Who we are

The Cognitive Neuroscience (CN) department is hosted at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) at Maastricht University (UM), and currently consists of 33 permanent staff members and about 60 temporary staff (PhD candidates and postdocs). We are a collaborative group that investigates the neural processes that underlie human cognitive functions, including perception, attention, emotion, memory, learning, language and neurocognitive development. CN takes a unique approach to this endeavor by combining a variety of approaches to measure brain activity (e.g., using magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], electroencephalography [EEG], psychophysics) and to manipulate brain activity and overt behavior through non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) and neurofeedback. The department combines experimental skills with methodological development and theoretical or computational perspectives to investigate the neural correlates of cognitive processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. In addition to a fundamental approach, much of the research also links with applications, related to, e.g., the development of BCIs to help locked-in patients, the treatment of depression, and the remediation of dyslexia. Some more information about the department can be found here.

Job description
We are looking for an assistant professor who combines an empirical or content interest with strong expertise in the analysis of neurocognitive data (e.g. time series analysis, machine learning, statistical modeling). Our primary interest is in attracting an excellent researcher with expertise in functional MRI, combined with the mathematical, statistical, and computational skills to process (and model) these data. Additional methodological expertise is welcome, e.g., in NIBS or EEG. Your empirical interest should fit within the broad array of fundamental and applied topics covered within CN as described above.

We expect that you are passionate about research, and enjoy collaborating with staff within and beyond CN. Ideally, you have already shown that you are able to gain research funding on individual or collaborative grants.

We also hope you are an enthusiastic teacher, as the time commitment on the advertised positions entails 50/50 teaching and research. As much as possible, your teaching will be organized so it fits your research interests. In 2024, FPN (together with the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering) launches a BSc in Brain Science, where part of your teaching activities will take place. In the BSc Brain Science, beyond contributions to content-oriented courses, you may be asked to help with aspects of mathematics and programming education. You can also teach in the FPN’s Psychology bachelor, in its various master programmes, or occasionally in curricula outside FPN. Guiding students in writing their bachelor or master thesis will also be an important part of your educational work.

You are also expected to be a team player with an open, effective management and communication style. Once you are settled in, you are also expected to fulfil administrative roles or committee work in the faculty.

• You have a PhD in (Cognitive) Psychology, (Computational) Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences or Engineering, Artificial Intelligence or a related discipline;
• You are collegial and enjoy (interdisciplinary) team science. Excellent English communication skills are essential. Knowledge of Dutch is not required;
• You should have experience as a Postdoc, during which you should have demonstrated outstanding quality in research and compiled a competitive publication record;
• You should have a track record of successful grant acquisition;
• You have expertise in cognitive neuroscience methods; you especially have experience with designing and executing advanced fMRI experiments, and with conducting advanced analyses of functional neuroimaging data; experience with ultra-high field fMRI (7T and higher) is a plus;
• We expect and support that you develop your own cognitive neuroscience research program in a content domain that fits with the research in our department;
• You are an experienced and enthusiastic teacher and have demonstrated ability in thesis supervision.

What we offer

As an Assistant Professor at Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is classified in pay scale 11 according to UFO profile Assistant Professor 2, with a corresponding salary based on experience between €4332,00 and €5929,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE. Upon proven suitability, the employment contract will be converted to an indefinite contract. Your development goals will also allow you to grow further to the position of assistant professor level 1.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University

Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) is an international faculty with students and staff from various cultural backgrounds, who are connected by their shared curiosity about human behaviour and our brains.

This curiosity inspires us to explore the wide field of psychology from different perspectives (such as a biological and cognitive viewpoint). By using small-scale and student-centred methods, such as problem-based learning and project-based learning, we encourage a similar kind of curiosity in our students, as we provide them with the tools to discover the world of the human brain.