We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research scientist to investigate the relationship between space, time and number processing networks in the human brain using advanced fMRI analysis of ultra-high-field (7T) fMRI. The researcher will be supervised by Dr. Ben Harvey at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. This is a research position for three years, working on an NWO VIDI grant recently awarded to Dr. Harvey. The starting date is between October 2017 and January 2018. The position involves 1.0 FTE (full-time) research.

The research builds on the following studies:

Harvey, B.M., Klein, B.P., Petridou, N., and Dumoulin, S.O. (2013). Topographic representation of numerosity in the human parietal cortex. Science 341, 1123-1126.

Harvey, B.M., Fracasso, A., Petridou, N., and Dumoulin, S.O. (2015). Topographic representations of object size and relationships with numerosity reveal generalized quantity processing in human parietal cortex. PNAS 112, 13525-13530.

Harvey, B.M., and Dumoulin, S.O. (2017). A network of topographic numerosity maps in human association cortex. Nature Human Behaviour, 1, 36.

Harvey B.M., Dumoulin S.O. (2017) Can responses to basic non-numerical visual features explain neural numerosity responses? Neuroimage, 149, 200-209.

Harvey, B.M., and Dumoulin, S.O. (2011). The relationship between cortical magnification factor and population receptive field size in human visual cortex: constancies in cortical architecture. J Neurosci 31, 13604-13612.

• holds (or nearly holds) a PhD degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Engineering, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field;
• takes a strongly quantitative, computational view of psychology and neuroscience;
• has strong computer programming skills;
• takes a practical approach to solving technical problems;
• has excellent written and spoken English communication skills (no Dutch required);
• has a strong publication record for their career stage;
• is effective and efficient, able to work within a team, and to think conceptually.

Some of the following experience is desirable, but not required:

• experience designing and implementing visual stimuli for experiments;
• experience with MRI data acquisition and analysis;
• experience with model-based data analysis.

We offer a full-time position (1.0 FTE) for one year.  Upon a positive performance the appointment will be followed by a period of two years. The gross salary ranges between €2,588 and €4,084 (scale 10 Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) gross per month for a full-time employment.

Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8 % and a year-end bonus of 8.3 % per year. We offer a pension scheme, collective insurance schemes and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). More information is available at: working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

Utrecht is a young and vibrant city with a large academic population, around 30 minutes south of Amsterdam. It combines a beautiful old city center with a modern university. Utrecht has an excellent quality of life, with plenty of green space and a strong bicycle culture.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in interdisciplinary social science, cultural anthropology, educational sciences, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. More than 5,600 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 850 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.