at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu
- INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION
- Position: Postdoctoral researcher
- Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2 - PhD holders or equivalent who are not yet fully independent)
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Location: Spain > Donostia-San Sebastián
- Founding source: Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, (MICIU) and the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+).
- Research Field: Psychology > Cognition and Language / Linguistics
- Type of contract/Duration of Contract: Temporary, 2 years
- Job Status: Full-time
- Hours per week: 35
- Starting date: on or before September 1, 2027 (specific dates to be confirmed by the official AEI announcement)
- Internal application deadline at the BCBL: December 10, 2025
- Application deadline at the AEI: from November 25 to December 17, 2025
The Vision and Reading Group within the Language and Memory Control research group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (San-Sebastián-Donostia, Spain) aims to sponsor a candidate for an Juan de la Cierva Postdoctoral Fellowship, a competitive call for postdoctoral fellowships awarded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (MICIU) and the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+) – see last year’s call here (only available in Spanish): https://www.aei.gob.es/convocatorias/buscador-convocatorias/ayudas-contratos-juan-cierva-2024.
Our group investigates the interaction between vision and reading in the brain, studying their spatial and temporal organization while advancing neuroimaging methods. For example, we study how sensory and cognitive signals converge in the visual and reading regions of the brain. We use functional and structural MRI, behavioral, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological (EEG) paradigms. (https://www.bcbl.eu/en/infrastructure-equipment).
The selected candidate will be invited to apply for a Juan de la Cierva Fellowship with the support of the PI and the BCBL admin team. If granted the fellowship, the candidate will have the opportunity to design and carry out their own postdoctoral research project, fitting within the group's research lines.
Project summary:
The position is not linked to a specific project. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to join an ongoing research line in Vision and Reading and/or develop a research project in collaboration with Garikoitz Lerma-Usabiaga, within the scope of the group’s research. Potential projects include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Precision spatial mapping of functional and structural reading regions
- Precision temporal characterization of reading processes in the brain
- Integration of feedback signals in visual processing
- Development of novel models for vision and reading
The postdoctoral researcher is expected to design and conduct original experiments under the supervision and guidance of the PI(s).
Job description
The successful candidate will be involved in developing and running neuroimaging experiments, analyzing data, modeling, and disseminating the results in scientific conferences (oral presentations/posters) and peer-reviewed journals.
PI and research group:
The candidate will join the Vision and Reading Group within the larger Language and Memory Control group, under the direct supervision of Dr. Garikoitz Lerma-Usabiaga, with ample opportunities for collaboration with other researchers of the group.
- CANDIDATE PROFILE AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Elegibility (based on last year’s call, subject to change):
- PhD degree obtained between 01/01/2024 and 31/12/2025 for the general access shift and JDC-INIA-CCAA shift, extension due to: situations of temporary disability; maternity/paternity leave -1 year per child-; pregnancy sick; parental/family leave (“excedencia”) or reduction in working hours (“reducción de jornada”) for children/family care of at least 3 months in both cases; care-taking of dependent persons; or other sick-leave over 3 months, if any of these situations has happened between the PhD award date and application deadline. For those candidates who hold more than 1 PhD degree, the previous conditions apply to the 1st degree. Note: Please check art. 6.1 a) of the call text for more detailed information about the aforementioned situations.
- Mobility criteria: having taken the predoctoral training in some research organization different from the one the candidate will join with the grant. Note: Please check art. 6.1 b) for further information.
- To not have submitted an application for Ramón y Cajal 2025 Call (RyC 2025).
- Not having obtained a “Juan de la Cierva”, “Formación Postdoctoral”, “Juan de la Cierva-Formación” or “Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación” grants before.
- No restrictions regarding the nationality of the candidate.
Required skills:
- PhD in Psychology, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, Engineering or related field, obtained within the eligibility period specified for the Juan de la Cierva program.
- Strong analytic skills and ability for critical thinking
- Solid research background in experimental methods
- Excellent written and communication skills in English
Desirable skills:
- Excellent time management skills
- Commitment to and capacity for teamwork
- WORKING CONDITIONS
Salary:
- 30.000€ gross annual salary
- Additional 7.400€ are provided to cover the expenses directly related to the execution of their research activities.
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
Postdoctoral researchers at the BCBL can acquire mentoring skills by co-supervising Master’s and PhD students. Additionally, there is the opportunity to gain teaching experience on the BCBL’s Master’s program in the cognitive neuroscience of language.
BCBL seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, sociocultural background, nationality or impairments. We are proud to have in place both an LGTBIQ+ Plan and a Gender Equality Plan to actively promote inclusion and equal opportunities. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us.
- OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Language policy
- The corporative language at the center is English
- Knowledge of Spanish and/or Basque will be an asset for this particular position, but it is not required
- The center provides initial level Spanish and Basque lessons to all the international staff members
- The interview will be conducted entirely in English
- APPLICATION PROCESS
Submission of the application and documentation:
Interested candidates are invited to send their CV and a brief research statement describing their research interests and previous experience (if any), as well as contact data of 1-2 referees to Dr. Garikoitz Lerma-Usabiaga (g.lerma@bcbl.eu) by 10th December 2025.
Timeline:
- Deadline for application: 10/12/2025
- Interviews: 20/10/2025-06/11/2025
- Final decision: 07/11/2025
- The selected candidate will be invited to apply for a Juan de la Cierva Postdoctoral Fellowship. The BCBL admin team will support the selected candidate within the application process.
Contact details for enquiries:
For technical problems please contact: hr@bcbl.eu
For inquiries or questions related to the content of the position and/or information about the research group please contact: g.lerma@bcbl.eu.
