PhD or Postdoctoral position in respiratory interoception and tobacco addiction (ERC Starting Grant)

Position: Post-doctoral Position

Deadline: 31 October 2026

City: Louvain la Neuve / Brussels

Country: Belgium

Institution: UC Louvain

Department: Psychology

Description:

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position (4 years) or a Postdoctoral Researcher (2.5 years) within the ERC Starting Grant project BodyCrave, with Dr. Mateo Leganes-Fonteneau as research lead. This project examines the interoceptive mechanisms supporting addictive disorders, this particular position focuses on how bodily signals and respiratory interoception contribute to craving and substance use in Tobacco Use Disorder.

The successful candidate will join a newly established research team under the ERC Starting Grant BodyCrave. The positions are embedded within the Alcohol Research Group of the Louvain Experimental Psychopathology Research Group (https://www.uclep.be/ARL/home) and involve close collaboration with Prof. Pierre Maurage’s team. The project is highly multidisciplinary, integrating interoception, human pharmacology, reward processing, and clinical research.

Your profile

PhD in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences, or a related discipline (postdoctoral position); Master’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science or Neuroscience (PhD position)

Strong expertise in at least one of the following areas: tobacco research, human pharmacology, behavioral paradigms assessing reward processing, or psychophysiological approaches to interoception, including respiratory measures

Experience conducting experimental research in psychology/neuroscience with human participants

Quantitative skills appropriate to career stage, including statistical analysis of behavioral and/or physiological data and coding experience (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB)

Strong organizational and analytical skills, and ability to work independently while contributing to a multidisciplinary research team

Knowledge of French is an asset but not required

Tasks and responsibilities

Design and run experimental studies on the interoceptive mechanisms supporting tobacco craving and consumption

Implement pharmacological tobacco administration protocols and associated behavioral tasks

Collect and manage behavioral, physiological, and interoceptive data

Travel abroad for training and research stays

Supervise and coordinate research assistants

Contribute to data analysis, dissemination of results, and collaborative project components

What we offer

Strong support for career development, including a proven track record of mentoring and of successful applications to Belgian and European funding instruments to extend employment beyond the ERC funding period

Targeted training opportunities with international collaborators in Europe and overseas to complete the project’s multidisciplinary components

Possibility to develop and pursue complementary research interests alongside the core objectives of the ERC project

A dynamic and collaborative research environment within a well-established experimental psychopathology group

Access to clinical populations and state-of-the-art research infrastructure

How to apply:

To apply, please submit a single PDF including, in the following order: an academic CV, a one-page report on past research, a one-page research proposal related to the project topic, and the contact details of two referees. For post-docs, please include a list of your three most relevant publications, with a brief description of your role and contributions to each. For PhD applications, please also include undergraduate and master’s transcripts of records. Please submit via email to: [email protected]

The positions are expected to start after September 2026, with some flexibility depending on candidate availability. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Salaries are fixed according to seniority and remain competitive within the Brussels region. Transport to the workplace is covered.