies in their networks.​

Contact

For any information please contact Dr. Marloes Henckens. Please use the “apply” button to submit your application and use this email address only for additional information.

Application
We request applicants to send a motivation letter explaining their interest and qualifications regarding the position, their prior research/work experience, a CV, and contact information of one professional references.