A fully funded part-time position (55%) of 12 months is available at the Center for Neuroscience Research of Lyon (CRNL) as part of the project “Cross-species Regulation of Action by Controllability: A Keystone of 5-HT Signaling?” (CRACK-5HT), funded by the ERC Starting Grant program (EU).
The overarching goal of this project is to identify the computational function(s) of serotonin signaling in the rodent brain and to examine the impact of endogenous and induced serotonin dynamics on prediction, learning, and decision-making processes.
The selected applicant will assist the recruitment of healthy and depressed participants in a neuroimaging (MEG) study, the supervision of the experimental sessions, and the analyses of acquired data. They will also contribute to the genotyping and histology protocols pertaining to rodent experiments (without any manipulation of living animals).
The ideal candidate for this position should have an excellent background in neuroscience or (bio-)engineering. However, talented students from any scientific domain are welcome to apply, provided they can clearly articulate their interest in this research project.
A good level of proficiency in English, both written and spoken, is important. The ability to speak French is required as this position involves interaction with patients. Applications will be evaluated based on merit, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or nationality.
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Academic excellence
Ability to articulate interests and motivations related to the project
Previous experience in neuroscience
Programming skills
Soft skills
In addition to these points, candidates are encouraged to highlight any other experience, skills, or competencies relevant to the project in their application.
The successful applicant will be supervised by Romain Ligneul (Principal Investigator, Chargé de Recherche at INSERM) and will also benefit from daily guidance provided by a senior postdoctoral researcher.
Fixed-term part-time (55%) contract of 12 months, with extension possible depending on funding availability.
Start date: first of January 2026.
Gross monthly salary: according to standard INSERM grids
Interested candidates should send a motivation letter, a CV and up to two references to romain.ligneul@inserm.fr with the subject line “ERC-RA-NEURO Application”.
Candidates are welcome to request clarification or additional information about the position/project before applying formally. In this case, write with the subject line “ERC-RA-NEURO Question”. Applications providing a generic motivation letter will not be processed.