Meridial – Scientist – In Vivo Neuroscience

About Meridial

Meridial is a Focused Research Organisation (FRO) with a mission to bring connectomics into the living brain. We are building a platform for longitudinal, synapse-resolution mapping of functional neural circuitry in preclinical models. Our aim is to deploy this platform for translational projects and improve drug development outcomes for disorders of the central nervous system.

Meridial is a new not-for-profit FRO in the Convergent Research Ecosystem and funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).

Meridial is seeking a Scientist – In Vivo Neuroscience to play a central role in establishing and running our in vivo experiments. This is a hands‑on scientific role focused on the development and execution of advanced in vivo neuroscience experiments. You will perform complex neurosurgery, longitudinal two‑photon imaging and optogenetic experiments in mice, and develop new approaches as part of Meridial’s programme to create advanced 3D imaging and photostimulation technologies for functional mapping of neural circuits.

We are looking for an exceptional experimentalist who combines substantial practical expertise with scientific independence. We would also welcome candidates who combine these experimental skills with substantial expertise in neural data analysis. You will report to the Director of Experimental Research and work closely with them to build the lab. You will play a central role in establishing our core surgical, imaging and optogenetic protocols and the quality standards that underpin them.

As the team grows over the coming year, you will train and mentor other scientists, guide their day‑to‑day experimental work and help shape how the team works together. You will also work closely with engineers and computational researchers across Meridial.

• Perform complex survival neurosurgery in mice, including stereotaxic viral injections; cranial‑window, GRIN‑lens and prism implantation; and preparation of animals for chronic imaging and optogenetic manipulation experiments.
• Perform high‑quality in vivo two‑photon imaging, including longitudinal imaging of the same animals over weeks to months.
• Design and run optogenetic experiments to interrogate and manipulate neural circuits.
• Oversee animal colony management, working with the animal facility staff responsible for day‑to‑day husbandry, to ensure appropriate breeding, colony planning and high standards of animal welfare.
• Monitor experimental quality and animal welfare throughout longitudinal studies and identify sources of variability or failure.

• Define and establish detailed experimental protocols, SOPs and workflows.
• Optimise surgical and experimental procedures to improve preparation quality, experimental success rates, reproducibility and long‑term stability.
• Develop, test and validate new surgical, imaging and experimental approaches. Troubleshoot complex problems systematically and set quantitative quality‑control criteria.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, molecular tools and experimental methods relevant to Meridial’s platform.
• Contribute scientific expertise to the specification, testing and improvement of microscopes, behavioural apparatus and other experimental systems in collaboration with the Engineering Team.
• Work with the Computational Team to integrate experimental design, data acquisition and analysis, and to make sure data and metadata meet the standards needed for open sharing.
• Help develop and apply analysis approaches for imaging and optogenetic data, from data‑quality assessment to the interpretation of neural activity and connectivity.

• Contribute to experimental…