Postdoc and PhD positions in cognitive computational neuropsychology

We are looking for 4 excellent scientists, including postdocs and PhD candidates, to work on a large Methusalem project entitled “The domain-specific and domain-general cognitive and neural processes underlying human success and failure”. The project is a collaboration between the research teams of Hans Op de Beeck (www.hoplab.be ), Céline Gillebert (www.neuropsychologylab.be ), Bert De Smedt (https://ppw.kuleuven.be/pserg/psergstaff/00040938/ ), and Kobe Desender (www.desenderlab.com ).
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Project

In this project we investigate how domain-specific representations in visual and numerical cognition interact with more domain-general processes like metacognition and working memory in healthy individuals (adults & children) as wells as individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders or acquired brain damage. The research involves experimental studies using psychophysics, neuroimaging (fMRI/EEG) and computational modelling, with a particular focus upon multivariate analyses approaches in all these methods.

Profile

We look for highly motivated candidates that have or are about to obtain a master (for PhD positions) or PhD (postdoc positions) in a relevant discipline (e.g., cognitive, computational, or educational neuroscience; experimental psychology; speech & language pathology) and expertise in cognitive/visual neuroscience, neuroimaging, multivariate analyses, or computational methods.  Postdoc candidates should be able to demonstrate their expertise through first-authored peer-reviewed publications. A quantitative background and good programming skills (e.g. R, Python, Matlab) are important. Further assets are a creative mind, excellent problem solving skills, excellent academic English writing and presentation skills, and a collaborative and collegial attitude.

Offer

The positions are funded for 4 years (PhD students), up to 3 years (postdocs in lines 2-4), or even 6 years (postdoc in research line 1). We have a good track record of helping postdocs obtain their own personal prestigious fellowships (national and international), allowing them to extend their stay and broaden the range of research questions. The net amount of the salary will be highly competitive internationally and in accordance with the university fellowship scales for PhD and postdoctoral researchers. The postdoc positions are research-only without teaching obligations, but teaching opportunities can be arranged if desired.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Hans Op de Beeck, tel.: +32 16 32 60 39, mail: hans.opdebeeck@kuleuven.be, or one of the other principal investigators.

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