Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

Position Summary

A postdoctoral position is available in the Wang Laboratory at Michigan State University. We areseeking a highly motivated individual to investigate cellular mechanism underlying memory consolidation and activity-dependent modification.

The Wang lab uses a variety of approaches to study the normal functions of neurons, synapses, and circuits in the mammalian brain, as well as the mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. For this position, we are particularly interested in individuals with expertise in in vivo calcium imaging in behaving animals and mouse models of learning and forgetting. However, all enthusiastic, curious, and ambitious candidates are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate(s) will have a Ph.D. in neuroscience or a related field and a track record of productivity. For more information about the lab please visit https://sites.google.com/msu.edu/wanglab?pli=1&authuser=0.

This is an off-date position funded for one year from the date of hire, with possible extension contingent upon funding renewal and satisfactory performance.

The duties to be performed by this position require in-person presence in East Lansing, MI, and are not compatible with remote work.

As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches. A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage. The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Neurophysiology and Neurobiology

Minimum Requirements

Ph.D in neuroscience or a related field

Desired Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Expertise in in vivo calcium imaging in behaving animals.
• Expertise in mouse models of learning and memory and forgetting.

Required Application Materials

• Resume/CV
• A list of three to five professional references and their contact information
• Cover Letter

Special Instructions

The University will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, complete the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities contact form here: https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/form/contact. Michigan State University is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty, and administrative staff.

Review of Applications Begins On

10/30/2026

Summary of Health Risks

Employees may work with or near human and/or animal blood and/or tissues; live animals; bio-hazardous chemicals and materials; viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens; radioactive materials; medical waste; and sharp implements.

Website

https://physiology.natsci.msu.edu/#:~:te

Department Statement

The Department of Physiology and Division of Pathology Division have significant teaching and research missions. The position works with a global community of internationally recognized scholars from diverse nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds; two large undergraduate majors (Physiology and Neuroscience) with approximately 1,200 majors combined; the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP) graduate program, popularly combined with professional degrees (MD, DO, DVM); and vibrant research programs in areas such as cancer biology, cardiac pathophysiology, diabetes and obesity, gastrointestinal health and disease, immunity and tissue inflammation, musculoskeletal diseases, molecular metabolism and disease, and neuroscience. The discipline of physiology is uniquely positioned among the biomedical sciences to span the gulf between exploring the most fundamental aspects of biology and the most practical and applied problems of human and animal health. Faculty in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University work to understand how the vast array of molecular and cellular events successfully integrate to define the phenomenon of human existence.

The Physiology Department Mission:

• Identify factors and molecules that promote health and disease.
• Understand mechanisms of disease progression.
• Improve overall human and animal health through identification of novel therapeutic targets and treatments. 
• Train future scientists in state-of-the-art physiology concepts & approaches.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.