PhD-student position

You will investigate the neural mechanisms underlying visual innate behavior and the modulation of this behavior by fear and curiosity. You will study this in awake behaving mice using a combination of techniques, such as electrophysiology and calcium imaging using two-photon microscopy or fiber photometry, and selectively perturb brain function by optogenetic, chemogenetic and pharmacological means. The project focuses on the superior colliculus and connecting areas. In collaboration, you will design experiments, develop experimental paradigms, perform surgeries and recordings, analyse multidimensional data and draft papers.

You also will develop the experimental paradigms and analyse the multidimensional data.

Who are we looking for

We are a looking for an outstanding PhD student with a strong quantitative background keen to record from the brain at the microscopic level. The ideal candidate will have, or will be about to receive, an MSc in biomedical engineering, biology, physics, neuroscience or a related field. Excellent coding skills will be required for developing the experimental paradigms and analysing the multidimensional data. Proficiency in spoken and written English, and experience with animal experiments is a plus.

Fixed-term contract: 1 - 4 years.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is € 2.770 gross and the maximum salary is € 3.559 gross per month for a full-time appointment (PhD-student scale cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences

The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience is the country's leading fundamental neuroscience research institute, in the international and progressive city of Amsterdam. It provides a critical mass of scientists (spanning more than 27 nationalities) and neuroscience facilities, in a highly interactive, dynamic, multi-cultural environment, with English as the working language.

Circuits, Structure & Function group

In the Circuits, Structure & Function group, we are investigating the neural mechanisms underlying visual innate behavior and the modulation of this behavior by fear and curiosity. The group measures responses of neurons in awake behaving mice using a combination of techniques, such as electrophysiology and calcium imaging using two-photon microscopy and fiber photometry. We also selectively perturb brain function by optogenetic, chemogenetic and pharmacological means to investigate the neural circuitry underlying vision. Brain areas that are actively being explored by us are the superior colliculus, the visual cortex and thalamus, the zona incerta and the periaqueductal gray.