POSITION OVERVIEW

Position title: Associate Project Scientist, Step 3
Salary range: $102,500

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The UCLA Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine (DAPM), in tandem with the Division of Molecular Medicine (DMM), is inviting applications for an Associate Project Scientist to become part of a growing team performing research on examining the mechanisms and neural circuits mediating pain, negative affective states, and developing new technologies to assess substance use disorders using a wide range of techniques to explore basic neuroscience questions. For more information, please make sure you visit our website at https://www.massalylab.com/

Responsibilities will include lab administration (equipment/rodent ordering, animal colony management, animal protocol updates); general communication (lab meeting/journal clubs organization); maintenance and care of current lab equipment, PPE and reagents; and contribution to research projects and involvement in conducting research. The candidate will be mentored to perform and master routine molecular and cellular biological procedures, ranging from immunohistochemistry to the western blot approaches as well as behavioral neuroscience.

The role of the future Associate Project Scientist will include but are not limited to:

1. Applicant will lead and supervise work conducted by research assistants and/or graduate students.
2. Applicant will prepare summaries, graphs, tables and interpretation of data for periodic reports, publications and presentations.
3. Applicant will contribute to planning and submitting of grants, and the preparation of manuscripts and based on research data.
4. Applicant will attend internal research meetings of the Integrative Center for Addictions, Brain research Institute, invited faculty seminars, journal club, and lab meetings.

Required experience and skills

1. The minimum educational requirement is a Ph.D. in neuroscience, physiology, or related fields.
2. Publication track record in preclinical models of pain and/or substance use disorders.
3. Knowledge of data analysis, videotracking, operant behavior (MedAssociates), and figure design (GraphPadPrism, Illustrator) softwares is required.
4. Must have high level of knowledge and experience in behavioral neurosciences and analysis for research projections, knowledge of designing research studies and methodology.
5. Experience in rodent models or pain and/or substance use disorders is mandatory.

The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See Table(s) https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2025-26/represented-july-2025-scales/t37-b.pdf. The targeted salary for this position is $102,500.

Interested applicants must submit:

1. A cover letter outlining academic interests and a brief statement about contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion* *Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Please see the following page for more details: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/governance/policies/1111.html)
2. A curriculum vitae with bibliography;
3. Contact information for three potential references to the application portal at http://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10463

For more information, please contact at Anesthesiology Academic Personnel at AnesAP@mednet.ucla.edu

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic qualifications
Ph.D. in Neurosciences, Physiology, or related fields

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Document requirements
• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research
• 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

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 check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
Reference requirements
• 3-5 required (contact information only)
Applicants are requested to provide contact information for 3 potential references in their UC Recruit application. Upon selection as a potential candidate(s), identified references will be contacted for letters. Candidates may be contacted to provide alternate references.

Apply link: http://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10463
Help contact: AnesAP@mednet.ucla.edu

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, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment