Postdoctoral Scholar, Mechanical Engineering

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at View phone number on swooped.co or View email address on swooped.co . For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at View phone number on swooped.co. 

Job Description

Floris van Breugel in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno is hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar with an anticipated start date as soon as October 1, 2025, with the actual start date being flexible. This is a 1-year, full time position that is subject to assignment extension contingent to performance and/or funding availability.  We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our interdisciplinary research group investigating the interface between neuroethology and robotics. This position focuses primarily on the neuroethology aspects of our research program, with particular emphasis on understanding the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying active sensing in naturalistic environments of flying Drosophila .

Research Projects

• Olfactory Navigation: Investigating neural circuits and behavioral strategies underlying odor-guided navigation in complex environments

• Active Sensing Mechanisms: Studying how animals actively sample sensory information to guide behavior and decision-making

• Environment-Behavior Interactions: Examining how different environmental contexts shape active sensing maneuvers, including turning behaviors and exploratory movements

• Sensorimotor Integration: Understanding how sensory feedback influences motor control in real-time behavioral responses

Technical Responsibilities

• Experimental Rig Construction: Design and build novel experimental setups for either free-flight behavioral assays with high-speed tracking capabilities or tethered flight arenas with precise stimulus control and behavioral monitoring

• Virtual Reality Integration: Implement visual virtual reality presentation systems for controlled sensory stimulation

• Optogenetic Implementation: Integrate optogenetic tools for precise neural circuit manipulation during behavioral experiments

Academic and Professional Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research leading to high-impact publications

• Present research findings at national and international conferences

• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students

• Contribute to grant writing efforts (NSF, NIH, etc.)

• Collaborate with robotics researchers and interdisciplinary team members

• Maintain detailed experimental records and ensure reproducible research practices

Required Qualifications

• A PhD degree in Neuroscience, Biology, Bioengineering, or related field.

• Strong technical background in experimental rig design and construction.

• Proficiency in Python programming for data analysis and experimental control.

• Experience with behavioral neuroethology techniques and animal handling.

• Demonstrated publication record in peer-reviewed journals.

• The doctoral degree must have been completed within the five years immediately preceding the first date of appointment as a postdoctoral fellow at the University.

• The individual cannot have held previous positions in the professional ranks.

Compensation Grade
Postdoctoral Scholar

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules . Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Perks of Working at UNR!

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• Generous annual and sick leave, life insurance – Faculty Benefits

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax!

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Research Group Information

Our research group is at the forefront of free flight neuroethology experiments with Drosophila with a current focus on active sensing and olfactory navigation, while also working to translate insights from biology to a robotics context. We have two established free flight wind tunnels equipped with 3D real time tracking, optogenetics, and dynamic visual stimuli (see 2024 Curr Bio paper). Our group has developed a computational framework for quantifying when information becomes available during active sensing maneuvers using tools from control theory (see Cellini et al 2024 preprint). We also work with flying quadrotor systems in a flight tracking space to test insect inspired sensing and estimation strategies.

About the College of Engineering

The College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno values its faculty and staff as key partners in the University’s mission to provide outstanding learning, discovery and engagement programs. Our dynamic, mid-sized college is interested in hiring faculty and staff whose goals align with our mission to serve Nevada, the nation and the world by:

• providing a state-of-the-art education;

• conducting high-quality fundamental and applied research

• engaging in high-impact outreach activities; and

• fostering a culture of respect, inclusiveness and diversity among students, faculty and staff.

Our research faculty is supported by an Engineering Research Office that helped the college garner $33 million in research awards in CY 2023. The college also offers trainings, professional development opportunities and resources to ensure your success.

We offer multiple bachelor’s and graduate degrees and graduate certificates through our five departments:

• Chemical & Materials Engineering;

• Civil & Environmental Engineering;

• Computer Science & Engineering;

• Electrical & Biomedical Engineering; and

• Mechanical Engineering.

Each department has research focus areas; additionally, the College boasts several specialized research facilities supporting a wide range of innovative projects. Key facilities include the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research (CCEER), which houses advanced earthquake simulation equipment like shake tables and a large-scale structures lab and the Cybersecurity Center, focusing on protecting information and communication technologies. Additionally, the Davidson Foundation Cleanroom supports research in nanotechnology and materials science. The Nevada Water Innovation Institute and the SOLARIS University Transportation Center are also notable, contributing to sustainable water management and transportation research. These facilities enable cutting-edge research and collaboration with industry partners, driving technological advancements and economic growth in Nevada and beyond.

We are strategically located in a growing tech and manufacturing area, 10 miles from the Tahoe-Regional Industrial Center, 12-mile industrial park housing facilities for such tech companies as Tesla, Panasonic, Blockchain, Google, Jet.com and Switch. Just north of Reno is the Nevada Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Test Site, where researchers develop, test and deploy technology related to robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Nevada also is on the forefront of battery technology, aerospace and defense, water technologies, manufacturing and logistics operations as well as research into sustainable energy sources.

For more information, please visit

Contact: Floris Van Breugel at email: View email address on swooped.co

Exempt

Yes

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at View email address on swooped.co

Attach the following attachments to your application

1. Curriculum vitae including publication list

2. Cover letter detailing research interests and relevant experience

3. Contact Information for Three Professional References

4. Representative publications or preprints (up to 3)

5. Brief research statement outlining future research goals (no more than 1 page)

Full Consideration

For full consideration, apply by September 15, 2025

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website .

University of Nevada, Reno