BIG DATA IT MANAGEMENT AND AUTOMATION IN NEUROMORPHO.ORG

George Mason University, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study in Fairfax, VA (USA), invites applications for a full-time doctoral student graduate research assistant position available immediately in the Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, and Plasticity (krasnow1.gmu.edu/cn3) headed by Prof. Giorgio Ascoli. To be considered for this position, applicants must apply to the PhD program in Bioengineering at George Mason University (http://volgenau.gmu.edu/doctoral-degrees) following the instructions below.

The successful applicant will join a collaborative multidisciplinary team at the cutting edge of the development and dissemination of digital tools and resources for neuroscience. The Ascoli Lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, and Keck. This position is particularly suited for computationally minded researchers seeking exposure to the burgeoning field of big data in neuroinformatics.

The candidate will join the NeuroMorpho.Org project -- a free, public, centralized repository of neuronal digital reconstructions. NeuroMorpho.Org has firmly established itself as a powerful resource for the neuroscience community, with millions of downloads and data usage in over 200 publications by other labs since its 2006 public release. Its version 5.7 contains over 148,000 internal data files pertaining to more than 11,000 neuronal reconstructions contributed by 144 laboratories worldwide from 24 species and 95 brain regions.

The pre-doctoral fellow will work within the CN3 research group and will be tasked with a variety of activities including design of new Information Technology (IT) solutions to enhance the performance of existing software and hardware infrastructure. Due to the growing pace of the field, the recipient will be also responsible for tuning and implementing the next generation support for Big Data handling of digital neuronal reconstructions.

Desired qualifications include:
1. proficiency in C/C++, Java and Python;
2. experience in Unix/Linux server administration;
    MySQL design and administration;
    web technologies and API web services;
    content management systems; and
3. a BS/MS in Computer Science, Information/Systems/Software Engineering or a similar field.
Knowledge in task analysis automation and interest in neuroscience are a plus.

The position includes a $22,000/year 12 months-stipend (20 hours/week during academic year, 40 hours/week during summer) in addition to health insurance and up to 18 credits per year of tuition coverage in the Volgenau school of Engineering.

To apply, please follow the PhD application instructions (http://volgenau.gmu.edu/how-to-apply). Include the wording "Neuroinformatics fellowship in Prof. Giorgio Ascoli's lab" in both your research/interest statement and cover letter. After submitting the application material, please also forward a copy of your resume, research/interest statement, and cover letter directly to ascoli@gmu.edu with subject "Bioengineering PhD candidate".

JOB OPENING IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE

A post-doctoral position is available immediately to contribute to ongoing cutting-edge neuroinformatics research funded by NIH under the Human Brain Project. The initial focus is on computational modeling and simulations of dendritic morphology, neuronal connectivity, and electrophysiology. Post-doc will join the Computational Neuroanatomy Group, an interdisciplinary, dynamic, and creative research group at George Mason University’s Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, located in northern Virginia (20 miles west of Washington DC). The successful applicant will be hired as a Research Assistant Professor, with salary based on the NIH postdoctoral scale and state employee benefits. Generous office space, new computers, and full-time access to Silicon Graphics and Linux servers will be also provided.

Research experience with either programming languages (e.g. C++, JAVA), modelling packages (e.g. MatLab, NEURON), or experimental neuroanatomy/electrophysiology is desirable. All highly motivated candidates with a recent PhD in biology, computer science, physics, psychology, or other areas related to neuroscience (including MD or engineering degree) are encouraged to apply. Send resume, (p)reprints, a 1-page description of your motivation, and 3 recommendation letters to:

Giorgio Ascoli, PhD
Computational Neuroanatomy Group
Krasnow Institue for Advanced Study
George Mason University, MS2A1
4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

ascoli@gmu.edu

There is no deadline but the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found. Non-resident aliens are welcome to apply. George Mason University is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer.

THESIS SLOT AVAILABLE FOR NEUROSCIENCE PROJECT

The Computational Neuroanatomy Group (CNG) at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study have thesis slots available for PhD and MS graduate students from the greater Washington DC area (medicine, psychology, biology, computer science, physics, mathematics, bioinformatics, engineering etc.). The CNG is a young and dynamic research group within the Krasnow Institute, a private, non-profit research institution located on the the campus of George Mason University, in Fairfax, VA (<20 miles west of Washington DC). The advisor or co-advisor for the student would be CNG principal investigator (Dr. Ascoli), who holds faculty positions in the department of Psychology, the Neuroscience Program, and the School of Computational Sciences at Mason.

Research projects involve the computer generation of 3D neuronal structures and the computational study of the relationship between neuronal anatomy and physiology. Candidates should have either a biological (neuro preferred) background, or programming skills (C/C++, statistical packages). Student will be given full intellectual credit in both software distribution copyrights and scientific publications coauthorships. Interest and motivation are required, but the research schedule is very flexible (part-time or full-time, evening and week-end possible). Graduate fellowships are also available. Send CV and a brief description of your motivation to: ascoli@gmu.edu (or by fax at the number below). Non-resident aliens are also welcome to apply.

Contact: Giorgio Ascoli, PhD
Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study
at George Mason University, MS2A1
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
Ph. (703)993-4383 Fax (703)993-4325



Computational Neuroanatomy Group: http://krasnow1.gmu.edu/cn3/index3.html
Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study: http://krasnow.gmu.edu
George Mason University: http://www3.gmu.edu

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