PHD POSITION LEARNING TO DIRECT ATTENTION IN SPACE AND TIME

Do you have a completed MSc degree in the field of cognition (cognitive psychology, experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence or directly related areas). Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

As part of a recently funded NWO SSH Open Competition Behaviour and Education, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has an opening for an ambitious PhD student. Candidates must have a Research Master in the field

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 1 - 1

Job description
General Description

A fully paid PhD (1.0 fte) position for four years is available at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The position is funded by NWO grant  “Learning to direct attention in space and time” The PhD will be supervised by Sander Los and Jan Theeuwes and will work closely with other members of the Theeuwes Lab (see

https://www.theeuweslab.com/

), specifically with Dirk van Moorselaar. There will be collaborations with Kia Nobre (Oxford University) and Freek van Ede (VU, Amsterdam)

The Research Project
The proposed research project investigates the mechanisms underlying visual statistical learning (VSL), focusing on when and where information is extracted by the visual system and how this affects attentional selection processes. The goal is to uncover the fundamental properties of how we learn to extract the distributional properties of the environment as they unfold in time and space. This research explains why and how we are able to deal so effectively with so many objects appearing at different locations and moments in time. We use behavioral, eye tracking and EEG measures to uncover the fundamental properties of the underlying learning process.

Requirements

• a Research Master in the field of cognition (cognitive psychology, experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence or closely related discipline)
• Experience with cognitive experimenting and modeling
• Excellent programming and data analysis skills
• Experience with EEG, eye tracking, fMRI or other advanced techniques is desirable
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Be able to start January 2023

What are we offering?

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 1 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 4 years.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance);

About Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences
The Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences focuses on the broad domain of behaviour and health. Our teaching and research programmes are devoted to current developments in society, from healthy aging to e-health, from juvenile crime to dealing with depression, from training for top athletes to social media as a teaching tool. We are unique in that we combine three academic disciplines: psychology, movement sciences and education.

Working at Behavioural and Movement Sciences means working in an ambitious organization that is characterized by an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. Our faculty offers tremendous scope for personal development. We employ more than 600 staff members, and we are home to around 3,400 students.

Application

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter until

07/09/2022.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Jan Theeuwes
E-mail: [email protected]

No agencies