Principal Scientist, Epilepsy Research

Job title: Principal Scientist, Epilepsy Research

About the Role Lead and drive epilepsy research at The Jackson Laboratory, overseeing in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiology studies and translational therapeutic development. This senior role combines experimental leadership with strategy to advance preclinical models of drug-resistant and pediatric epilepsies. You will mentor a small team and collaborate across disciplines to generate high-quality preclinical data to support IND-enabling studies.

What You'll Do

• Design, execute, and lead seizure studies using established and novel mouse models of epilepsy (e.g., kainate, pilocarpine, kindling, genetic models such as Scn1a+/−).
• Plan and perform chronic in vivo electrophysiological recordings (EEG/LFP) to quantify seizure burden, inter-ictal activity, and network dynamics; oversee surgical implantation of recording electrodes and long-term telemetry monitoring.
• Develop and validate new in vivo model systems relevant to drug-resistant or pediatric epilepsies.
• Ex vivo brain slice preparation with patch-clamp and field potential recordings to characterize neuronal excitability and network activity; analyze pharmacological modulation.
• Serve as the primary electrophysiology lead in evaluating candidate therapeutics across preclinical models; design dose-response and time-course studies.
• Partner with medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and translational teams to align preclinical findings with clinical hypotheses; contribute to IND-enabling data packages and regulatory submissions.
• Lead a small team of researchers and associates, providing mentorship, experimental guidance, and career development support; ensure rigorous, reproducible science and present findings at internal reviews and external conferences.
• Build and maintain collaborations with academic KOLs, clinical epileptologists, and external partners; contribute to grant writing and IP generation as appropriate.

What We're Looking For

• PhD in Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Physiology, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of post-doctoral research experience with a demonstrated track record in epilepsy or seizure biology.
• Expert-level proficiency in in vivo electrophysiology, including EEG recording and analysis in rodent seizure models; expert-level brain slice preparation and patch-clamp/field potential electrophysiology.
• Extensive hands-on experience with rodent models of epilepsy and associated surgical, behavioral, and data analysis workflows.
• Direct experience contributing to preclinical therapeutic development programs, including target validation and compound profiling.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals relevant to epilepsy, ion channel biology, or CNS pharmacology.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, execute, and interpret complex experiments and communicate findings clearly.

Nice to Have

• Experience with genetic mouse models of epilepsy (e.g., Dravet syndrome, KCNQ2, CDKL5).
• Familiarity with advanced imaging modalities (e.g., calcium imaging, optogenetics) in the context of seizure research.
• Experience with translational biomarker development or clinical EEG interpretation.
• Prior experience in a biotech, pharma, or translational research environment.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations for preclinical CNS packages (FDA/EMA guidelines).
• Experience with gene therapy or RNA-based therapeutic modalities.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: USD 136,461 - 212,147 per year; salary determined by experience.
• Competitive compensation package including base salary, bonus, and equity. Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and generous PTO. Support for conference attendance, publications, and continued professional development.