Bridging Cells and the Clinic to Uncover Causal Mechanisms of Anxiety Interventions at University of Aarhus
Job Description
Position as Postdoc within the research project Certain about uncertainty: bridging cells and the clinic to uncover causal mechanisms of anxiety interventions, funded by the Wellcome Trust. The position is available from February 1st, 2024 with a fixed-term 3-year full-time position.
Funding Body: Wellcome Trust, London, UK
Starting Date: February 1st, 2024
Duration: Fixed-term 3-year full-time position
Location: Nobelparken, Jens Chr. Skous Vej, 8000 Aarhus C
The university is keen for its staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their personal background.
Members of the academic staff at the School of Culture and Society are expected to contribute to a vibrant, enjoyable and friendly work environment. We emphasise the importance of active participation in the daily life of the department.
About the project and position
In situations of uncertainty, individuals often depend on environmental cues—those deemed predictable based on past experiences—to anticipate subsequent events. An inability to forecast these events can render any situation potentially threatening. An increasing body of evidence identifies intolerance of uncertainty as a significant risk factor in anxiety and other mental health disorders.
The successful candidate will design behavioural tasks and computational models to investigate how individuals comprehend various forms of uncertainty across different scenarios. While these tasks are designed for human participants, they should possess a translational quality suitable for adaptation to rodent models. The overarching objective of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of both medication and cognitive behavioural therapy in enhancing tolerance of uncertainty, drawing insights from psychopharmacological and clinical studies.
Tasks also include:
- Designing comprehensive experiments, encompassing psychopharmacological, clinical, and neuroimaging components
- Developing behavioural models to elucidate how individuals process learning in uncertain situations
- Data analysis and development of statistical models
- Overseeing data management
- Mentoring and training student assistants.
Required Qualifications for Applicants:
- Doctoral degree or equivalent qualifications in a relevant discipline (Cognitive Science, Medicine, Psychology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline)
- Expertise in experimental task design and computational modelling
- Proficiency in programming (Julia, Python, R, and Matlab)
- A professional level of English (spoken and written)
- Detail-oriented, methodical approach, excellent organizational and time-management skills
- Good interpersonal and collaborative attributes.
Desirable Skills:
- Familiarity with the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter
- Proven experience in clinical and pharmacological research
- Exposure to translational and preclinical research
- Experience in conducting neuroimaging (specifically MRI) experiments
Applicants who can document experience gained in similar roles will have an advantage, but this is not a requirement.
Application Requirements:
- Applications must be in English
- Include up to five publications
- Do NOT include letters of recommendation or references. These may be requested later for shortlisted candidates.
Work environment
Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. In order to maintain and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.
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