PhD Fellow in Neurocognition and Multilingualism

Stig Brøndbo
11th February 2024
Languages
English

• Norsk Bokmål
• English

English
Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education
PhD Fellow in Neurocognition and Multilingualism
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The position

A fully funded PhD position in neurocognition and multilingualism is available in the Department of Language and Culture , Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education  at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The position is affiliated with the Center for Language, Brain & Learning (C-LaBL), and more specifically the Brain domain. C-LaBL is financed by the Trond Mohn Foundation 2024-2029.

The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. The PhD fellow position is for a period of three years and full time studies with the possibility of an extension of the appointment period. If the doctoral dissertation is submitted for appraisal within 3 years or within 3.5 years, the PhD candidate is qualified for a completion grant for either 12 or 6 months. The completion grant should be used to further qualification measures such as courses in teaching in higher education, lecturing and other relevant work at the faculty. More information about the completion grant scheme can be found here .

Expected starting date: August/September 2024.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The Department of Language and Culture (ISK)

The Department of Language and Culture (ISK) hosts 84 permanent employees, 8 adjunct professors, and approximately 15 PhD fellows, as well as roughly 30 temporary research and teaching positions. The Department has a very active and diverse research profile. It houses one of the world’s foremost research communities in linguistics represented by AcqVA Aurora Center established in 2020, which is now continuing as C-LaBL. In addition, there are research groups within cognitive linguistics, theoretical linguistics, Sami language technology, as well as sociolinguistics and revitalization. The Department also has research communities within literature, art history, and media and documentation studies.

ISK offers one-year programmes, as well as full Bachelor and Master programmes in the following fields: General linguistics, literature, art history, media and documentation studies, English, Kven, Finnish, Norwegian, Russian, Sami, Spanish, and German. It also offers PhD programmes in linguistics, cultural/literary studies, art history, as well as media and documentation studies.

The Center for Language, Brain and Learning (C-LaBL)

The advertised position will be one of nine PhD/postdoctoral positions in the Center for Language, Brain & Learning (C-LaBL), three starting in the fall of 2024, three in 2025, and three in 2026. The center will also hire a lab director, a lab/admin position and six Prof II positions (20% professorships).

The Center for Language, Brain and Learning (C-LaBL) will provide a step-change in our understanding of how multiple languages interact in the mind/brain, develop innovative longitudinal methodologies to study multilingualism, and train the next generation of scholars and research leaders in this increasingly important field. By fostering collaborative research across linguistic theories, neuroscience, and language acquisition/processing, we will focus on the effects of multilingualism – for the languages involved, for the brains that house them, and for the learning and teaching of multiple languages. CLaBL is divided into three domains of study (Language, Brain, and Learning) that will be linked by a cross-cutting research theme focusing on Linguistic Distance. Thus, the core work of C-LaBL will investigate the interaction of multiple grammars in the multilingual mind/brain, with a main focus on the significance of linguistic distance (similarities/differences between languages) for development, crosslinguistic influence, neurocognitive adaptations in the brain as a result of multilingual experience, as well as instructed additional language learning.

Work at the center will be theoretically motivated and use a variety of research methods, including offline behavioral experiments, eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The research will be of practical relevance to current societal challenges related to education and health. The C-LaBL Mentorship Program will provide a comprehensive training scheme to a number of postdoctoral fellows, ensuring that future leaders in the field of multilingualism have a solid background that crosscuts all three domains.

The Center for Language, Brain & Learning (C-LaBL) springs out of an active and productive research community in language acquisition and multilingualism at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, currently funded as an Aurora Center (2020-2024).

The research community in language acquisition and multilingualism at UiT currently consists of approximately 45 active researchers, including ten professors/associate professors, a lab manager, six researchers, eight postdoctoral fellows, five MSCA postdocs, four PhD students, and several Professor II positions (20%). The group members are involved in a number of research projects both locally and
internationally, e.g., the MuMin and MultiLit projects financed by the Research Council of Norway, the ADIM project funded by EEA/Norway grants and the HeLPiNG project funded by the Tromsø Research Foundation. For further information about the group’s work and activities, see the website of the AcqVA Aurora Centre: The Dynamic Nature of Languages in the Mind.

The advertised PhD position will give the successful candidate the opportunity to work closely with an outstanding team of linguists and cognitive scientists.

The project

The advertised PhD position will work within the Brain domain of C-LaBL.

