Lab Manager – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Operations
Are you someone with excellent organizational skills, strong scientific curiosity, and a knack for handling complex projects? Are you passionate about enabling great science and helping a cutting-edge laboratory operate at its best? Are you fluent in both English and Mandarin, and comfortable communicating across cultures and disciplines? If so — this position is for you!
The Laboratory of Computations of Cognition and Control (C3) at the International Center for Primate Brain Research (ICPBR) of the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology (CEBSIT) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is seeking to hire an experienced Lab Manager to help establish and operate a dynamic, international neuroscience laboratory in Shanghai.
In this role, you will work closely with the Principal Investigator and research team to build and manage a brand-new laboratory with the mission of discovering the neural mechanisms of cognition and their biomarkers — with the goal of advancing mental health. You will play a central role in setting up and maintaining the laboratory, managing diverse projects, and supporting both administrative and scientific operations. You will also be immersed in the exciting international research atmosphere of the ICPBR and of the C3 Lab at Songjiang District of Shanghai.
This full-time position is ideal for candidates with prior experience managing scientific laboratories and operations, who are highly organized, proactive, and passionate about enabling innovative research. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills (both spoken and written English and Mandarin), a strong problem-solving mindset, and the ability to handle multiple responsibilities with diligence and reliability.
Lab Description
Led by Dr. Amir Sajad, the C3 laboratory investigates how the brain exerts control over actions and makes decisions in dynamic and uncertain environments — functions that are central to cognition and often compromised in major neuropsychiatric disorders. The lab employs several cutting-edge techniques:
- Psychophysics and EEG in human populations
- Computational modeling of behavior and neural activity
- Non-human primate neurophysiology, including multi-areal recordings and interventions (EEG, stimulation, pharmacology)
As a founding team member, you will have the unique opportunity to help build this laboratory from the ground up — shaping its operations and contributing to its long-term success.
Roles and Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will vary depending on the stage of ongoing projects and will include, but are not limited to:
1. Laboratory setup and operations
- Budget management and purchasing of equipment
- Oversight of lab renovation and maintenance
- Maintenance and updating of the lab website
- Assistance with recruitment processes
- Communicating the needs and priorities of the PI to internal staff, external collaborators, and vendors (in English and/or Chinese)
- Helping with lab hardware setup, troubleshooting, and equipment testing
2. General lab organization
- Managing lab inventory and supplies
- Organizing experimental and administrative records
- Ensuring orderly maintenance of lab workspace and data storage
- Supporting planning, scheduling, and task management for the PI and team
3. General lab organization
- Supporting behavioral and electrophysiology experiments (humans and non-human primates), including assisting with experimental sessions (2-3 hours/day on average)
- Preparing written and/or verbal reports on the status of research and procedures
- Training animal models for handling and cognitive tasks
- Assisting with preparation and execution of procedures in animal models
4. Other duties
- Assisting with any other laboratory-related tasks as appropriate
Minimum Qualifications- Bachelor’s degree in Biological or Psychological Sciences or equivalent
- Prior experience in laboratory management or scientific operations (preference for those with relevant work experience)
- Highly reliable and punctual
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
- Excellent communication skills, with proven proficiency in English (spoken and written) and Mandarin
- Experience handling animals for research
- Strong team spirit and diligence in the workplace
- Strong computer skills for handling business and operational tasks (e.g. expense reports, spreadsheets, documents)
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with project management tools
- Ability to work occasional non-standard hours (average 2-3 hours/week as needed)
- Comfort with learning and operating new technologies and equipment
We are an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will receive full consideration and will be evaluated only based on their scientific abilities. We offer a competitive salary, health insurance and welfare benefits.
Applicants should submit a Curriculum Vitae (in both English and Chinese), Transcript, and Cover Letter (in both English and Chinese). This position needs to be filled immediately so applications will be considered on a rolling basis – with highest advantage to early applications. Please submit your application no later than July 18th 2025. To get more information and/or to apply, please contact Dr. Sajad (amir.sajad@icpbr.ac.cn).
The title of the application e-mail should follow the format of:
'Name + Lab Manager Position'
All application materials will be kept confidential. We will notify eligible candidates via email regarding interview arrangements. Salary, benefits, and other terms will be in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Brain Intelligence Excellence Center (Institute of Neuroscience).