Post-Doctoral Fellow - Pharmacology and Toxicology

At VCU, we take pride in our deep commitment to our postdoctoral
community. In 2026, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)

named VCU as one of only 12 recipients of its inaugural
Institutional Policy Awards , in recognition of our
transformative efforts to elevate quality of life and workplace
equity for postdocs.

VCU postdocs are Virginia state employees, with benefits mirroring
12-month faculty. We adhere closely to the
NPA’s guidelines for best practices in postdoc training. We
work closely with our local NPA chapter, the VCU Postdoc
Association, to make this a welcoming and productive place to
complete your training!

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a
premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond.
Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School
of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and
education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity
employer.

Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Department Summary: The Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology of Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to an
outstanding education of professional and graduate students as well
as to cutting edge research. The atmosphere of the department is
one of congeniality and collaboration. Alumni of the department
have achieved prominent roles in academia, industry, and
government. The goal of the department is to contribute to improved
health through a better understanding of the mechanism of action of
safer and more effective therapies. The education of graduate
students and postdoctoral fellows who have the potential to become
independent, highly regarded scientists and excellent teachers in
pharmacology is a priority.

Position Summary: Seeking to recruit an early-stage
postdoctoral researcher with experience in electrophysiology. This
individual will be expected to support R01-funded research on
alcohol use disorder, with a focus on neuronal function and circuit
activity. Responsibilities will include preparing experimental
materials, performing and assisting with electrophysiological
recordings, maintaining laboratory equipment, and organizing
experimental data. Candidate should have strong technical,
organizational, and communication skills, along with experience in
electrophysiology, data analysis, and general laboratory
procedures.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Preparing and maintaining brain slice or cell culture experiments,
operating electrophysiology recording systems, performing and
assisting with whole-cell patch clamp recording procedures.
Responsibilities include preparing solutions and reagents,
maintaining laboratory equipment, collecting and organizing
experimental data, supporting data analysis and preparation of
manuscripts for publication. Responsibilities will also include
animal (mouse) handling and general laboratory organization to
ensure efficient day-to-day research operations. The successful
candidate will be expected to engage in training of graduate
student and undergraduate trainees.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

Ph.D. in pharmacology or related field. Demonstrated experience
with at least one form of electrophysiology and also with rodent
handling (including drug administration). Proven record of training
others in a research laboratory environment.

Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of
respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty,
staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a
commitment to do so as a post doc at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates will be expected to have familiarity with data
acquisition and analysis software, such as pClamp and Clampfit.
Prior hands-on experience with whole-cell patch clamp recordings in
brain slices or cultured neurons is not required but, if not
already acquired, a clear interest in developing this skill-set is
strongly preferred. Candidates with a demonstrated record of
research related to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor pharmacology
and biology, or alcohol-use disorder will be strongly preferred.
Additional desirable qualifications include strong organizational
and communication skills (including a track-record of publication),
experience with rodent handling and basic histological techniques
such as immunohistochemistry, and the ability to work independently
while contributing effectively to a collaborative research
environment.

Salary Range: $63,480 – $63,900

Benefits : All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide
array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU.
Consult the benefits website
for information on benefits eligibility according to employee
type.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

This is a restricted position with no set end date; continued
employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding,
and performance.

University Job Title: Post-Doctoral Fellow

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Paul Whiteaker,
Ph.D.

Contact Email: Paul.Whiteaker@vcuhealth.org