Postdoc at Duke -- ECoG with Cogan

The Cogan Lab (PI: Gregory Cogan) at Duke University is seeking a postdoctoral research scientist to join the lab.

Research in the lab focuses on understanding the neural computations that underlie speech, language, and cognition. We use a combination of invasive recordings in adult and pediatric epilepsy patients: stereo-electroencephalography - SEEG, and electrocorticography – ECoG, and non-invasive recordings in healthy participants: electroencephalography – EEG. We also collaborate closely with the Viventi Lab (viventi.pratt.duke.edu - Department of Biomedical Engineering) to develop high density/channel count micro-electroencephalography (µECoG - < 2 mm spacing, up to 1024 channels) to record from functional neurosurgery patients (e.g. epilepsy, movement disorders, tumor patients) to better understand the micro-scale of human cognition. See the lab website for more information:

http://www.coganlab.org

The role entails investigating speech and related phenomena using both invasive and non-invasive electrophysiological recordings. The lab takes a cognitive systems-level approach to understanding the neural computations that underlie speech and auditory cognition. See examples of previous work here: 

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v507/n7490/full/nature12935.html

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v20/n2/abs/nn.4459.html

The ideal candidate has an interest in speech/language, and has obtained (or about to obtain) a PhD in Neuroscience, Psychology, Engineering, or a related field. Proficiency in Matlab and/or Python and experience with electrophysiological signal analysis is required, and a strong computational background (e.g. machine learning, encoding/decoding analyses) is preferred. 

Duke University is an excellent and highly interdisciplinary place for research. Collaborators span multiple departments/institutes including Biomedical Engineering, the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology and Neuroscience, and the Department of Neurology. 

The position is open until filled. Interested applicants can send a CV, a brief statement of interest, as well as contact information for two references to: gregory.cogan@duke.edu

Funded PHD candidate position at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu (Center of excellence Severo Ochoa)

Funded PHD candidate position at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu (Center of excellence Severo Ochoa)

The BCBL invites applications for four 4-year full-time Ph.D positions in Cognitive Neuroscience funded by the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Universities, within the call “Ayudas Predoctorales Severo Ochoa 2019” (to be opened in the fall 2019). The thesis projects/positions will be included in the following research lines:

•  One PhD position: Neurobiological indices of language development in infancy (under the supervision of Dr. Marina Kalashnikova). This research line investigates the neurobiological indices of language ability in young infants from 0 to 2 years of age, and their interaction with a variety of endogenous and environmental factors. This program aims to identify the earliest reliable predictors of individual children’s language outcomes in early and later childhood. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop an individual project within this research program and will have access to a large database of monolingual and bilingual infants acquiring Spanish and Basque and a state-of-the-art BabyLab equipped with behavioral (visual preference, eye-tracking), neurophysiological (EEG), and functional neuroimaging (fNIRS) techniques specialized for infancy research. 

Application requirements: Applicants should have a Master’s (or equivalent Honours) degree in Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Linguistics, and/or neighboring areas. The applicants must demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills in English (knowledge of Spanish and/or Basque is not a requirement). Previous experimental experience in developmental research is an asset (but not required). For further information about this position, contact Dr. Marina Kalashnikova (m.kalashnikova@bcbl.eu).

•  One Ph.D position: Language processing in brain damage and aphasia (under the supervision of Dr. Simona Mancini). This research line focuses on the study of language comprehension and production in brain-damaged patients and on the development of computerized diagnostic and training tools for aphasic patients. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on an individual project within this research line. She/he will have access to clinical populations and to a state-of-the-art lab with behavioral, eye-tracking, EEG and MRI equipment.

Application requirements: Applicants should have a Master’s (or equivalent Honours) degree in Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Linguistics, and/or neighboring areas. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are required, as well as a good level of written and oral Spanish. Previous experience in experimental research is an asset (but not required). For further information about this position, contact Dr. Simona Mancini (s.mancini@bcbl.eu).

•  Two Ph.D positions: Neuroimaging methods for cognitive and clinical neuroscience (under the supervision of Dr. César Caballero-Gaudes). This research line investigates the development of novel advanced neuroimaging methods and algorithms, mainly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), that enable to address new questions in the study of human brain physiology, function and structure and its relationship with cognition in healthy subjects and patients (Parkinson’s Disease, aphasia, stroke or with brain tumors). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop an individual Ph.D project within this research program. She/he will have access to state-of-the-art neuroimaging facilities (MRI, fNIRS, MEG and EEG) and physiological and behavioral monitoring equipment, and will acquire a profound knowledge of their use throughout the research project.

