Job Description

Stanford University’s Enigma project is reimagining the experimental neuroscience pipeline with big data and AI at its core. A central goal of the project is to build a foundation model of the visual brain—a “digital twin” that captures neural activity and intelligent behavior at unprecedented scale and resolution. This ambitious project spans multiple institutes including the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford Bio-X, and the Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute, bringing together experts in systems neuroscience, AI, and engineering. This ambitious initiative promises to offer unprecedented insights into the brain's algorithms of perception and cognition while serving as a key resource for aligning artificial intelligence models with human-like neural representations.

As part of this project, we are seeking talented postdoctoral researchers with an extensive background in experimental systems neuroscience and excellent quantitative skills. Ideal candidates will have several years of practical experience performing neuro-behavioral and/or neuro-physiological experiments, including visual stimulus design, eye tracking, MRI or large-scale electrophysiology techniques (ideally Neuropixels). Additionally, candidates should possess a strong background in quantitative fields such as Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, or Computer Science.

This is a collaborative, cross-functional team, and project assignments will be tailored to match each postdoc’s strengths and growth goals. If you are passionate about building high-quality neuroscience experiments and data systems in a highly interdisciplinary environment, we encourage you to apply.

You will work closely with teams led by Andreas Tolias (toliaslab.org), Tirin Moore (moorelabstanford.com), and other collaborators at Stanford.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Design and optimize large-scale electrophysiological and behavioral experiments using next generation custom-built hardware and software platforms
• Develop and implement end-to-end experimental paradigms, including behavioral training and tracking, multi-Neuropixels recordings, imaging- and function-based recording path registration, and data quality control pipelines.
• Collaborate closely with other teams in the Enigma Project to ensure efficient, scalable, and high-quality data collection and processing, with opportunities to explore scientific questions at the interface of neuroscience and AI in collaboration with theory and modeling teams.

Key qualifications:

• PhD in Neuroscience, Bioengineering, Electric Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related field
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Experience in either experimental neuroscience (e.g., in vivo neurophysiological recordings, behavioral training) or computational data analysis (e.g., spike sorting, neural signal processing)
• Excellent communication and collaborative skills
• A strong sense of curiosity and initiative, and a desire to collaboratively reimagine and reinvent traditional systems neuroscience methodologies

Preferred Qualifications

Note: These qualifications are not required. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who bring a subset of the following experience:

• Hands-on experience with Neuropixels or other large-scale electrophysiological recordings
• Experience designing, prototyping, and/or optimizing innovative experimental systems
• Strong background and extensive knowledge in visual neuroscience, including anatomy, physiology, and modeling of visual systems
• Background in developing visual, motor, or cognitive behavioral tasks and training animals
• Experience implementing and optimizing eye tracking, body tracking, and/or visual reality environments
• Proficiency in Python and scientific computing libraries
• Familiarity with spike sorting workflows (e.g., Kilosort, SpikeInterface) and neural data quality control
• Experience with imaging data processing, anatomical or functional registration, and 3D planning/reconstruction for recording trajectories

What We Offer

• A collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment spanning neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and systems engineering
• Opportunities to work with cutting-edge tools and contribute to high-impact neuroscience infrastructure
• Flexibility in project focus and opportunities to lead or co-lead initiatives based on your expertise
• Competitive salary and benefits
• Strong mentoring and career development support

Application

Please send your CV and a one-page statement of interest to: [email protected]

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