Post-Doctoral Associate

About the Job

The Center for Developmental Neuroimaging (CDNI) is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join our team at the University of Minnesota's Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) under the direction of Drs. Julia Moser and Jesse Kowalski. This position will focus on infant neuroimaging projects.

CDNI is housed at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain at the University of Minnesota. Our work focuses on advancing the understanding of brain development in health and disease. We are an interdisciplinary team of researchers trying to:

* Understand basic principles of brain functioning across development (i.e. figure out how the brain works)

* Learn about how neuropsychiatric and other brain-based disorders develop and progress over time

* Contribute to the prevention and treatment of brain-based disorders

* Engage underrepresented communities in all aspects of academic medicine and research

To learn more about CDNI and current research studies, please visit the website: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

The scholar will be able to draw on world-class neuroimaging facilities and training at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR), including ultra- high resolution 7T imaging. Our group is strongly committed to professional development and personalizing the postdoc experience. We encourage applications from diverse candidates and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive research environment.

Job Responsibilities

Data Analysis and Publication (70%)

* Manage and curate large-scale infant neuroimaging datasets including the Baby Connectome Project and an anomalous clinical dataset for brain segmentation model training.

* Support generation and testing of improvements for codebases for the analysis of normative and clinical datasets using supercomputing cluster resources.

* Test hypothesis around developmental plasticity metrics derived from structural and functional MRI data.

* Apply deep learning approaches to support optimization of segmentation methods for clinical neuroimaging datasets.

* Investigate developmental differences in infant brain functional networks.

* Support students and trainees involved in infant data processing and analysis.

* Present novel discoveries at international conferences.

* Publish research findings in peer reviewed journals.

* Pursue your own research interests within the broader theme of the position.

Data Acquisition Methods and Practice (20%)

* Support staff involved in infant neuroimaging projects.

* Supervise students involved in infant neuroimaging projects.

* Support the PI with analysis of data from different data acquisition techniques to inform best practices for infant fMRI data acquisition.

* Support implementation of novel motor task paradigm for infant neuroimaging.

* Lead documentation efforts for infant neuroimaging techniques to promote standardization across study members.

Other Lab Duties (10%)

* Attend mandatory center, lab and team meetings.

* Share feedback and assist other lab members when they are stuck on a project.

* Collegial conduct towards trainees, staff members and members of the research group.

* Adherence to all applicable University policies, procedures and regulations. All data, research records and materials and other intellectual property generated in University laboratories remain the property of the University.

* Collaborate with a diverse team of researchers, including the PI, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other trainees.

Qualifications

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

Required Qualifications

* PhD in neuroscience, computer science, biostatistics, psychology, cognitive science, or a related field.

* Strong experience in neuroimaging data analysis and interpretation.

* Strong experience with coding, particularly Python, and utilization and management of codebases such as Github.

* Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team.

* Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills.

* Strong record of scientific publication.

Preferred Qualifications

* Experience in analysis of infant brain imaging data and/or anomalous neuroimaging data (e.g. perinatal brain injury, ventriculomegaly).

* Experience in machine learning statistical methods.

* Experience in the acquisition of infant neuroimaging data.

* Prior experience working with infants and children in a research setting.

* Enthusiasm for exploring new research directions in collaboration with the PIs.

About the Department

The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) is dedicated to fostering the healthy brain function of children across the lifespan with the mission to set and maintain a healthy trajectory for all children toward positive life outcomes through early neurobehavioral and mental health assessment, innovative targeted interventions, informed policy-making, compassionate child-advocacy, and community education. The MIDB's mission of basic and clinical research in…