Position Summary

The Department of Translational Neuroscience (TN) seeks a postdoctoral scientist for its newest research group. This research group is part of the Parkinson's and Alzheimer's research teams housed in Translational Neuroscience at the Grand Rapids Research Center. The candidate will receive a highly competitive salary package above the NIH pay scale and commensurate with the experience. Dr. Shreesh Sammi, a federally funded principal investigator (PI), studies the interplay between environmental toxicants and dopaminergic and other neurons across multiple model systems. He is seeking a postdoctoral scientist to join his team. The postdoctoral scientist will work on projects to identify mechanisms of PFAS-associated neurotoxicity and assess their role in the development of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Development of medium-to-high throughput studies for screening/identification of environmental toxicants, promising drug candidates, and RNAi for identifying phenotypes/mechanisms specific to neurodegenerative disorders will also be collaboratively undertaken between the PI and postdoctoral scientists.  Applicants should have experience in molecular biology techniques, gene expression, and genetics. Prior experience working with neuronal cell culture, inducible pluripotent stem cells, and/or C. elegans models is strongly desired.  Expertise with rodent models is also highly sought, as results from cellular and invertebrate models will be translated to higher-order vertebrates. While prior training on iPSCs or C. elegans is highly desirable, candidates with expertise in other model systems or interest/background in the field of neurotoxicology and neurodegenerative disorders are encouraged to apply. The PI is committed to training successful applicants in areas where they lack such expertise. The ideal postdoctoral candidate should have a strong passion for pursuing research in neurodegenerative disorders and, be proficient in experimental design, execution, data analyses, and have excellent written and communication skills as they will be expected to prepare, present, defend, and publish the results of the team's research. As senior members of the research group, postdoctoral scientists will also help oversee and mentor graduate and undergraduate students while advancing their own training.  The PI and the Department of Translational Neuroscience are committed to ensuring postdoctoral scientists receive high-quality mentoring and career development based on stated long-term interests and goals. The PI and collaborating department faculty will coach postdoctoral scientists to help them attain their own research support (through fellowships and grants), facilitate networking opportunities, provide resources for travel to scientific meetings, and ensure that their career development activities align with their stated goals.  Robust mechanisms such as TN-Individual Development Plan Committee (TN-IDP) are in place within the department committed to the postdoctoral fellows' outstanding professional growth. The TN-IDP comprises 5 TN senior faculty members, a postdoctoral fellow, and a graduate student representative. Each mentee in the department meets biannually with their mentor and two assigned faculty liaisons from the TN IDP committee, with the goal of developing a structured plan entailing the management of mentor/mentee expectations, facilitation of communication and problem-solving, and identification of areas for professional development and promotion of research excellence and rigor. TN departmental funding and additional training resources are also provided for professional development activities. Members of the Sammi Lab regularly travel to present their research at international research conferences such as the Society of Toxicology and the Society for Neuroscience.  For the candidate without a C. elegans background, it will be a promising opportunity