From early on, infants develop a curiosity for the people around them. They look at their faces, track their movements, and engage in interactions. But how do infants get to understand what others are thinking, feeling or doing?

The PhD positions are embedded in the MOTION project (Mobile Technology for Infant Social-Cognitive Neuroscience: Interdisciplinary Training Network for Innovative Infancy Research), a European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network that will exploit novel wireless and wearable research technology to examine early social-cognitive development in an ecologically valid fashion. MOTION strives to move experimental infancy research from restricted, artificial laboratory contexts to more natural situations, where children are actively engaged in natural interaction with their social and physical environment. You will conduct a series of experiments focusing on (1) social learning or (2) infants’ developing understanding of others’ emotions and intentions.

You will be supervised by Prof. Sabine Hunnius and will be part of the Baby BRAIN Group of the Donders Institute. The Baby BRAIN Group examines the developmental mechanisms and neurocognitive changes underlying early social-cognitive development (see www.dcc.ru.nl/babybrain). The experimental work will be conducted at the Baby and Child Research Center (BRC) of Radboud University. You will be based at Radboud University, but research visits are planned to research collaborators at other sites within the network (e.g. Birkbeck College, University of London and University of Milano-Bicocca).

You should hold a degree in Psychology or a related discipline, such as Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Science or Human Movement Sciences. Furthermore, you should have a strong motivation for fundamental research. Advanced data analysis and programming skills are a plus. Experience conducting behavioural or neuroscientific experiments with adults or young children will be advantageous. A good command of spoken and written English is essential, and it is beneficial if you speak Dutch or are willing to learn it.

Due to the mobility constraints of Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, it is a requirement that you have not resided in the Netherlands for more than 12 months during the last 3 years.

a mobility allowance based on the Marie Curie fellowship budget
- you will be appointed as a PhD candidate for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years
- you will be classified as a PhD Candidate (Promovendus) in the Dutch university job-ranking system (UFO)
the gross starting salary amounts to €2,222 per month and will increase to €2,840 in the fourth year (P scale)
You will be part of the Donders Graduate School for Cognitive Neuroscience. www.ru.nl/donders/graduate-school

Radboud University

Strategically located in Europe, Radboud University is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. A place with a personal touch, where top-flight education and research take place on a beautiful green campus in modern buildings with state-of-art facilities.

http://www.ru.nl

FSW/Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour

You will conduct research in a collaborative network of prominent European experts in the study of infant development and leading research companies.

At the Donders Institute (DI), you will work in an interdisciplinary team of developmental psychologists, cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists. The DI is a state-of-the art cognitive neuroscience institute with a multidisciplinary approach. It offers excellent research facilities, including a large infant lab (www.babyandchild.nl), advanced EEG, eye movement registration, and motion tracking labs. The DI was assessed as ‘excellent’ by an international evaluation committee in the last research evaluation, and was recognised as a ‘very stimulating environment for top researchers as well as for young talent'.

The Donders Institute is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and as such encourages applications from women and minorities. Radboud University offers a parental leave scheme and day care on campus.

No commercial propositions please.

http://www.ru.nl/donders/