Post-Doctoral Fellow – McLean Hospital

Post-Doctoral Fellow – McLean Hospital

McLean Hospital, America’s top ranked freestanding psychiatric hospital, is inviting applications for a post-doctoral fellow in Behavioral Biology located on our main campus in Belmont, MA.

The Integrative Neurochemistry Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital is seeking a highly motivated and creative Postdoctoral Fellow. There are a variety of preclinical projects to work on with a diverse team of experts in behavioral pharmacology, neurochemistry, and cognition biology.

Current research in our laboratory is focused on:

• Substance use disorders (SUD) including the analysis of behavioral and neuropharmacological factors that underlie the development of SUD-like phenotypes.
• Development of novel immunotherapeutic and pharmacological strategies for SUD.
• Neurochemical and cognitive consequences of spaceflight stressors.
• Impact of environmental stressors on brain neurochemistry and complex behavior.

Through this position, the successful post-doctoral fellow will conduct research using:

• Behavioral pharmacology techniques (e.g., intravenous self-administration, touchscreen-based cognition assays) in rodents and nonhuman primates, and the application of quantitative analyses to the study of drugs, drug-drug interactions, and behavior.
• A neurochemical approach (in vivo microdialysis including HPLC and LC-MS/MS bioanalytical skills) to understanding the biological impact of psychoactive drugs, environmental or non-drug stressors, and their interaction.

The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop an independent line of research. Additional structured opportunities for scientific and career development are provided by the Behavioral Biology Program and Basic Neuroscience Division at McLean Hospital. 

Salary and recruitment package in accordance with Hospital policies, and a Harvard Medical School appointment at the academic rank of Research Fellow will be contingent on meeting the requirements for an HMS appointment and candidate qualifications.

Qualifications:  Ph.D. degree in Behavioral Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Bioanalytical Neurochemistry, Experimental Psychology, or a related discipline. Strong interest in conducting SUD and stress-related research. Prior experience with rodent or non-human primate research is preferred but not essential.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae along with the names and addresses of three references by email to: Rajeev I. Desai, Ph.D., Director, Integrative Neurochemistry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, Email: rdesai@mclean.harvard.edu and the Registrar and Professional Staff Office at rpsomclean@partners.org

All McLean team members are expected to consistently demonstrate our values of integrity, compassion, respect, diversity, teamwork, excellence and innovation in their work activities and interactions.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.