2 Postdoctoral Fellow Positions (1 – 5 years) Full-time NEW

The Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute (GCNI) and the Department of Psychiatry are seeking two Postdoctoral Fellows or Research Associates to contribute to neuroscience projects that bridge insights between systems and computational neuroscience. We are offering one computational and one experimental position.

The successful candidates will work collaboratively with each other and with the Neural Computational Lab to advance translational understanding of the mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. They will also play a key role in developing experimental pipelines, quantitative methods, and computational models to analyse biological and clinical data that complement the development in the lab, GCNI, and Department of Psychiatry.

The lab works with both local and international collaborators, including:

• University College London, United Kingdom;
• Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany;
• Karolinska Institutet, Sweden;
• Columbia University, United States;
• Princeton University, United States;
• City University of Hong Kong;
• The International Brain Lab, a global consortium of twenty-two neuroscience labs dedicated to decoding the neural basis of decision-making.

Projects and Opportunities

The lab’s current projects focus on leveraging brain-wide datasets from high-density in vivo electrophysiology, transcriptomics, mouse models and telemetry EEG/EMG recordings to:

• Study cell-type-specific, circuit-based neuropathological conditions;
• Develop statistical and computational models;
• Investigate how systemic dynamics, such as the gut-brain axis and inflammation, contribute to neuropathologies.

The position offers highly motivated researchers the opportunity to contribute to current projects, alongside with protected time to develop their own research that synergised with the lab. The appointment is for 1 to 5 years, subjected to approval after propagational assessment, regular performance review, and mutual agreement. The candidates will be supported to progress to Research Assistant Professor or tenure-track position. Pay is subject to experience but highly competitive.

We are particularly interested in applicants who can take advantage of both fundamental research opportunities using animal models and patient-facing research.

I would be happy to meet at COSYNE 2026 to discuss further.

Eligibility

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

1. Qualifications: A PhD in a relevant discipline, such as neuroscience, biomedical sciences, engineering, computational science, or quantitative sciences (e.g., physics or statistics).
2. Technical Skills: Proficiency in signal processing techniques, advanced data science, quantitative skills, and Python (with a focus on libraries such as NumPy, Scikit-learn, and TensorFlow) is essential. For candidates with a purely computational or quantitative background, experience with PyTorch and computational modelling (e.g., circuit modelling and detailed biophysical modelling) is highly desirable.
3. Team Spirit: A commitment to fostering fair, positive, and equitable environments within the team. As a senior team member, a key responsibility of this role is to provide support and guidance to other team members while maintaining a collaborative and supportive team dynamic.
4. Communication: Excellent English communication and academic writing skills.
5. Self-Motivation: A strong ability to take ownership of research projects, demonstrating initiative and problem-solving skills.

Experience in psychiatric disorder research, in vivo recording combined with behavioural measurement, quantitative analysis, computational neuroscience, and detailed biological modelling is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting and developing analysis and computational models to study neural, behavioural, and other biological data
• Developing and maintaining experimental, analytical, and methodological pipelines
• Supporting other projects within the group
• Supervising and mentoring trainees in the group
• Disseminating research findings through presentations and publications
• Collaborating with colleagues within and outside the lab
• Performing other tasks as assigned

About CUHK and the Department of Psychiatry

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is ranked 36th in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and 28th in Medicine. The Department of Psychiatry fosters vibrant collaborations among clinicians, AI specialists, and molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscientists.

The Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute (GCNI)

GCNI is a purpose-built research institute dedicated to advancing cutting-edge fundamental research while expanding translational applications through three specialised research themes:

1. Investigating brain ageing and its applications in neurological diseases.
2. Studying neurogenetics and developing functional restoration therapeutics for neurological disorders.
3. Deconstructing neural circuit intercommunications to understand disease mechanisms.

The successful candidates will contribute to the advancement of neural circuit research, with a particular focus on across-brain regions, high-density, and cross-modality in vivo neurophysiological understanding from mouse models, as well as translational neuroscience research for psychiatric disorders.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should contact me at yaupoklau(a)cuhk.edu.hk to discuss the project. Please include the following supporting information:

1. A curriculum vitae, including a list of publications ;
2. The names and email addresses of three referees; and
3. A cover letter outlining their research proposal and interest in the position (as the initial email).

Application Procedure

Then short-listed candidates would have the opportunity to meet the team before a formal application through the University online application system at University Career webportal.

For further information about the position, please contact Petrina Lau at yaupoklau(a)cuhk.edu.hk.

Tagged as: Life Sciences