Research Assistant position at Department of Neuroscience

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Copenhagen is looking for a Research Assistant to join The Bellardita Laboratory. The position is scheduled to commence on February 10, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Our group and research
The Bellardita Laboratory focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying motor control and recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Using a combination of advanced techniques including mouse models, pharmacology, kinematic analysis, and neural modulation, our research aims to uncover principles of neural circuit plasticity and recovery. The group comprises an interdisciplinary team working in a collaborative and stimulating environment.

Job description
We are seeking a highly motivated Research Assistant to contribute to ongoing projects investigating recovery after spinal cord injury. The position involves working with mouse models of SCI, including contusion injuries at thoracic levels, behavioral assays, pharmacological interventions, and kinematic analysis.

The work tasks will be:

• Performing thoracic spinal cord contusion injuries using established protocols.
• Conducting behavioral tests, including locomotor assays and other relevant tasks.
• Administering pharmacological treatments and conducting post-surgical care.
• Quantifying kinematic parameters using advanced analysis software.
• Assisting with histological and immunohistochemical procedures for post-mortem analysis.
• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to data analysis and manuscript preparation.

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants:
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, such as neuroscience, pharmacology, or human biology. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years). Further, the applicants should have already european and danish certifications for working on experimental animals.

Important criteria are:

• Demonstrated experience in mouse models of spinal cord injury, particularly thoracic contusion injuries.
• Hands-on experience with behavioral tests and kinematic parameter quantification.
• Proficiency in surgical procedures and post-operative animal care.
• Familiarity with pharmacological interventions in animal models.
• Previous publications or relevant work experience in the field.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• A curious mindset with a strong interest in neural circuit mechanisms and recovery.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both oral and written.

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories equipped for advanced behavioral, surgical, and imaging studies.

Terms of salary, work, and employment:
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 1 year. The start date is February 10, 2025, or after agreement.

Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 32,900 DKK/Roughly 4,400 EUR (April 2024 level) plus pension.

Questions
For questions, contact PI Prof. Carmelo Bellardita at cbellardita@sund.ku.dk 

Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. The application must include the following documents in PDF format: 

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

2. CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

3. Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for a Research Assistant employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database .

Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science

4. Publication list (if possible)

Application deadline:  15th of December 2024 at 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor.

The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You find information about the recruitment process at: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicants will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held in the second week of January 2025

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.