Job Description

About Meridial

Meridial is a Focused Research Organisation (FRO) with a mission to bring connectomics into the living brain. We are building a platform for longitudinal, synapse-resolution mapping of functional neural circuitry in preclinical models. Our aim is to deploy this platform for translational projects and improve drug development outcomes for disorders of the central nervous system.

Meridial is a new not-for-profit FRO in the Convergent Research Ecosystem and funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).

About the role

Meridial is seeking an experimental neuroscientist to join our team as Associate Scientist – In Vivo Neuroscience.

This is a hands-on role. You will carry out neurosurgery, longitudinal two-photon imaging and optogenetic experiments in mice as part of Meridial’s programme to develop advanced 3D imaging and photostimulation technologies for functional mapping of neural circuits.

We are looking for a scientist with strong practical and experimental skills. You should already have substantial hands-on experience with mouse neurosurgery and in vivo two-photon imaging and be motivated to develop these skills further.

You will join a small Experimental Team that will grow over the coming year, and will be able to contribute to the development of protocols and workflows from an early stage. You will report to the Director of Experimental Research and will receive hands-on training and mentoring from more senior scientists in the team. You will also work closely with engineers and computational researchers across Meridial.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform survival neurosurgery in mice, including stereotaxic viral injections, cranial-window implantation and preparation of animals for chronic imaging and manipulation.
• Carry out high-quality in vivo two-photon imaging, including longitudinal imaging of the same animals over weeks to months.
• Run optogenetic experiments to interrogate and manipulate neural circuits.
• Support the implementation of viral and transgenic strategies for functional imaging, circuit manipulation and anatomical investigation.
• Support animal colony management, working with senior team members and animal facility staff, including tracking breeding and experimental requirements.
• Monitor preparation quality and animal welfare throughout longitudinal studies and help identify and resolve technical problems with more senior scientists.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of experimental procedures and outcomes.
• Follow the team’s surgical and experimental protocols and contribute to their development, optimisation and documentation as SOPs.
• Help test, evaluate and optimise new surgical, imaging and experimental approaches, including systematic evaluation of variables that affect preparation quality, reproducibility and long-term stability.
• Help test and improve microscopes, behavioural apparatus and other experimental systems in collaboration with the Engineering Team.
• Work with the Computational Team to support data acquisition, data-quality assessment and analysis, and to make sure data and metadata meet the standards needed for open sharing.
• Contribute to experimental planning, interpretation and discussion within the Experimental Team.
• Communicate results, technical problems and observations clearly to colleagues across disciplines.
• Share technical expertise and good experimental practice with other team members.
• Uphold high standards of experimental rigour, reproducibility and animal welfare.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Physical Demands

The Person We Are Looking For

You are a careful and motivated experimental neuroscientist who enjoys hands-on laboratory work and wants to build expertise in advanced in vivo methods. You take pride in producing reliable, high-quality preparations and data. When troubleshooting, you investigate the likely causes and work with more senior scientists to put solutions in place.

You are keen to learn new techniques, receptive to guidance and ready to take on more responsibility as your expertise grows. At the same time, you think critically about the experiments you perform and contribute ideas for improving methods and experimental design. You will enjoy working in a small, growing team alongside engineers and computational researchers.

Position Type / Schedule

Additional Information

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law or company policy. We strive for a diverse, healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.