The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Language Sciences is once again recruiting three candidates for its coveted IMPRS Fellowships. The Fellowships are intended to encourage interdisciplinary language research that takes advantage of the high concentration of top-rated expertise and facilities available in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Each PhD position is funded for four years with a preferred start date of September 1, 2018. The application deadline is January 2, 2018 (midnight CET).

The IMPRS is the leading research school in the world devoted to studying the foundations of human language. It is a joint initiative of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and its partner institutes at the Radboud University: the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, and the Centre for Language Studies. The research school offers unrivalled training, top facilities ranging from genetics labs, advanced brain imaging techniques to a virtual reality lab, and an outstanding interdisciplinary environment.

We aim to attract outstanding students who wish to earn a PhD degree in any area of the languages sciences. Broad questions addressed by students of the IMPRS include:

• What is the architecture of the language system?
• How is language represented in the brain?
• What is the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental communication disorders?
• Why is the human brain capable of learning and processing diverse languages?

The working language of the research school is English. Applicants must have a Master’s degree (or expect to complete the degree before September 2018) in a relevant field. If you have a background in (psycho)linguistics, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, molecular biology or genetics, computer science, or artificial intelligence, you could contribute to fundamental science in this area. 

PhD students receive a monthly gross salary starting at approx. €2,300 to cover living costs in Nijmegen. Salaries are in accordance with the German wage agreement for public servants (Tarifvertrag für den Öffentlichen Dienst, TVöD) set under a 50% contract at salary group level E13-1 plus a Gewinnungszulage (allowance) of approx. €400 per month.