The Brain domain examines the degree to which relative language distance (RLD) between the languages in a multilingual mind impacts on neurocognitive outcomes in a multitude of aspects including (i) how bi-/multilinguals learn new languages, (ii) how these languages interact, (iii) how bi-/multilinguals control their language system, and ultimately, (iv) how the mind (cognition) and brain (structure, function) adapt to these linguistic experiences.

Using sophisticated metrics from formal linguistics, we measure and (empirically) manipulate RLD systematically to investigate the determinism of typology in multilingual language processing (and its neural substrates) and domain-general neurocognitive adaptations.

Empirical work within this domain combines performance on executive function and language-specific tasks with imaging measures (e.g., EEG, MRI). Studies are designed to understand the interaction of RLD alongside language experiences
as deterministic factors, while, crucially, assessing the directionality of their interactions.

We examine these relationships across the spectrum of RLD pairings (bilectalism, closely related languages to very distant language doublets and triplets in a stepwise systematic manner), matching for other variables of experience. Such an approach will help to determine the nature and degree and directionality of the effects of language distance on multilingualism-induced neurocognitive outcomes.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Vincent DeLuca:

• phone: +47 77 64 91 21
• email: [email protected]

Professor Jason Rothman:

• phone: +47 77 64 64 66
• email: [email protected]

or Head of Department Cathrine Theodorsen: 

• phone: +47 77 64 55 89
• email: [email protected]

via Unsplash
Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• A Masters in cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, language sciences or another relevant field. Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. You may still apply if you are in the final stages of the master’s degree, but the master’s thesis must be submitted for evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis
  and transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.
• Experience with experimental design, data collection and analysis.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.

Desired qualifications:

• Experience with imaging methods (EEG and/or MRI), and statistical modelling.
• Prior research experience working with bi-/multilingual populations is favorable.
• Knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language is beneficial.

In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. In addition, other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme may be given consideration.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who:

• Have good collaboration skills
• Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students
• Wants to contribute to a good working environment

As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme 

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education  and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:  

• A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 

UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

All applicants should have a grade point average of B (or equivalent) on their master’s degree in order to be admitted to the PhD programme. The grade point average also applies to 300 ECTS points integrated five-year master’s degrees, in which all courses are to be included in the grade point average. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here . 

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from NOKUT . Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. 

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position. 

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

UiT via Unsplash UiT
We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project 
• Good career opportunities 
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues  
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement  
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 532 200 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application 

Your application must include: 

• Application letter
• Contextualizing statement/proposal (max 2 pages), detailing how the candidate fits into the research done in the Brain domain of C-LaBL (including potential for investigations across other domains of the Center)
• CV (containing a complete overview of education, supervised professional training and professional work, as well as a list of publications if applicable).
• Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
• Transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• 2-3 references with contact information
• Master’s thesis, and any other academic works

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. You may still apply if you are in the final stages of the master’s degree, but the master’s thesis must be submitted for evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis
and transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline. 

General information 

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants . 

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no .

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years. 

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure. 

Eallju - Developing the High North

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus comprehensive university at the international forefront. Our vision is to be a driving force for developing the High North. The Northern Sami notion eallju, which means eagerness to work, sets the tone for this motive power at UiT. Along with students, staff and the wider community, we aim to utilise our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio and interdisciplinary advantage to shape the future.

Our social mission is to provide research-based education of high quality, perform artistic development and carry out research of the highest international quality standards in the entire range from basic to applied. We will convey knowledge about disciplines and contribute to innovation. Our social mission unites UiT across various studies, research fields and large geographical distances. This demands good cooperation with trade and industry and civil society as well as with international partners. We will strengthen knowledge-based and sustainable development at a regional, national and international level.

Academic freedom and scientific and ethical principles form the basis for all UiT’s activities. Participation, co-determination, transparency and good processes will provide the decision-making basis we need to make wise and far-sighted priorities. Our students and staff will have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Founded on academic integrity, we will be courageous, committed and generous in close contact with disciplines, people and contemporary developments.

We will demonstrate adaptability and seek good and purposeful utilisation of resources, so we are ready to meet the expectations and opportunities of the future. We will strengthen the quality and impact of our disciplines and core tasks through the following three strategic priority areas.

Apply for this job
Deadline

11th February 2024

Employer

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Municipality

Tromsø - Romsa

Scope

Fulltime (1 positions) Fulltime (%)

Duration

Fixed Term

Place of service
Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019 Tromsø

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