at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu
The Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (BCBL) in San Sebastian (Basque Country, Spain) is looking for a RESEARCH ASSISTANT to join its team.
- INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION
- Position: Research Assistant (RA)
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Department/Research group: Babylab
- Location: Spain > Donostia-San Sebastián
- Founding source: BCBL
- Type of contract/Duration of Contract: Temporary. A two-year employment contract linked to the research project
- Job Status: Full-time
- Hours per week: 35
- Work schedule: The distribution of the 35 weekly working hours will be agreed with the project’s principal investigator, based on mutual convenience. The only requirement is that work must be carried out until 19:00 on at least three days per week.
- Starting date: April 2026
- Application deadline: 28 February 2026
Job description
The BCBL Babylab is a leading laboratory in the field of cognitive neuroscience of language, where the research team, led by Marina Kalashnikova, PhD, (https://www.bcbl.eu/en/conocenos/equipo/marina-kalashnikova) conducts studies on language development in infant populations. The team is seeking to recruit a Research Assistant (RA) to support and contribute to the ongoing research projects.
The main responsibilities of the Research Assistant include:
- Conducting research studies with infants
- Designing and administering interviews and questionnaires to infants’ families
- Managing the study calendar and participant scheduling
- Organizing and archiving collected data
- Supporting the research team throughout the different phases of the studies
Technical training applied to the field of cognitive neuroscience of language will be provided by the organization.
PI and research group:
The selected candidate will become part of the multidisciplinary team within the Laboratories Department. Within this department, they will work specifically in the infant research unit known as Babylab https://www.bcbl.eu/en/infrastructure-equipment/babylab
- CANDIDATE PROFILE AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Required skills:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Teaching, or Early Childhood Education
- Languages: Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and Basque; upper-intermediate level of English
- Availability: Availability to work in the afternoon on at least three days per week
Desirable skills:
- Work experience with children
- Strong interpersonal skills to work with children and their families
- Previous research experience is not required; however, experience working with children will be considered an asset
- WORKING CONDITIONS
Salary: 19.200€ gross annual salary
Entitlements and other benefits:
https://www.bcbl.eu/en/join-us/what-is-like-to-work-bcbl
Training opportunities and Career development plan:
Opportunity to develop professionally in a multicultural, young and dynamic environment.
The necessary technical training for this position will be offered by the centre.
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 working language at the center is English; however, within the Babylab department, Basque and Spanish are used for internal communication and when interacting with participants (infants and their families).
- The interview may be conducted in Spanish or Basque, although proficiency in Spanish, Basque, and English will be assessed during the interview.
- APPLICATION PROCESS
Submission of the application and documentation:
To submit your application, please follow this link: applying for “BABYLAB RA and attach the following documentation: by February 28, 2026:
- A curriculum vitae
- A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position
- 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 timetable:
- Deadline for application: 28 February 2026
- Evaluation by committee: 6 March 2026
- Interviews: 9-13 March 2026
- Final decision: 16-18 March 2026
- Feedback to all applicants: 18-23 March 2026
- Work contract start date: 15 April 2026
The dates are approximate. Once the selection process has been completed, all candidates will receive an email informing about the completion of the selection process, whereas candidates who have made it through the interview phase will receive this information via phone.
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: m.kalashnikova@bcbl.eu
