Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow – Kohl Lab
Reports to: Jonny Kohl
Salary: From £47,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience
About us
The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world‑class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure, cutting‑edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture.
About the role
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to lead an ambitious project aimed at reconstructing the cell‑type‑specific connectome of the mouse hypothalamus. You will combine viral tracing, spatial transcriptomics, and computational analysis to uncover how molecularly defined hypothalamic neuronal populations are interconnected to control instinctive behaviours and physiological states. To achieve this, the project will implement BRISC (Barcoded Rabies In Situ Connectomics), a recently developed method that combines barcoded rabies tracing with in situ sequencing to map long‑range synaptic connectivity at high throughput and cellular resolution.
The Research Group
The Kohl lab uses a multidisciplinary strategy, ranging from in vivo calcium imaging and in vivo / ex vivo electrophysiology to behavioural profiling, viral circuit tracing and molecular approaches to investigate the neuronal and circuit‑level mechanisms by which physiological states alter information processing in the brain. Our team currently includes four postdocs, three PhD students, three research scientists, and one MSc student.
What you will be doing
- Lead an independent and ambitious research project aligned with the aims outlined above.
- Develop and implement custom viral tracing and spatial transcriptomics workflows, including experimental pipelines, data acquisition, and analysis.
- Generate, analyse, and interpret high‑quality datasets.
- Establish and maintain close collaborations with computational and experimental researchers within and beyond the institute.
- Scientific and technical support for group members.
- Data management and analysis, writing up of manuscripts.
- Presenting at scientific meetings.
- Guiding PhD students in their research.
About you
- PhD in Neuroscience or a related field or in the final stages of PhD submission.
- Experience with viral tracing, circuit neuroscience, systems neuroscience, or related approaches.
- Strong analytical, quantitative, and coding skills (particularly in Python).
- Experience handling and analysing large‑scale biological datasets.
- Track record of writing papers as evidenced by publications or submitted manuscripts in refereed journals.
- Evidence of data presentation at scientific meetings.
What will you receive?
- Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK.
- Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
- Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
- Health & Well‑being: 24/7 GP consultation services, occupational health, and mental health support.
- Work‑Life Balance: Back‑up care for dependents and childcare support allowance.
At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer.
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