The Computational Neuroscience Lab, recently established within the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), is seeking a highly qualified and motivated candidate for a postdoctoral position in computational neuroscience, under the project 'Translational biomarkers for compulsivity across large-scale brain networks'. The aim of this project is to understand the neurobiological roots of compulsivity, by identifying the neural signatures of compulsive behavior in cortical and subcortical brain regions. A combination of experimental and computational work will be used, with the presently advertised position being associated with the computational modeling part. You will develop and analyze computational models of large-scale brain networks of rodents and humans, following previous work in macaques (Mejias et al., Science Advances 2016). These new models will explicitly replicate neural dynamics underlying compulsive behavior, and will be constrained by existing anatomical, electrophysiological and clinical data from the experimental partners of the project. You will be supervised by Dr. Jorge Mejias, head of the Computational Neuroscience Lab, and the work will be carried out in close collaboration with Drs. Ingo Willuhn and Tara Arbab, from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. You will also closely collaborate with other computational neuroscientists, experimental neuroscientists, clinicians, theoreticians, and machine learning experts at the UvA.

You are expected:
-to perform research on computational neuroscience;-to review relevant literature and acquire knowledge on neurobiology, compulsivity and computational neuroscience;
-to build biologically realistic multi-area computational models of cortical circuits, and compare their predictions with experimental findings;
-to collaborate and discuss regularly with other researchers in the project;
-to take part in teaching efforts of the Computational Neuroscience Lab, including supervision of bachelor and Master students;
-to write scientific manuscripts and present your results at meetings and conferences.

Our offer:
A temporary contract for 38 hours a week, preferably starting on 1 November 2021. The duration of the contract is 18 months (with a two months probation period). An extension of the contract is possible provided a positive performance of the candidate and further availability of funds.

The salary, depending on relevant work experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be €2,836 to €4,474 (scale 10) gross per month, based on a full-time contract (38 hours a week). This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favorable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labor Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.