The Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) currently has a vacant PhD position as part of the Data Science Centre Interdisciplinary PhD call, led by principal investigators Monique Flecken (ACLC) and Conrado Bosman (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences – Faculty of Science). The ACLC is one of the five Research Schools within the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research.

We are looking for a PhD researcher to study the influence of language on perception, using neuroscientific and data science methods. The post holder will play a key role in developing the links between the Faculty of Humanities and the Data Science Centre (DSC) at the UvA. The post will be based in the ACLC and the DSC.

What are you going to do

The project’s main objective is to unravel the neural mechanisms through which language influences perception. The project merges theories and paradigms from (psycho)linguistics with theoretical expertise and data-science methods from the study of the cortical dynamics of visual perception. We aim to address a classic question in the Humanities (how does Language shape perception?), comparing the effects of low-level, non-linguistic perceptual priors (colours) to higher-level ones (words), advancing current knowledge of top-down influences on perception.

The project will combine anatomical data from structural brain scans (MRI), electrophysiological data (EEG), and behavioural data from psycholinguistic experiments to fulfill these goals. Furthermore, we aim to develop a data standardization protocol aiming to facilitate research reproducibility.

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• completion of a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• developing and running experiments (behavioural and EEG) on human participants;
• collecting structural MRI scans to perform source localization of electrophysiological signals;
• producing a data analysis protocol that integrates different types of data;
• participating in meetings of the project group at the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Science and the Data Science Centre;
• presenting intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• participation in the Research School and Faculty of Humanities PhD training programmes;
• teaching duties of 0,2 FTE in the 2nd and 3rd year of your appointment.

What do we require

Applicants should have a Master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience or a related field, with experience using quantitative data analyses methods, and an interest in the neurobiological foundations of language.

Your experience and profile:

• a completed Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience, or a related field;
• demonstrable programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, R);
• experience in applying data analysis techniques;
• affinity with empirical research using quantitative methods;
• experience in the use of electrophysiological methods is an important asset;
• a cooperative attitude and willingness to engage in collaborative research;
• excellent command of English.

[Please note that if you already hold a doctorate/PhD or are working towards obtaining a similar degree elsewhere, you will not be admitted to a doctoral programme at the UvA.]

Our offer

The PhD researcher will be appointed at the Literary Studies and Linguistics of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Amsterdam and will conduct the research in Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC). We offer a temporary full-time contract for the period of 48 months. The first contract will be for 16 months, with an extension for the following 32 months, contingent on a positive performance evaluation within the first 12 months. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week. The preferred starting date is 1 September 2022.

The gross monthly salary will be €2,443 during the first year to reach €3,122 during the fourth year, based on 38 hours per week, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants.

What else do we offer

• PhD candidates have free access to courses offered by the Graduate School of Humanities, the Graduate School Neurosciences Amsterdam Rotterdam (ONWAR), and the Dutch National Research Schools;

• excellent possibilities for further professional development and education;
• an enthusiastic, inspiring and professional academic team.

University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities provides education and conducts research with a strong international profile in a large number of disciplines in de field of language and culture. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the faculty maintains close ties with many cultural institutes in the capital city. Research and teaching staff focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and are active in several teaching programmes.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.