Laboratory Research Officer - Schaefer Lab

In the:
Role descriptor: Works as part of a team to provide scientific and/or technical support to staff, students and more senior colleagues. Works on straightforward tasks within well-established routines and procedures under regular, direct supervision and sometimes while undergoing formal training.
Deadline for applications has passed.

Key information

Job reference
R824
Salary
From £25,750 per annum, subject to skills and experience
Applications closed
14 August 2022, 23:59 BST
Hours per week
36 (full time)
Contact
Email administrator
Posted 03 August 2022
Background texture taken from the lab imagery.

Laboratory Research Officer – Schaefer Lab

Reports to: Andreas Schaefer, Principal Group Leader

This is a full-time fixed term (12 months) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Summary

At Sensory Circuits and Neurotechnology Laboratory, we are studying how behaviour emerges from the coordinated activity of large, mammalian brain networks. We are using existing (e.g. Neuropixels) as well as developing new (CHIME), cutting-edge recording techniques and analytic methods to address these questions.

Project Summary 

We are looking for an experienced and passionate data engineer to develop a reliable pipeline for the analysis of our large-scale neurophysiology data that is being recorded at our lab. As the lab’s data engineer, your main goal will be to establish a reliable and efficient framework for the processing of recording, optimizing spike-sorting algorithms, and time-aligning recordings as well as the image analysis needed for the localization of neuronal probes in brain sections. An important aspect of the job will be to establish best practices for data storage, file formats and process logging.

To succeed in this data engineering position, you should have strong analytical skills and the ability to combine data from different sources and be ready to adopt several programming languages.

If you are detail-oriented, with excellent organizational skills and experience in this data analysis, we’d like to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

·Design a data analysis pipeline for large-scale electrophysiology

·Implement a function library for neurophysiologists

·Establish best data-analysis practices for the lab

·Conduct complex data analysis and report on results

·Implement, test and optimize available spike-sorting algorithms

·Combine raw information from different sources

·Explore ways to enhance data quality and reliability

·Collaborate with neuroscientists on projects

Key experience and competencies 

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, imaginative, open, dynamic and collegial, in addition to the following: 

Essential

  • Previous experience as a data engineer in scientific projects
  • Expertise with statistical data analysis, linear algebra, dimensionality reduction
  • Knowledge of more than one of [Python, Matlab, C, C++, Java, R, Julia]
  • Excellent collaboration skills, ability to communicate effectively

Desirable

  • Experience in image analysis
  • Experience in machine learning
  • Degree in Computer Science, IT, or similar field

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