Associate Researcher I (Dr Saez's Lab) - Neurosciences

The Associate Researcher I is a laboratory research position, responsible for independent conduct of routine and standardized experiments. This individual assists in the interpretation of research outcomes, performs assays to support research studies, and assists in the clerical and supply aspects of the laboratory environment.

Electrochemical Sensor Development  

• Design, construct, and optimize carbon-fiber and related FSCV electrodes. 
• Develop and refine electrode fabrication, coating, calibration, and quality-control procedures. 
• Perform benchtop electrochemical characterization and validation. 
• Develop protocols for neurotransmitter identification, quantification, and signal quality assessment. 
• Evaluate novel materials and electrode architectures for human neurochemical sensing. 

 

In Vitro and Preclinical Testing 

• Design and conduct in vitro experiments to characterize sensor performance, selectivity, sensitivity, and long-term stability. 
• Develop calibration procedures for dopamine, serotonin, and other neurochemicals. 
• Conduct in vivo validation studies as needed. 
• Compare electrochemical measurements against ground-truth standards and pharmacological manipulations.

 

Human Neuroscience Studies

• Participate in intraoperative and perioperative neuroscience studies in patients undergoing DBS implantation or related neurosurgical procedures. 
• Administer cognitive and behavioral tasks during human recordings. 
• Coordinate data collection in operating room and clinical environments. 
• Assist with surgical planning and integration of electrochemical sensing technologies into clinical workflows.

 

Signal Processing and Computational Modeling 

• Develop analysis pipelines for FSCV and multimodal neural datasets. 
• Implement algorithms for neurotransmitter detection and artifact rejection. 
• Integrate electrochemical measurements with electrophysiological, behavioral, and clinical data. 
• Develop computational models relating neurotransmitter dynamics to cognition, behavior, and disease symptoms. 
• Apply machine learning and dynamical systems approaches to identify latent neurochemical states. 
   

Research Leadership 

• Lead independent research projects. 
• Contribute to manuscript preparation and grant applications. 
• Present findings at national and international conferences. 
• Participate in collaborative projects across neuroscience, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and engineering.
• Performs other related duties

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in science or related field required. MSc in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Neuroengineering, or a related field preferred.
• No experience required. One year of research experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with electrochemistry, FSCV, amperometry, voltammetry, or related neurochemical sensing methods. 
• Strong quantitative and wet lab skills. 
• Experience programming in Python, MATLAB, R, or similar environments preferred.