Are you fascinated about the brain mechanisms of perceptual decision making, inference, learning and attention? How the brain makes sense of the senses in our complex dynamic world? How it flexibly adapts to changes in its environment? We are looking for enthusiastic PhD candidates with interests in computational and/or cognitive neuroscience to address these questions!

Adaptive behaviour in a complex, dynamic and multisensory world poses some of the most fundamental computational challenges for the brain: perceptual decision making, inference, learning, attention and probabilistic/statistical computation. You will combine computational modelling (Bayesian, neural network), psychophysics and/or neuroimaging (fMRI, including ultra-high-field (7T) fMRI, MEG/EEG) to study these processes. Additional responsibilities involve helping to mentor and supervise student projects, participation in scientific conferences and international collaborations.

• You have an MSc degree in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, computer science, physics, engineering or a related field.
• You possess excellent data analysis and statistics skills as well as programming skills (e.g. Matlab, Python).
• Prior experience with psychophysics, fMRI, MEG/EEG or computational modelling (e.g. Bayesian, neural network) would be a plus.
• Prior research in perception, attention, statistical learning or related fields would be advantageous.
• You should be able to work independently.
• You should have good communication skills and be able to work in a team and promote an open and collaborative lab culture.

Fixed-term contract: You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).

• It concerns an employment for 1.0 FTE.
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,770 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,539 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.
• We explicitly encourage women and other underrepresented groups to apply. Additional financial support for researchers with families is available.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The PhD position is based in the Multisensory Perception, Learning and Attention lab, headed by Prof. Uta Noppeney, at the Donders Centres for Cognitive Neuroimaging and Neuroscience. The overall goal of the lab is to understand how the brain enables us to perceive, understand and interact effectively with the multisensory world around us. Research methods include computational modelling (Bayesian, neural network), psychophysics, and neuroimaging (fMRI, MEG, EEG, TMS).

The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour is a world-class interfaculty research centre that houses more than 700 researchers devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of the human mind. Excellent, state-of-the-art research facilities are available for the broad range of neuroscience research that is being conducted at the Donders Institute. The Cognitive Neuroimaging centre is equipped with four MRI scanners (7T, 3x 3T), a 275-channel MEG system, an EEG-TMS laboratory, several (MR-compatible) EEG systems, and high-performance computational facilities. The Donders Institute fosters a collaborative, multidisciplinary, supportive research environment with diverse international staff. English is the lingua franca at the Institute. The Donders Institute is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and as such encourages applications from women and minorities.


Radboud University
We are keen to meet critical thinkers who want to look closer at what really matters. People who, from their expertise, wish to contribute to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This ambition unites more than 24,000 students and 5,600 employees at Radboud University and requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!