Research Fellow (Post-doctoral)

Salary: As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £36,130

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to September 2026

Background

The Rezaval Lab at the University of Birmingham is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying decision-making, using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. 

Funded by the BBSRC, this project will combine innovative behavioural paradigms, neural circuit mapping, advanced genetics and two-photon calcium imaging to uncover how the brain selects between conflicting drives, and how these choices vary by context, internal state, and sex. The work builds on recent findings from our lab showing how flies prioritise competing needs such as mating, feeding, and threat avoidance (e.g. Cazalé-Debat et al., Nature, 2024; Cheriyamkunnel et al., Curr. Biol., 2021).

The lab is based at the Birmingham Centre for Neurogenetics within the School of Biosciences—an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment located in one of the UK’s most diverse and vibrant cities. Networking opportunities include visits to national and international collaborators (e.g. David Owald, Charité Berlin; Lisa Scheunemann, Free University).

Main Duties

• Work under the direct supervision of your PI, to carry out experiments, trouble-shoot, generate and analyse data, to deliver on this BBSRC funded research project aims.
• Focus on, adapt, learn new methods and develop research objectives and engage in the intellectual aspects of the project, to enable cutting edge discoveries.
• Design, plan and execute experiments to generate data for the project and analyse and interpret data.
• Collect research data through a variety of research methods, including scientific experimentation and keeping up with the relevant literature.
• Contribute to developing new experiments, techniques and methods, to trouble shooting and optimising protocols to ensure experiments run smoothly and to find creative solutions to solve scientific problems.
• Periodically and regularly write findings with figures to facilitate preparation of research publications.
• Apply knowledge and critical thinking to develop new intellectual understanding.
• Deal and aim to resolve problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and meeting project deadlines
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars and other presentations, together with your PI and other team members. This includes contributing to writing research papers and reviews, attending conferences (which could be abroad) and presenting talks and posters, and giving periodic presentation of progress reports at group meetings.

Person Specification

• First degree in Biology, Genetics, Neuroscience or related Life Sciences disciplines and a PhD (or near to completion) in Biology, Genetics, Neuroscience or related Life Sciences disciplines and/or equivalent research experience, are required. 
• Experience and skills in working with and coding in appropriate software for analysis of behaviour, e.g. R, MatLab and/or related, data curation and storage in open source sites, access to platforms and databases are desirable.
• Experience working with Drosophila behavioural neurogenetics would be an advantage.
• Skills in immunohystochemistry, laser scanning confocal microscopy and imaging. 

Informal enquiries to Dr Carolina Rezaval, email: c.rezaval@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

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