Description
Postdoctoral Scholar ¿ Biological Sciences
Duration: One-year position (subject to renewal)
Salary: Negotiable
Position Overview
The Department of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in neuroscience or a related field.
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar with a strong background in neuroscience, neurodevelopmental conditions, and genetics. This opportunity is available immediately and the successful candidate will play a leading role in interdisciplinary research aimed at determining the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on genetic diseases. This will take the form of exploring outcomes in ongoing cohorts of individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), utilizing existing biobank datasets, as well as screening for the interactive effects of alcohol exposure in genetic mutant rodent models.
The successful candidate will join Dr. Bodnar¿s Health Generations Research laboratory, which broadly examines how a variety of exposures and experiences alter neurodevelopment and how this impacts risk vs. resilience to health conditions, including mental health problems, over the lifespan. The research involves a translational approach, including the use of pre-clinical animal models and studies involving clinical populations, and Indigenous community partnerships.
The position is located at the University of Calgary (main campus), with regular (1 ¿ 3 times/week) travel to the Child Development Centre (Alberta Children¿s Hospital).
Position Description
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
¿ Keeping up-to-date with scientific advances (e.g., literature reviews, meetings, new techniques)
¿ Recruitment and enrolment of study participants, including community engagement
¿ Engaging professionally and respectfully with research participants (individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder) and maintaining confidentiality
¿ Completing research study interview including completing standardized assessments and basic health questionnaires and measures
¿ Preparing manuscripts and presenting results at research conferences
¿ Engaging in knowledge translation in partnership with individuals with living experience
¿ Collaborating with other researchers, and technical staff
¿ Mentoring graduate and undergraduate lab members
¿ Reporting to Dr. Bodnar and the team on the progress during regular lab meetings
Qualifications/Requirements:
¿ PhD in neuroscience, molecular genetics or a related field within the las 0-36 months
¿ A demonstrated track record of scientific productivity
¿ Experience will molecular biology (e.g., ELISA, qPCR, next generation sequencing etc)
¿ Demonstrated excellent communication, organization, and problem solving skills
¿ Past experience working with clinical populations is required
¿ Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail and ability to work independently and part of a team
¿ Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
¿ Past experience partnering with Indigenous communities would be considered an asset
¿ Training and experience in phlebotomy and/or the medical field would be considered an asset (but not required)
¿ Experience using Qualtrics, Redcap, Canva, GraphPad, SPSS, R, and related software
¿ Previous experience working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders would be considered an asset
¿ Must be open to learning and development, and be willing to accept new challenges
¿ Ability to deal with simultaneous priorities and competing timelines in an effective, efficient and professional manner
Application Details:
The position will remain open until filled. Please send a single PDF file containing:
¿ A brief cover letter outlining interest in this position and detailing qualifications
¿ CV and publication list or link
¿ Names and contact information for three professional references
Email to: tamara.bodnar@ucalgary.ca with the subject line ¿postdoc position application¿
Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders' in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).
