PhD position - development of the midbrain dopamine system

You will work on your own project, supported by technicians and surrounded by colleagues that work with similar and other technologies. The project focuses on disentangling how dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain connect to other parts of the brain and how these connections change in disease. These aspects are important in disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and various psychiatric disorders. This is a full-time position, which will lead to a PhD thesis.

Knowledge of neuroscience and experience with mouse or rodent handling are required. Familiarity with microscopy and/or molecular or cell biological techniques are considered strengths. The candidate needs to have good writing and presenting skills and be proficient in English.

The research group of Jeroen Pasterkamp studies the mechanisms underlying neural circuit development and disease using a wide variety of techniques and approaches. The group is part of the Department of Translational Neuroscience, a preclinical research department within the Division Neuroscience of the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU). The research mission of the Department of Translational Neuroscience is to discover and delineate mechanisms and processes fundamental to the development of neural systems and the control of behavior, and to translate these to pathogenesis and disease models. The unique advantage of this department is its embedding in the clinical environment of UMCU and its multidisciplinary character. The Department’s toolkit includes light sheet microscopy, optogenetics, electrophysiology, an animal facility, viral vector generation, stem cell modelling, and more.

We seek a highly motivated and experienced PhD candidate with strong expertise in molecular and/or cellular neurobiology. It is essential that the applicant is able and interested in working in a unique multidisciplinary team with researchers from several universities involved in this project.

For additional information, please contact prof. dr. R.J. Pasterkamp (r.j.pasterkamp@umcutrecht.nl).

What we offer

• A salary between € 3.108 - € 3.939 gross per month (salary scale OIO), based on full-time employment (36 hours).
• Salary increase of 3% from July 2025, according to the collective labor agreement (cao).
• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 70% of the monthly contribution.
• 100% public transport reimbursement. Are you coming on foot, by bike or by car? You will then receive a reimbursement of € 0.18 per km (by car up to a max. of 40 km one way).
• Possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally.
• The option to select additional employment benefits in exchange for gross salary, such as purchasing a bicycle and memberships.