Funded PhD Candidate Position - PERCEPTUAL INFERENCE GROUP - Modelling inference in the brain

BCBL BASQUE CENTER ON COGNITION BRAIN AND LANGUAGE, Spain

Updated: about 1 month ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 31 May 2024

21 Mar 2024
Job Information
Organisation/Company

BCBL BASQUE CENTER ON COGNITION BRAIN AND LANGUAGE
Research Field

Neurosciences » Other
Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country

Spain
Application Deadline

31 May 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid)
Type of Contract

Temporary
Job Status

Full-time
Hours Per Week

35
Offer Starting Date

2 Sep 2024
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

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

No

Offer Description

The freshly established Perceptual Inference Group at the BCBL studies how the subcortical and early cortical stages of the brain work together to make sense of the sensory world. This project will investigate the neural circuits implementing perceptual inference along the subcortical auditory pathway. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals with a quantitative background who wish to start a career in Computational Neuroscience.

Job description:

  • Designing and implementing computational models of neural circuits
  • Training recurrent neural networks and biologically plausible dynamical systems
  • Analysing mice electrophysiological recordings and human fMRI data
  • Writing research papers under the supervision of the PI, aiming to publish at top-tier journals
  • Dissemination of results at international scientific conferences

PI and research group:

The Perceptual Inference Group is a freshly established interdisciplinary research group at the BCBL in San Sebastian, Spain. The group combines tools from Machine Learning, Computational Neuroscience, and state-of-the-art Human Neuroimaging to explain how our expectations and subjective priors shape our experience of reality. The lab has a large network of international collaborations with experimental and computational labs in Leipzig, Dresden, Basel, Pennsylvania, and Cambridge. The PI, Alejandro Tabas, is currently holding an ERC Starting Grant, and the lab has plenty of funding for conference trips and research visits to our collaborators abroad.


Requirements
Research Field
Neurosciences
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required skills:

  • A master degree in computer science, machine learning, physics, or a related discipline. Students with a background in cognitive sciences or experimental psychology will be considered if they have sufficient mathematical experience.
  • Strong programming skills (python preferred)
  • Fluent knowledge of English
  • Good communication skills and ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary environments
  • Keen interest in Neuroscience research

 


    Specific Requirements

    Desirable skills:

    • Experience with pytorch or other packages supporting automatic differentiation
    • Experience writing scientific reports and/or scientific papers
    • Experience analysing neuroimaging and/or electrophysiological data

    Languages
    ENGLISH
    Level
    Excellent

    Additional Information
    Benefits

    Salary: 21,000€/year gross on average across the four years of the contract

    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

    BCBL seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support contact us.


    Selection process

    To submit your application, please follow this link:  applying for “PhD Modelling inference in the brain” and attach the following documentation:

    • A curriculum vitae
    • A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position
    • Transcript of records for the master and bachelor degrees
    • Two letters of recommendation

    Additional comments

    Application process timetable:

    • Deadline for application: 31/05/2024
    • Evaluation by committee: 03/06/2024-14/06/2024
    • Interviews: 18/06/2024-27/06/2024
    • Final decision: 30/06/2024
    • Feedback to all applicants: 01/07/2024
    • Work contract start date: 01/09/2024

    Contact details for enquiries: [email protected]

    Alejandro is also very happy to hold informal chats on the project and the position with prospective candidates: [email protected]

     


    Website for additional job details

    https://www.bcbl.eu/en/join-us/job-offers/funded-phd-candidate-position-percept…

    Work Location(s)
    Number of offers available
    1
    Company/Institute
    BCBL
    Country
    Spain
    State/Province
    Gipuzkoa
    City
    Donostia-San Sebastian
    Postal Code
    20009
    Street
    Paseo Mikeletegi 69
    Geofield


    Where to apply
    Website

    https://www.bcbl.eu/en/join-us/job-offers/funded-phd-candidate-position-percept…

    Contact
    State/Province

    Guipuzcoa
    City

    Donostia
    Website

    https://www.bcbl.eu
    Street

    Paseo Mikeletegi 69
    Postal Code

    20009
    E-Mail

    [email protected]

    STATUS: EXPIRED

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