The position
In this project you will be developing novel methodology and software for statistical tests to analyze brain imaging data, and performing data analysis under supervision of Prof. Jelle Goeman (Leiden University Medical Center) and Dr. Wouter Weeda (Psychology, Leiden University). You will present your results locally and at international conferences, and publish your results in statistics and neuroscience journals. You will collaborate with applied researchers and apply your methods on real data sets, and you will write software to make your methods usable by others. Furthermore, you will be involved in teaching (bio)medical students (at most 10% of your time). You will also collaborate with and visit international groups, including groups at the Universities of Milano-Bicocca (Aldo Solari), Padua (Livio Finos) and Beer Sheva (Jonathan Rosenblatt).

The project
In functional neuroimaging, researchers aim to quantify how the human brain works, this entails identifying which brain areas are active during certain tasks. Often, the data that is used to select brain regions of potential interest is also used to determine how certain we are about the presence of signals in these regions. This dual use of data (‘double dipping’) is a well-known problem in the field. We have recently pioneered a solution to this problem based on advanced multiple testing methods. Our solution gives great flexibility in looking at the data prior to making important analysis decisions. In this postdoctoral project we aim to expand and explore this new methodology, improving the methods theoretically, developing software and presenting use cases.

You hold a PhD degree in mathematics, statistics, methodology or a closely related subject. You have a profound interest in neuroscience applications as is obvious from your experience. You have good communicative skills in English and enjoy collaborating with researchers outside your own field. You have excellent programming skills in R, Matlab, C++, Python, or other (statistical) programming languages. If these are qualities that match with your persona, we definitely hope you apply.

Fixed-term contract: maximum duration of two years.

You will be employed on the basis of a 36-hour workweek for the duration of the project, which is  for a maximum duration of two years. Your salary is a maximum of € 4,216 gross per month, based on a full time position (scale 10 of the Collective Labor Agreement for University Hospitals). By joining us, you will be part of a young and dynamic team consisting of international researchers.

The terms of employment offered by the LUMC are excellent. For example, you will receive 8% holiday pay, a year-end bonus, and a pension arrangement with the National Civil Pension Fund. Also, as an employee of one of the University Hospitals in the Netherlands, you can benefit from our collective health insurance policy.

Moreover, the LUMC offers excellent facilities in terms of education, child-care centers, and career advice. In addition, you may enjoy various leave arrangements and other extras. 

The LUMC is a center for medical innovation that aims to improve patient care through leading international research. So as to also provide our patients with a safe and friendly environment, we need doctors, medical care specialists, support staff and academic researchers. 

The Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics at Leiden University Medical Center is the largest biostatistics group in the Netherlands, with a strong international reputation for research in high-dimensional data, genetics, survival analysis and causality. Here, you will work in a vibrant environment with 12 tenured research statisticians, and several postdocs and PhD students. Positioned within the applied context of the Medical Center, the group has intensive collaboration with medical researchers. Strong ties also exist with the mathematical statistics group at Leiden University.  

This is a joint position with the Methodology and Statistics group at Psychology at Leiden University. The group has a strong focus on neuroimaging statistics and methodology and has close ties with renowned applied neuroscience institutes (e.g. Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Brain Development Lab) and the Radiology department at the Leiden University Medical Center. The neuroimaging methodology group has access to state of the art neuroimaging facilities, thus providing you with a unique environment for methods development.