At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and conduct experiments in patch-clamp electrophysiology to explore brain mechanisms.
- Company: Join the Francis Crick Institute, Europe's largest biomedical research hub.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, health support, and professional development.
- Other info: Dynamic, inclusive environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make groundbreaking discoveries in neuroscience while collaborating with top scientists.
- Qualifications: PhD in Neuroscience or related field and expertise in patch-clamp electrophysiology required.
The predicted salary is between 45500 - 45500 £ per year.
Salary for this Role: From £45,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience.
Reports to: Jonny Kohl
Closing Date: 16/Aug/2026 23.59 GMT
Contract term: This is a full-time, fixed term (4 years) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.
About us: The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.
About the role: The Kohl lab uses a multidisciplinary strategy, ranging from in vivo calcium imaging and in vivo / ex vivo electrophysiology to behavioural profiling, viral circuit tracing and molecular approaches to investigate the neuronal and circuit-level mechanisms by which physiological states alter information processing in the brain. We are looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the lab on a 4-year fixed term contact. There is flexibility in the project choice, which will be jointly designed to match your interests. The key directions of the project will revolve around: (1) investigating how hormonal states and social experience modulate neuronal and circuit-level information processing across brain-wide parenting circuits, and (2) exploring how neurons within circuits for instinctive behaviours change their functional roles throughout life. You will employ slice electrophysiology and in vivo calcium imaging and/or electrophysiology, and other cutting-edge cellular and circuit-level techniques to study plasticity in instinctive behaviour circuits. Prior knowledge in patch-clamp electrophysiology is essential for this position. This multidisciplinary project will be performed in close collaboration with leading systems neuroscience groups at the Crick, providing a dynamic and highly supportive research environment and will give you a chance to work with various teams at the Crick. If you have expertise in patch clamp electrophysiology and are passionate about discovery research, we would love to hear from you.
Our team currently includes three postdocs, four PhD students, three research scientists, and one MSc student. We are committed to maintaining a supportive and collaborative research environment, and we particularly value collegiality and open scientific discussion.
What you will be doing: Some of your key responsibilities will focus on:
- Designing experiments
- Carrying out experimental protocols
- Analysing data
- Reporting findings
- Assisting and/or supervising junior members of staff
- Keeping records of experiments
- Developing projects
About you: You will have:
- PhD in Neuroscience or a related field or in the final stages of PhD submission
- Excellent knowledge and experience of patch clamp electrophysiology, preferably in brain slices
- Experience in data analysis in Python or MATLAB
- Track record of writing papers as evidenced by publications or submitted manuscripts in referred journals
- Evidence of data presentation at scientific meetings
About Working at the Crick: Our values: Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: weronika.kucala@crick.ac.uk
What will you receive? At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:
- Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK
- Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.
- Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.
- Health & Well-being: 24/7 GP consultation services. Occupational health services and mental health support programs. Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.
- Work-Life Balance: Back-up care for dependents. Childcare support allowance. Annual leave purchase options. Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.
- Perks: Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts. Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.
Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.
Postdoctoral Fellow - Patch-clamp electrophysiology (Kohl lab) in London employer: Francis Crick Institute
The Francis Crick Institute offers an exceptional environment for postdoctoral fellows, combining cutting-edge research with a strong commitment to mentorship and professional development. Located in London, the DiFrisco Lab fosters a collaborative and intellectually stimulating culture, providing access to high-performance computing, generous research funding, and opportunities for training that empower employees to grow their careers in theoretical biology and beyond.
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