PhD/Research Assistant position on 'The role of oscillatory activity in grammatical and lexical plasticity'

Basque Centre on Cognition, Brain, and Language

Maximum salary: 14.000€ gross/year


Closing date for applications: 1 March 2012

Project
The Basque Centre for Cognition Brain, and Language has funding available for a PhD position aimed at understanding how oscillatory brain activity during learning and sleep is related to adult learning of second language words and grammar. The project will mainly focus on Spanish learners of Basque, and it will address the questions about oscillatory activity using magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG) and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as computer simulation and statistical analysis.

The Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, situated in Donostia-San Sebastian, is an interdisciplinary research center for the study of cognition, brain and language jointly founded by the Basque Country institutions of Innobasque, Ikerbasque, UPV-EHU and the Government of Gipuzkoa. The position is funded in part by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (MICINN).

You should have a Master’s degree (or equivalent), or be near to completing your Master’s at the time of your application. Interested applicants with a background in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or linguistics would be suitable for the position, although applicants with a background outside of these fields should still consider applying. A background in mathematics, physics or computer science would be particularly suitable, provided that the applicant is interested in developing knowledge of linguistics, cognitive neuroscience and physiology. Much of the work will be conducted using Matlab, so knowledge of at least one computer language would be helpful.

Proficiency in Basque is not essential, but would be a very strong asset for the position. Some level of proficiency in spoken and written English is required, as the working language of the BCBL is English.

Please submit an application letter, a CV, and the names of two persons who can provide references. In the application letter, please briefly explain your interest in cognitive neuroscience and the above mentioned scientific approach

• Employment: full time.
• A gross yearly salary of 14.000€ based on a 35 hour working week.
• Duration of the contract: 3 years.