Remember when you said you wanted to make a difference? Here is your chance.
Research Intern (Academic Credit)
Description
A systems neuroscience research laboratory within the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Neural Science and Medicine is seeking an unpaid Research Intern for academic credit. This internship provides a structured, hands-on educational experience in systems neuroscience, computational neurophysiology, and neural data analysis. The role is designed to build proficiency in core analytical workflows used in the laboratory while fostering collaborative research and developing strong technical skills in both electrophysiology and EEG-based approaches.
The intern will support ongoing work in spike sorting of extracellular neurophysiology recordings and analysis of single-unit activity in rodent models of stroke recovery and sleep. The role will also contribute to characterization of neural modulation across the time course of motor recovery following stroke and development of proficiency in seizure detection through visual inspection of continuously recorded EEG data from ARX mutant animal subjects.
Role Activities & Timeline
Weeks 1–2: Onboarding & Foundational Training
- Complete all required institutional trainings, including HealthStream, CITI, IACUC/BAR requirements, and laboratory safety orientation
- Introduction to laboratory data infrastructure, including extracellular recording file formats, EEG data organization, and analysis software
- Exposure to Python, Kilosort/Phy, and custom EEG review tools
- Overview of rodent models of stroke recovery and sleep used in the laboratory
- Introduction to ARX mutant animal subjects used in EEG seizure studies
Weeks 3–5: Spike Sorting Fundamentals
- Learn principles of extracellular neurophysiology recording and theoretical basis of spike detection and clustering
- Perform supervised spike sorting on existing recording datasets using automated pipeline tools
- Participate in mentored manual curation using Phy
- Apply quality control metrics, including isolation distance, L-ratio, and ISI violations, to evaluate and document single-unit yield across sessions
Weeks 6–9: Neural Modulation Analysis & EEG Seizure Detection
- Assist with analysis of sorted single units to characterize firing rate modulation and neural dynamics across post-stroke motor recovery
- Extend spike sorting and unit analysis to sleep session recordings to examine neural activity patterns during sleep and motor memory consolidation
- Begin training in visual inspection of continuously recorded EEG data from ARX mutant animal subjects for seizure detection
- Learn to identify ictal and interictal events in support of ongoing epilepsy research
Weeks 10–12: Independent Analysis & Project Completion
- Conduct independent analysis activities with increasing autonomy under laboratory mentorship
- Support ongoing experimental studies through computational and data analysis contributions
- Summarize findings and participate in research discussions related to ongoing laboratory projects
Systems & Training Access
- Microsoft Suite
- HealthStream
- CITI
- IACUC/BAR training and compliance systems
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the internship, the intern will be able to:
- Perform spike sorting to isolate single units from extracellular neurophysiology recordings
- Apply quality control metrics to evaluate single-unit yield and data integrity
- Conduct quantitative analyses of neural modulation in the context of stroke recovery and sleep
- Detect and characterize seizure events through systematic visual inspection of EEG recordings
- Support ongoing experimental studies with computational and data analysis skills
- Develop foundational experience with neuroscience research workflows and electrophysiology analysis techniques
Qualifications
This role is designed to be 100% onsite, giving you the opportunity to collaborate closely with your team and immerse yourself in the energy of our workplace. Please note that hybrid or remote work options are NOT available for this position at this time.
Required Education & Experience
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- Must have a HS Diploma or GED.
- Must reside in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment.
- INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship.
VISITORS: Must be receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution (employer, educator, funder, etc.).
Preferred Qualifications
- Current undergraduate or graduate student pursuing coursework in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, computer science, psychology, biology, or a related scientific field
- Strong interest in systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience, electrophysiology, EEG analysis, or neural data analysis
- Familiarity with Python, data analysis software, or computational workflows preferred
- Interest in translational neuroscience research involving motor recovery, sleep, and epilepsy models
- Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail
- Ability to learn technical workflows and follow research protocols consistently
- Strong organizational, documentation, and time management skills
- Comfortable working collaboratively in a laboratory research environment
- Ability to commit to a structured 10–12 week internship experience for academic credit
Fraud Alert
Please be aware of attempts to take advantage of people seeking jobs at Cedars‑Sinai through fraudulent websites and email domains. Learn more.
Diversity and Inclusion at Cedars-Sinai
We are caretakers and innovators committed to the pursuit of equitable healthcare. But health equity is not possible without representation. Our commitment to diversity goes beyond demographics or checking boxes. Our people must reflect the diverse identities, experiences and geographies of the communities and patients we serve – because that’s what our patients, colleagues and communities deserve Quality Care and Research—For All, By All.
Our compensation philosophy
We offer a competitive compensation package for our employees. The base pay range shown generally applies to the greater Los Angeles area and may vary based on work location. Our range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including knowledge/skills: relevant experience and training, education/certifications/licensure; and other business and organizational factors. The base pay range does not include any incentive payments that may be applicable to a role. Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination Provision (PDF) .
Cedars-Sinai is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Cedars-Sinai does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of the race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics or any genetic information), marital status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age (40 or older), military and/or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal or state law. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at Applicant_Accommodation@cshs.org and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.
Cedars-Sinai will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, in accordance with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.
At Cedars-Sinai, we are dedicated to the safety, health and wellbeing of our patients and employees. This includes protecting our patients from communicable diseases, such as influenza (flu). For this reason, we require that all new employees receive a flu vaccine based on the seasonal availability of flu vaccine (typically during September through April each year) as a condition of employment, and annually thereafter as a condition of continued employment, subject to medical exemption or religious accommodation. For the same reason, you may also be required to receive other vaccines as a condition of employment. Cedars-Sinai reserves the right to make modifications to its required list of vaccines as required by law and/or policy.
Related content
Jobs for you
- Registered Nurse III - PEDS Heart Institute - PER DIEM - 8 Hour Days 17877 Nursing California
- Senior Radiologic Technologist - Tarzana 17873 Imaging Tarzana, California
- Revenue Cycle Specialist II 17039 Patient Financial Services Los Angeles, California