Job Utrecht University, Faculty of Humanities - 2 PhD researchers in Experimental Phonology (1,0 fte each)

Programme
The Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS offers two research positions in the programme "Parsing and Metrical Structure: Where Phonology Meets Processing”.

This three-year research programme, awarded to professors René Kager and Wim Zonneveld by The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), addresses the role of word stress in the segmentation of continuous speech. The central hypothesis is that segmentation is guided by implicit knowledge of well-formed prosodic words in the native language. The programme aims at testing this hypothesis on a cross-linguistic basis, with adult native listeners of languages with different stress patterns, as well as with first and second language learners. Research methods involve perception experiments with adult native speakers of Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Turkish, as well as with Dutch and Turkish infants. 

Project content

The programme comprises three projects, one of which (a post doc position) has already been filled.

PROJECT I (starting date 1-12-2010): a 3-year PhD project addressing the effects of metrical knowledge on speech segmentation in native listeners of four languages with different metrical patterns: Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, and Turkish. Research methods include perception experiments, such as word spotting. (position number 681038)

PROJECT II (starting date 1-12-2010): a 3-year PhD project addressing the development of metrical knowledge supporting speech segmentation in the first language, and how this knowledge is acquired from spoken input. Research methods include perception experiments with Dutch and Turkish infants aged 4, 6 and 8 months, testing infant's rhythmic preferences and discrimination abilities, and segmentation of previously learned words from speech, using the Headturn Preference Procedure. (position number 681039)

PROJECT III (note: already filled): a 3-year postdoc project addressing the development of metrical knowledge supporting speech segmentation in second language acquisition. We focus on Turkish learners of Dutch, testing their ability to use metrical cues based on both of their languages when segmenting spoken Dutch.

Goal
The PhD projects aim at a dissertation within a maximum of three years. They involve research training, including courses offered by the National Graduate School in Linguistics (LOT).

We are looking for two enthusiastic PhD students, prepared to collaborate in a team.

The successful candidate for Project I has a background in an experimental linguistic discipline, such as phonetics, experimental phonology or psycholinguistics. Some knowledge of Dutch is desirable, but not required. Knowledge of one or more of the languages to be investigated (Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, and Turkish) will be considered an advantage.

The successful candidate for Project II has a background in an experimental linguistic discipline, preferably first language acquisition. Native or near-native knowledge of Dutch is required, while some knowledge of Turkish will be considered an advantage.

Applicants for both PhD positions should have graduated from a research master’s programme, or expect to graduate before 1 November, 2010. They should be able to speak and write fluent English, with competence in other languages as specified above.

For both projects, the successful PhD candidate is offered a 18 month contract as AiO with the possibility of renewal with two years maximum, after evaluation (gross monthly salary sstarting at € 2.042,- in the first year to € 2.492,- in the third year of appointment). We also offer a pension scheme, a health insurance allowance and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities and are supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% per year. PhD students will undergo assessment after 18 months.

UIL-OTS features a stimulating, innovative, and internationally oriented research environment which offers opportunities for a broad professional development. Courses are offered by internationally renowned experts, while possibilities for conference visits are plentiful. We offer excellent experimental facilities and computational support.

Utrecht University, founded in 1636, is one of the largest and most prominent universities in Europe. The Faculty of Humanities, with nearly 7.000 students and 900 staff members, offers an inspiring and dynamic working environment. Our research and education programmes focus on language, culture, history, arts, literature, media, philosophy and theology. Our strongest points are interdisciplinary and international collaboration, excellent quality of research and education, and the use of modern media. The research programmes are organised within four institutes:

• Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS (UiL OTS)
• Research Institute of History and Culture (OGC)
• Leiden-Utrecht Research Institute of Philosophy (ZENO)
• Research Institute of Theological and Religious Studies (INTEGON)

The Utrecht University Graduate School of Humanities guarantees outstanding quality education programmes for Research Master students as well as PhD students. Moreover, Utrecht University offers attractive working conditions.

About 100 researchers are affiliated to UiL OTS, with 19 professors, a dozen postdocs en around 40 PhD-researchers. The goal of UiL OTS is to develop scientific expertise in the area of language, speech, and their usage. The Utrecht University Graduate School of Humanities monitors and guarantees the outstanding quality of education programmes for Research Master and PhD-researchers.

For further information, contact the project supervisor, Prof. dr. René Kager, telephone +31-30-2538064, e-mail R.W.J.Kager@uu.nl or the UiL-OTS PhD coordinator dr. Maaike Schoorlemmer, telephone +31-30-2536183, e-mail M.Schoorlemmer@uu.nl.

Also consult our institute's website: http://www-uilots.let.uu.nl/