FUNDED POSTDOCTORAL POSITION – CONSCIOUSNESS Group

1. INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION

• Position: Post-doctoral researcher
• Researcher Profile: R2, Recognised Researcher (PhD holders or equivalent who are not yet fully independent) / R3, Established Researcher (Researchers who have developed a level of independence)
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Project: Open, within the Consciousness Group
• Location:  Spain > Donostia-San Sebastián
• Research Field: Cognitive Neuroscience  > Neuroimaging > functional MRI
• Type of contract/Duration of Contract: 2 years
• Job Status: Full-time
• Hours per week: 35
• Starting date: July  2023

The Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (BCBL) in San Sebastian (Basque Country, Spain) is offering a 2-year funded Post-Doctoral opportunity. The post-doctoral fellow will work on a research project within the Consciousness research group. We are developing new protocols for real-time functional MRI, coupled with state-of-the art computational models, in order to understand  consciousness and metacognition, and their role in guiding human behaviour.

Job description: The selected candidate will be involved in the improvement, refining and expanding of a pipeline for real-time fMRI using decoded neurofeedback and closed-loop Bayesian optimization, that we have been developing using different Python-libraries. The selected candidate must have excellent programming skills using Python and experience using machine learning models. Additional experience using functional MRI will be a plus. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to develop original experiments under the supervision and guidance of the PIs. The candidate must have excellent organization and communication skills to contribute towards the dissemination of the results at international scientific conferences (presentations/posters) and peer-reviewed journals.

PI and research group: candidate will form part of the Consciousness research group (https://www.bcbl.eu/en/research/research-groups/consciousness) led by Prof. David Soto (d.soto@bcbl.eu), who will be the main supervisor.

2. CANDIDATES’ PROFILE AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Required skills:

• Applicants should have a Master and a PhD (or nearly completed) degree in Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computer Science, Engineering  and/or related areas.
• The applicants must demonstrate excellent communication skills in English.

• Programming skills using Python libraries.

• Machine learning and computational modelling knowledge.

Desirable skills:

• Neuroimaging experience (fMRI)

3. WORKING CONDITIONS

Salary: Gross salary € 28.000 - € 30.000 

Entitlements and other benefits: https://www.bcbl.eu/en/join-us/what-is-like-to-work-bcbl

Training opportunities and Career development plan:

Researchers at any stage of their career, regardless of their contractual situation, are given an opportunity for professional development and for improving their employability through access to a Personal Career Development Plan which includes:

(1) Training through individually personalized research projects under senior supervision

(2) Exchanging knowledge with the scientific community and the general public

(3) Network-wide training in theory and methods

(4) Complementary training courses

(5) Involvement in proposal writing, task coordination

(6) Development of skills for the organization of training and scientific events

4. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Language policy

• The working language at the center is English.
• The center offers initial level Spanish and Basque lessons to all new staff members.
• The interview will be conducted in English