Postdoctoral Research Position

Position overview

Salary range : $69,073 - $82,836

Application Window

Open date : October 10, 2025

Next review date : Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date : Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 at 11 : 59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

Position description

The Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, at the University of California, Los Angeles invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Position. The laboratory is located within the Center for Health Sciences at UCLA under the direction of Dr. Massaly addressing topics related to pain, negative affect, and substance use disorders.

The Massaly Lab aims to elucidate how pain alters neuronal activity, how these changes influence the rewarding and aversive properties of stimuli, and how they contribute to vulnerability to substance use disorders. Our long-term goal is to identify novel mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to improve pain management. For additional information about our ongoing projects, we encourage you to go and visit www.massalylab.com . The Massaly Lab is seeking highly motivated, creative, and dedicated postdoctoral candidates with a strong background in pain, affective neuroscience, and / or substance use disorders who wish to build upon their prior research experience and contribute to a dynamic and collaborative research environment.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

Appointee must possess a recent doctorate degree, in the field of neurosciences, opioid pharmacology or related disciplines.

Preferred qualifications

Candidates with prior training in one or more of the following areas are especially encouraged to apply :

• Behavioral analysis of pain and substance use disorders in rodent models
• Endogenous opioid systems and pharmacology
• Neuronal circuit tracing
• Optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches
• Fiber photometry

Application Requirements

Document requirements

Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

Cover Letter

Statement of Research (Optional)

UCLA Mission Statement - As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of the state of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.

The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows :

Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles

Expand our reach as a global university

Enhance our research and creative activities

Elevate how we teach

Become a more effective institution

Prompt for candidates for recruitment :

Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service

Reference requirements

Names and email addresses of three professional references

Apply link :

https : / / recruit.apo.ucla.edu / JPF10647

Help contact : polivo@mednet.ucla.edu

About UCLA

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and / or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties

Job location

Los Angeles, CA