PhD position | Inter-area communication during sensory perception| Department Cognitive Neuroscience

Our sensory cortices are receiving and processing signals from the environment. Frontal cortex also sends signals to the sensory in order to inform about upcoming sensory input. However, it is unclear how sensory cortex can be optimally receptive to both incoming sensory input and feedback from frontal cortex at the same time. In this ERC-funded PhD project you will investigate how this communication exactly operates focussing on the role of neural oscillations in network communications. You will use computational models of oscillatory coupling that describe inter-area communication and test the outcomes of these models using psychophysics, EEG, and existing ECoG data. This PhD project will provide insights into fundamental principles of inter-region network communications.

You will join the PI group led by Dr. Sanne ten Oever, embedded in the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience at Maastricht University. You will work together with a postdoc and another PhD student recruited for the same project and embedded in a very open and cooperative group of colleagues and supervisors from the Brain Stimulation and Cognition group as well as the Perception, Attention, Learning and Memory lab.

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Translate computational models to testable empirical predictions
• Design psychophysics and EEG experiments
• Analyse existing ECoG data
• Collect EEG and analyse data
• Write scientific papers
• Teach in master and bachelor level courses
• Contribute to a nice and open group atmosphere

The ideal candidate has successfully completed a master’s degree (or equivalent) in cognitive neuroscience, biomedical engineering, cognitive psychology or related disciplines. You are enthusiastic to start a 4-year PhD journey investigating communication between frontal and sensory cortex during perception. You are excited linking outcomes of computational models directly to psychophysics and EEG experiments.

Background

• A master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., cognitive neuroscience, biomedical engineering, cognitive psychology)
• You are excited about research and wish to pursue a career in science
• You have experience with programming languages (e.g., python/matlab/R)
• You have experience with acquiring and analysing electrophysiology data (EEG/MEG/iEEG)
• You like working in a team and have good communication skills
• You have an excellent command of written and spoken English
• Experience with computational modelling is a plus

What we offer

As PhD at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is classified in pay scale P according to UFO profile PhD Candidate, with a corresponding salary based on experience between €2770,00 and €3539,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience
The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) is an international faculty with students and staff from various cultural backgrounds, who are connected by their shared curiosity about human behaviour and our brains.

This curiosity inspires us to explore the wide field of psychology from different perspectives (such as a biological and cognitive viewpoint). By using small-scale and student-centred methods, such as problem-based learning and project-based learning, we encourage a similar kind of curiosity in our students, as we provide them with the tools to discover the world of the human brain.

Department of Cognitive Neuroscience
The Cognitive Neuroscience (CN) department in Maastricht combines research in human perception and cognition with the development of advanced methods in neuroscience. Various brain imaging methods are employed to describe and predict behaviour, such as single cell recording, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electro- and magneto-encephalography (EEG and MEG). Furthermore, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and neurofeedback are being used to manipulate behaviour. The research is embedded in the Maastricht Brain Imaging Center (M-BIC).