PhD CANDIDATE POSITION - FPI Plan Nacional - CAN-LISten

at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu

1. INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION

• Position: PhD student
• Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1- up to the point of PhD)
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Project: CAN-LISten: Interfaz co-adaptativa neurolingüística para la comprensión del habla. CAN-LISten: Co-Adaptive NeuroLinguistic Interface for Speech Comprehension / FPI-Plan Nacional
• Location:  Spain > Donostia-San Sebastián
• Research Field: Neuroscience > Cognition and Language
• Type of contract/Duration of Contract: Temporary: 4 years
• Job Status: Full-time
• Hours per week: 35
• Starting date: Subject to the call’s allowance, the contract shall start on the 1st of December 2025; if not, it shall start on the 1st of January 2026. 
• Application deadline: 1^st of November 2025

Information about the project: 

The human brain has a limited capacity for processing auditory signals. This limitation significantly impacts language comprehension across a wide range of activities. Currently, it is increasingly common to convey oral information in a second language. This presents a cognitively demanding situation that significantly and detrimentally impact professional and educational outcomes. Our aim is to develop an adaptive, non-invasive neurotechnology-driven user interface that optimizes the presentation of auditory information based on an individual’s brain state, incrementing the comprehension of spoken language. CAN-Listen aims to enhance personalised comprehension of second languages thereby boosting the efficiency of auditory information transfer.

Job description: 

The successful candidate will receive training in advanced methods for the analysis and classification of EEG and auditory signals. The group of the project is multidisciplinary, with experts in signal processing, machine learning, acoustics and language. The successful applicant will perform experiments, develop new methods to process and classify multivariate brain data and write scientific communications in English. Regarding the working environment, the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language is a world class interdisciplinary research center for the study of cognition, brain and language. BCBL provides a rich research environment with access to many neuroimaging techniques (EEG, MEG, MRI, NIRS, eye-tracking) and different labs to test babies, children, adults and elders.

 

PI and research group: 

Carmen Vidaurre is Ikerbasque Research Associate Prof. and Associate Group Leader at BCBL, with a background in engineering and signal processing. Her research experience is related to the development of algorithms to analyze multivariate brain data and their classification. She is also an expert in neurofeedback and brain computer interfacing, specially in the development of co-adaptive tools for EEG and multimodal data.

2. CANDIDATE PROFILE AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Required skills:

• Master’s (or equivalent) degree in Telecommunication Engineering or Computer Science.
• Good knowledge of signal processing and artificial intelligence.
• Good knowledge of linear algebra and optimization tools.
• Good programming skills in Python and Matlab.
• Good written and oral communication skills in English.

Desirable skills:

• Experience in participating in research projects (e.g., data collection, analysis).
• Experience with EEG and audio data processing.
• Knowledge of Spanish.

Derrogations:

Female and non-binary applicants with a STEM university degree are especially welcome to apply.

3. WORKING CONDITIONS

Salary: 24.348,77€ annual gross  + A €7,000 grant to cover expenses arising from research stays at R&D centers and from tuition fees for doctoral studies

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

BCBL seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support contact us. 

 

4. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Language policy

• The corporative language at the Center is English but the national language will be an asset for this particular position
• The center provides initial level Spanish and Basque lessons to all the international staff members
• The interview will be conducted entirely in English

 

5. APPLICATION PROCESS

Submission of the application and documentation:

To submit your application, please follow this link: applying for “ PhD position CAN-Listen” and attach the following documentation:

• A curriculum vitae
• A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position
• Transcript of records for the master and bachelor degrees
• Two letters of recommendation (submitted by the referees no later than the application deadline)

Learn more about the BCBL’s OTM-R policy

Application process timeline:

1. Deadline for application: 1st of November 2025
2. Evaluation by committee: 12th of November 2025
3. Interviews: from 13th of November to 21st of November 2025
4. Final decision: 24th of November 2025
5. Feedback to all applicants: 25th of November 2025
6. Work contract start date: subject to the call’s allowance, the contract shall start on the 1st of December 2025; if not, it shall start on the 1st of January 2026.

Contact details for enquiries:  

For technical problems with the calls platform please contact: hr@bcbl.eu

For inquiries or questions related to the content of the position and/or information about the project and the research group please contact: c.vidaurre@bcbl.eu