Postdoctoral Researcher (Parkinson’s Disease computational research)

Post Date : 24-Feb-2026 Close Date : 10-Mar-2026 Job Title: Postdoctoral Researcher (Parkinson’s Disease computational research) Department: Physiology & Medical Physics Reporting to: Niamh Connolly Location: York House, York Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Contract/Duration: Specified purpose contract, up to12 months Remuneration: Up to IUA Post-doctoral Researcher Level 1 pt 2 Closing Date: At 23:45 on the 10th of March 2026 RCSI is a community of academic, research, clinical and professional staff working collaboratively to lead the world to better health. Here, you will thrive in an innovative and inclusive atmosphere and your personal development and wellbeing will be supported. We invite you to join us to help deliver on our exciting mission “To educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health”. We seek candidates whose experience to date has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to the “Race Equality Action Plan 2025-2029” at RCSI. Our students come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This makes our university stronger and ensures we hire the best talent. Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 is RCSI’s new five-year strategic plan. Through it, RCSI will enhance human health by meeting the health workforce needs of society, creating the insights and inventions that drive health improvements, and working in partnership with patients and the public in support of better health and well-being for all. The strategy unites the RCSI community in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on Goal 3, which targets good health and well-being. For each of the last six years, RCSI has been positioned in the Top 300 of universities worldwide in the Times Higher World University Rankings. We are proud that RCSI ranks first in the world for “Good Health and Well-being” in the Times Higher Education #SDG #SDG Impact Rankings 2025. This reflects our commitment to supporting people of all ages to live healthy lives and our work to promote the concepts of well-being and positive health. In 2024, RCSI was delighted to be named one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work in Ireland. At RCSI, our core values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship, and Innovation are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where every colleague is valued and empowered to thrive. Our dedication to these values ensures that we foster a culture of mutual respect, open collaboration, continuous learning, and innovative thinking. Join us at RCSI, where your contributions will be recognised, and you will be part of a dynamic team making a real impact on global health. About Our Research RCSI recognises that excellence in research is critical to the quality of its educational activities, its credibility, and, overall, to its mission to enhance human health. RCSI’s research strategy aims to build upon its strength in translational biomedical and clinical research to deliver transformational, high impact changes in health care. Targeting both Irish national and EU funding, along with increased collaboration with industry, is a major part of the RCSI research strategy. Forging increased collaboration between RCSI PIs and industry is of critical importance to achieving success in this area. RCSI is also committed to provide its researchers with the supports and developmental opportunities to enable them to continuously grow and support their overall career development. Summary of Post Parkinson’s Disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative condition worldwide, yet the gold-standard treatment has remained largely unchanged for the last 50 years. The disease is characterised by the progressive degeneration of specific neuronal populations, such as dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta . Another key pathological hallmark is the presence of intraneuronal protein aggregates, with α-synuclein as a central component. Despite significant research efforts, we still lack a complete understanding of molecular mechanisms driving cell type-selective vulnerability in Parkinson’s. This post offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at transforming our understanding of Parkinson’s. The JPND-funded ‘4DPD-Omics’ consortium is applying state-of-the-art spatial transcriptomics and proteomics technologies to map the spatiotemporal landscape of gene and protein expression changes in an established pre-clinical model of α-Synuclein pathology and in human post mortem samples spanning different Parkinson’s stages (Braak II-VI). Through integrated bioinformatics and systems biology, we aim to uncover brain region- and cell type-specific vulnerability and resilience signatures and mechanisms, and identify novel targets and strategies for drug development. We are looking for a highly motivated, passionate candidate with the ability to independently plan and conduct computational research while integrating into a multidisciplinary research environment. As part of the 4DPD-Omics consortium, the researcher will collaborate with leading experts in the field of Parkinson’s and have access to cutting-edge data and technologies. Specifically, the duties of the post are: Conduct research and contribute to the JPND-funded 4DPD-Omics programme focussing on single-cell spatial multi-omics, systems modelling and spatial imaging data analysis Analyse spatial and single-cell transcriptomics/proteomics datasets (CosMx, GeoMx) Analyse and integrate multi-omic datasets (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) from pre-clinical and cellular models of Parkinson’s and from human post mortem tissue Conduct spatial image analysis of tissue fluorescence imaging data Develop and analyse systems models of critical signalling pathways, including genome-scale metabolic models (GSMMs) or similar Translate findings into impactful, actionable results Communicate results within the 4DPD-Omics network and through scientific publications and presentations at conferences Support other computational researchers as needed Comply with statutory legislation, RCSI, and department rules to maintain personal and workplace welfare and safety Undergo training and professional development activities as required Represent the best interests of the Department and RCSI at all times Perform other duties as may be required from time to time Qualifications – (Essential): The candidate should have a PhD (or submitted PhD thesis) in Computational/Systems Biology, Bioinformatics or a closely-related discipline Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R (or similar) Demonstrated analytical skills, with a proven ability to manage and interpret large-scale omics datasets Knowledge & Experience – ( Essential): A strong track record of impactful research, demonstrated through high-quality publications Experience with multi-omics data analyses (spatial and/or single-cell experience desirable) An understanding of the field of Parkinson’s Disease Excellent writing, interpersonal, and presentation skills Attention to detail and thoroughness in work practices, and ability to work to deadlines A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a dynamic research environment Knowledge & Experience (Desirable): Experience in spatial image analysis Familiarity with systems biology techniques such as GSMMs or similar approaches Knowledge of bioenergetics/metabolism Curiosity and passion for advancing human health through science We are all too aware that imposter syndrome and the confidence gap can sometimes stop fantastic candidates putting themselves forward, so please do submit an application — we’d love to hear from you. Application Process Please apply online through the RCSI careers portal before the closing date with your CV and cover letter detailing your applicable experience and motivation for applying for this role. Informal Enquiries can be directed to Niamh Connolly: niamhmconnolly@rcsi.com. Please note we do not accept CVs directly. Click here to read our Recruitment and Selection Policy for Researchers. Click on the link(s) below to view documents Filesize 4DPD-Omics-computational-postdoc JD Feb26.pdf 323.4 Return to Search Apply for Job