POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER - O'Donnell Brain Institute - Cone Lab

The Cone Lab in the O'Donnell Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center is seeking a postdoctoral research scientist to help develop biophysically grounded models of synaptic plasticity and circuit function in the hippocampus. The position is in the Program in Memory and Longevity, under the direction of Dr. Ian Cone.

The postdoc will investigate the mechanisms and computational consequences of behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP) in hippocampal circuits. This includes building models of plasticity at the single-neuron level and studying how BTSP shapes learning and representation in hippocampal networks, in close collaboration with experimental partners. The postdoc will also contribute to the lab's broader program on synaptic plasticity and hippocampal computation.

Responsibilities:

• Develop biophysically grounded models of synaptic plasticity, with a focus on BTSP and dendritic mechanisms

• Connect cellular-level models to network-scale computation and dynamics

• Collaborate with experimental partners to constrain and test models against imaging and electrophysiology data

• Contribute to the lab's broader research program spanning synaptic plasticity, credit assignment, and hippocampal computation

• Publish research in relevant journals

• Present research at relevant conferences and seminars

• Mentor and support junior scientists in the lab

• Ph.D. in computational neuroscience, biophysics, physics, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, or a related quantitative field.

• Strong background in computational modeling of biologically plausible neural networks and synaptic plasticity

• Experience with simulation platforms such as NEURON, Jaxley, Brian2, or equivalent.

• Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB

• Desire to work at the interface of theory and experiment.

• Record of peer-reviewed publications.

Please submit CV and a brief summary of research accomplishments and research goals.

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

Appointment rank will be commensurate with academic accomplishment and experience. Consideration may be given to applicants seeking less than a full-time schedule.

To learn more about the benefits UT Southwestern offers, visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/employees/hr-resources/

Benefits

UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare – no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!