DC10 PhD offer in the consortium DONUT at the Institute of Measurement Science of the Slovak Academy of Sciences: "Towards an ecologically valid BCI and head-mounted VR system for post-stroke neurorehabilitation"

4 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Department

Department of Theoretical Methods

Research Field

Engineering » Biomedical engineering
Computer science
Neurosciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Slovakia

Application Deadline

31 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Bratislava)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

37.5

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

HE / MSCA

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101118964

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The European Doctoral Network for Neural Prostheses and Brain Research (DONUT) is a 4-years EU-Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network project that is aimed to bring together leading experts from several European universities with the mission to provide a multidisciplinary and intersectoral Doctoral Network for talented young researchers (Doctoral Candidates). The network connects leading scientists and institutions with several industries over different research fields, providing opportunity for young researchers to gain experience in translational research in electroencephalography (EEG)-based measurements and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications, healthcare, and industry.

PhD project description:

A growing body of evidence suggests that intelligent systems based on brain-computer interfaces (BCI) provide a flexible platform for a series of neurorehabilitation therapies. Additionally, the recent development of augmented or virtual reality (VR) technologies moved BCI forward by creating flexible environments where modern human-computer interactions are necessary. Head-mounted VR displays (HMD) move standard 2D screen-based VR into a virtual 3D world. This shift brings another level of flexibility and enables the creation of immersive virtual worlds.

The dissertation is focused on the area of motor neurorehabilitation in patients after stroke. Rehabilitation takes place using the BCI-HMD system, which consists of BCI and feedback in the form of visualization in a VR environment. The dissertation's practical part aims to improve the software and hardware part of the existing system to create a robust, compact, easily applicable, and user-acceptable system. This section focuses on measuring, evaluating, and analyzing electrical brain activity through scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG). The second part of the dissertation is focused on developing advanced machine learning (ML) tools and algorithms for detecting EEG changes associated with mental imagery of movement and changes in subjects' mental and cognitive states during BCI training. Attention will be paid to understanding the brain processes related to activities in the BCI-HMD environment. This goal will be achieved by carefully balancing existing neurophysiological evidence and knowledge with the information provided by ML tools that process recorded brain activity, and it will be verified through detailed experimental testing.

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering » Biomedical engineering

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Please carefully review the following requirements that candidates must meet for this PhD project. Each requirement holds equal importance:

Scientific Skills and Research Experience:

• Familiarity with modern methods of applied statistics and machine learning. 
• Familiarity with modern Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology.
• Familiarity with basic principles of signal processing techniques applied to human scalp EEG. 
• Proficiency in scientific writing is a crucial aspect of the PhD.
• Previous experience working in a laboratory setting.
• Possession of a broad scientific background.

Educational Qualifications:

• Hold an MSc degree in fields relevant to the PhD project—biomedical engineering, computer science, applied statistics or informatics, computational neuroscience, or related. 

Language Proficiency:

• Exhibit a good command of English, both in written and spoken forms.

Team Collaboration:

• Comfort and willingness to work collaboratively in a group setting within the laboratory.
• Ability to contribute to common projects, share experimental results, and learn from colleagues.

Motivation:

• Display high motivation to actively participate in the 3-year PhD program leading to a doctoral degree.

Flexibility:

• Willingness to engage in mandatory secondments between members of the DONUT consortium.
• Ability to work independently when required.

Initiative and Proactivity:

• Demonstrate a proactive and highly initiative approach to tasks and challenges.

Preferred Experience:

• Previous experience in research labs will be highly valued.

Ensuring compliance with all these requirements is essential for successful consideration as a candidate for this PhD position.

Specific Requirements

• Highly motivated, independent, and enthusiastic doctoral researcher.
• Strong background in biomedical engineering, computational methods, and neurosciences.
• Excellent track record of academic achievement and a strong interest in conducting original research and innovation.
• Good programming skills, including experience with MATLAB, Python, and related. 

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Good

Additional Information
Benefits

The Doctoral Candidate will be hired as a PhD scholar (“fellow”) with full social security. The living, travel, and family allowances (the latter when applicable) will be used to cover both the employee's and the employer's compulsory charges.

We offer you a meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious research institute, in an interdisciplinary setting, and within an international network. In addition, we offer you:

• A monthly gross salary of approximately €2655, plus €600 mobility allowance, and if applicable, €495 family allowance, according to the EU MSCA DN contributions for Slovakia. During the calculation of the net income, a deduction of compulsory social contributions, the choice of health insurance, and direct taxes need to be considered.
• High-quality training programs and support to become a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher.
• A modern infrastructure and lab facilities.

Eligibility criteria

• Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Slovakia for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.
• Candidates may not already hold a doctoral degree and must meet the admission requirements for enrollment to the doctoral program at the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
• The recruited researchers must be working exclusively on the project.

Selection process

To apply for this position (continuing applications are allowed, irrespective of the mentioned deadline for applications), please send an e-mail to [email protected] and enclose it in a single PDF file:

• Curriculum vitae* (feel free to use the Europass model , with contact information for 2-3  references).
• cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position. Include in the motivation letter your plan of action specific to the position.
• full list of credits and grades of both BSc and MSc degrees (as well as their transcription to English if possible) – (if you haven’t finished your degree yet, just provide us with the partial list of already available credits and grades).
• short statement if your application may also be considered for other positions within the DONUT Consortium.
• proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE, TELC, …) - if available.
• two reference letters - if available.
• brief description of your MSc thesis.

* The curriculum vitae must be signed by the candidate and has to bear the following sentence concerning the management of the candidate’s personal data: “The undersigned Name and Surname authorizes the management of his/her personal data contained in the application documents as foreseen by the European Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and declares to be aware of the rights of the data subject as listed in Chapter III of the aforementioned European Regulation”.

A recruitment committee will select suitable candidates for the first round based on academic formation, professional and/or research experience, motivation, and references. If selected, you will be given a short assignment related to the topic of the project to evaluate analytical abilities and level of written English, followed by interviews. Interviews will take place online to provide equal opportunities to all candidates, independent of their location.

Additional comments

Founded in 1953, the Institute of Measurement Science (IMS) is a Slovak Academy of Sciences scientific institution. Its activities encompass fundamental and applied research domains, including measurement theory and mathematical-statistical methods for processing experimental results. The focus is on measuring systems for biomedicine, mathematical and computer modelling of bionic structures and processes, and processing biosignals.

Dr. Roman Rosipal of the Department of Theoretical Methods will supervise the PhD project. He is a senior researcher at the IMS, leading the computational and cognitive neuroscience group. The group uses EEG to study combined BCI and VR technologies for post-stroke neurorehabilitation training. The research team has been engaged in several projects funded by national, European, and US grants. For more information, visit the lab's website or contact Dr. Rosipal . 

The DONUT consortium embraces inclusion and diversity as key values. In the recruitment process, measures will be taken to ensure that equal opportunities criteria in the selection process are applied, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, color, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In the case of disability, a special needs allowance (so-called special needs allowance) is available from the EU to ensure adequate participation in the action.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Institute of Measurement Science of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Theoretical Methods

Country

Slovakia

City

Bratislava

Postal Code

84104

Street

Dúbravská cesta, 9

Geofield

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Contact

City

Bratislava

Website

https://www.um.sav.sk/en
https://rrsav1.synology.me

Street

Dúbravská cesta, 9

Postal Code

84104

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED