Research Scientist

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe.

Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

A fully funded Research Scientist position is immediately available in the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Harward within the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurobiology at the Duke University School of Medicine. We are seeking an exceptional, highly motivated scientist to take a senior, leadership role in advancing the development and application of focused ultrasound (FUS) for non-invasive neuromodulation, ablation, and targeted brain drug/gene delivery.

This position is ideal for a candidate eager to lead independent, high-impact projects at the intersection of basic neuroscience, engineering, and clinical translation. The successful applicant will function as a senior scientific member of the lab, contributing intellectually to the lab’s direction while mentoring junior trainees and working closely with Dr. Harward to develop new research initiatives and competitive grant applications.

• Design, execute, and analyze independent research projects focused on focused ultrasound–based neuromodulation and brain circuit manipulation.
• Serve as a scientific lead within the laboratory, providing mentorship and oversight for undergraduates, medical students, technicians, and junior trainees.
• Collaborate closely with the PI to develop new research directions, experimental strategies, and translational applications.
• Contribute substantively to grant writing (NIH and foundation-level) and manuscript preparation.
• Present research findings at lab meetings, departmental seminars, and national/international scientific conferences.
• Help maintain a rigorous, collaborative, and intellectually vibrant lab environment.

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (e.g., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M.) in neuroscience, neurobiology, biomedical engineering, or a related biomedical field.
• At least 5 years of postdoctoral research experience conducting independent scientific research.
• Record of multiple peer-reviewed publications demonstrating significant and substantive scientific contributions.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design and carry out complex experiments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Background in neuroscience or translational neurobiology, particularly circuit-level or systems neuroscience.
• Experience with one or more of the following: focused ultrasound, in vivo mouse models, electrophysiology, calcium imaging, viral approaches, optogenetics, or molecular biology techniques (DNA, RNA, protein, epigenetics).
• Prior experience mentoring or supervising trainees.
• Interest in clinically relevant or translational research and collaborative team science.

The Harward Laboratory is a high-energy, collaborative translational neuroscience lab focused on understanding how synaptic plasticity contributes to neurological disease and how it can be precisely modulated to achieve disease modification (Harward et al., Nature 2016; Hedrick et al., Nature 2016; Krishnamurthy et al., Annals of Neurology 2019). A central focus of the lab is the development of focused ultrasound as a next-generation, non-invasive neuromodulation technology While…