Staff Scientist

Job Category: Fulltime Regular
Exempt Overtime Eligible: Exempt
Benefits Eligible: Benefit Based

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world’s brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

Performance and quantitative analysis of behavior video tracking, molecular marker detections and live whole-brain imaging on zebrafish mutants to observe phenotypes and to investigate underlying mechanisms in resting state and in response to stimuli.

Essential Job Duties

• Address Complex Neuroscientific Challenges: Design and conduct experiments to investigate how mutations in individual genes lead to changes in behaviors including sleep, response to stimuli and social interaction in free moving zebrafish. (10%)
• Incorporate RNA sequencing to investigate the relationship between molecular changes and altered behaviors. (5%)
• Conduct imaging experiments to examine neuronal network changes in brains of zebrafish mutants. (5%)
• Analyze and interpret data to uncover previously unknown roles of genes and genetic pathways regulating behaviors. (5%)
• Develop and Optimize Experimental Techniques: Design, test, and implement advanced experimental methodologies, including CRISPR/cas9 genome editing, modified and enhanced HCR, video tracking of free moving zebrafish behaviors, whole-brain calcium imaging using SPIM, and drug selection and administration to rescue altered behaviors. Identify and develop strategies to enhance data acquisition and processing efficiencies, ensuring high-quality and reliable results. (40%)
• Innovate Experimental Systems: Create and refine novel experimental setups tailored to specific scientific inquiries. This includes developing platforms and stimulation paradigms to examine various behaviors, and improving custom imaging chambers and attachments to enable efficient and accurate data collection. (5%)
• Conduct Advanced Data Analysis and Computational Modeling: Perform sophisticated analyses of complex datasets from a variety of experiments. Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams to interpret sequencing and imaging results, generate visual representations, quantitative summaries, and computational pipelines that support and enhance research objectives. (10%)
• Mentor and Train Research Personnel: Provide guidance and instruction to graduate students and, when applicable, other research or technical staff in specialized experimental and analytical techniques, fostering skill development and knowledge transfer within the research team. (10%)
• Collaborate Across Disciplines: Engage with cross-disciplinary research groups to develop and test advanced data acquisition systems and experimental technologies. Contributes to the design, implementation, and refinement of engineering and experimental approaches that integrate perspectives from biology, engineering, and computational sciences. (5%)
• Contribute to Research Funding and Dissemination: Partner with the Principal Investigator to initiate, draft, and submit research proposals. Conduct comprehensive literature reviews, co-author manuscripts, and present findings at scientific meetings and conferences, contributing to the broader scientific discourse. (5%)

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, developmental biology, or adjacent fields with 8+ years of relevant scientific research experience in zebrafish neuroscience.
• Thorough technical/scientific expertise.
• Advanced independent research project experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coding and data analysis in MATLAB.
• Statistical analysis in Prism.
• Extensive experience in molecular biology, cell biology, RNA sequencing.
• Experience with zebrafish husbandry, microsurgeries, behavioral phenotyping, and live imaging.
• Experimental experience with embryonic, larval, juvenile and adult zebrafish.
• Experimental experience with genome editing, optogenetics, marker staining and detection, confocal, SPIM and chemical administration.

Required Documents

• Resume.

To be considered for this position please visit our web site and apply on line at the following link: https://hr.caltech.edu/work/job_openings

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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