The Cao Laboratory of Neuroscience and Chronobiology at Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is looking for motivated Postdoctoral Research Associates, Research Assistants, or international Visiting Scholars. The lab (https://rwjms.rutgers.edu/labs/ray-cao-lab/welcome) is interested in neuronal signaling mechanisms (the mTOR pathway, integrated stress response, etc) that control protein synthesis in the brain biological clock and the role of circadian clock dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders including autism and depression. Trainees will work with genetically modified mouse models utilizing a combination of molecular, cellular, and behavioral approaches.

Job Duties:
• Conduct laboratory research in neuroscience projects
• Design and perform experiments; collect and analyze data
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Engage in scientific communication at conferences and training of junior lab members

Required Qualifications:
• For the position of Postdoctoral Research Associate, a recent MD or PhD degree in neuroscience, chronobiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or related fields in biomedical sciences is required.
• For the position of Research Assistants or Visiting scholars, a master’s degree in biomedical sciences is required.
• At least two first-author research publications

Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrated research expertise in behavioral neuroscience, e.g., mouse social behavior tests, memory tests, stereotaxic mouse brain surgery, etc. OR
• Demonstrated research expertise in molecular and cellular neuroscience, e.g., mammalian neuronal or brain slice culture, confocal or two-photon microscopy, electrophysiological recordings (intracellular or whole-cell patch-clamp), western blotting, immunoprecipitation, ribosome profiling, ChIP-seq, qRT-PCR, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, or viral-mediated gene silencing, etc. OR
• Demonstrated research expertise in the bioinformatical analysis of omics data (RNA-seq, Ribo-seq, proteomics, etc)
• Experience in using Adobe Creative Cloud, GraphPad Prism, BioRender, SPSS, etc.
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Self-motivated. efficient, well-organized, and hardworking
• Ability to work independently or within a team

Salaries and full benefits will be provided. Postdoc salaries will be based on the NIH scale or higher, commensurate with merits and negotiable. The lab has an excellent track record of postdoctoral training. Former postdoctoral trainees in the lab successfully published as first authors in highly prestigious journals such as PNAS, Neuron, and Molecular Psychiatry.

Rutgers University is ranked among the top 15 public universities by U.S. News. The Piscataway campus is located at the center of the Northeast corridor, with access to New York City, Philadelphia, and the New Jersey shore within an hour’s drive. The region is home to world-class universities, numerous pharmaceutical and biotech research facilities, and corporate headquarters. Piscataway and the surrounding areas in Central New Jersey offer vibrant and diverse cultural activities, excellent public and private schools, and opportunities to live in urban, suburban, or small-town settings within a short distance of campus.

To apply, please send a letter of intent, CV with a list of publications, names, and emails of three referees to Dr. Ruifeng (Ray) Cao at [email protected]. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the positions will remain open until filled.