Application requirements: Applicants should have a Master’s (or equivalent Honours) degree in Engineering (biomedical, electrical, signal processing are preferred), Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and/or neighboring areas. A good knowledge and previous experience in scientific programming with R, Python or Matlab, and shell scripting are essential. Previous experience in experimental research with neuroimaging techniques (MRI, EEG, MEG or fNIRS) is an asset (but not required). Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are required, and knowledge of Spanish is beneficial in the daily life (but not in BCBL, where Spanish lessons are given weekly). For further information about these positions, contact Dr. César Caballero-Gaudes (c.caballero@bcbl.eu).

To submit your application, please follow this link: http://www.bcbl.eu/calls, applying for “SO_PhD2019” and upload before September 15^th, 2019:

•  A curriculum vitae 
•  A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position (1 page maximum)
•  Two letters of recommendation

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview. Official submission of proposals will have to be done through the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities website once the call is open (fall 2019). Contact point at the BCBL for all this process: Ana Fernández (a.fernandez@bcbl.eu) 

POSTDOCTORAL position at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language

POSTDOCTORAL position at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu (Center of excellence Severo Ochoa)

The Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language – BCBL- (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) is offering a postdoctoral position focused on the neurobiological basis of predictive processing and statistical learning.

The main project will focus on the oscillatory correlates of predictive processing in vision and audition with a special focus on neural entrainment phenomena and top-down control. The project is part of a collaborative research effort of the BCBL with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem funded by the ERC with PIs: Ram Frost (Hebrew U), Craig Richter (BCBL), and Nicola Molinaro (BCBL). The expected time frame is one year with a possible extension to July 2021.

The project is based upon a set of MEG experiments that will be designed to uncover the neural mechanisms supporting predictive processing – across sensory modalities and cognitive domains. The long-term goal is to evaluate the role that such predictive skills play in second language learning, and how these are implemented neurobiologically.

We are interested in candidates with a high level of independence, familiarity with EEG or MEG, as well as computing tools (Python/Matlab). Candidates should demonstrate a convincing publication record.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers studying the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying statistical learning, predictive processing and language learning, and research will be carried out primarily at the BCBL, with stays at the and Hebrew U.

Deadline: September 15th, 2019.

To submit your application please follow this link: http://www.bcbl.eu/calls, applying for MEG Postdoc 2019 and upload:

1. A curriculum vitae.

2. A cover letter/statement describing your research interests (4000 characters max).

3. Two reference letters submitted directly by the referees through the outline system.

 For more information about the specifics of the position, please contact Ram Frost (ram.frost@mail.huji.ac.il) and/or Craig Richter at the BCBL (craiggrichter@gmail.com).

Postdoctoral Fellow position at the University of South Carolina

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is available at the University of South Carolina, under the direction of Prof. William Matchin in the NeuroSyntax laboratory. The post-doc will help develop new projects and lead the acquisition, processing, and analysis of behavioral and neuroimaging data. They will also assist with the organization of the laboratory and coordination of laboratory members. We are particularly interested in candidates with a background in linguistics who are interested in projects at the intersection of linguistics and neuroscience. For more information about our research program, please visit www.williammatchin.com.

Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience. The position is for one year, renewable for a second year, and potentially further pending the acquisition of grant funding.

The postdoctoral associate will work in close association with the Aphasia Lab (headed by Dr. Julius Fridriksson) as part of the NIH-funded Center for the Study of Aphasia Recovery (C-STAR). The NeuroSyntax lab is also part of the Linguistics program, the Neuroscience Community, and the Center for Mind and Brain at UofSC.

The University of South Carolina is in historic downtown Columbia, the capitol of South Carolina. Columbia is centrally located within the state, with a two-hour drive to the beach (including historic Charleston, SC) and the mountains (including beautiful Asheville, NC).

If you are interested in this position, please send an email to Prof. William Matchin matchin@mailbox.sc.eduwith your CV and a brief introduction to yourself, your academic background, and your research interests. You can find more details and apply online: https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/60022.

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITIONS IN THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON

Multiple Postdoctoral research positions are available in the Tandon Lab at The University of Texas in Houston as part of the newly formed Texas Institute of Restorative Technology (TIRN) Institute. Positions are funded either via multi-year Institute funding or by NIH funds (U01 and R01). The lab uses multimodal approaches – fMRI, lesional analysis following epilepsy surgery, intracranial recordings and direct stimulation to create and validate network level representations of language. Lab Collaborators include Greg Hickok (UCI), Stanislas Dehaene (NeuroSpin), Nathan Crone (JHU), Simon Fisher Baum (Rice) and Xaq Pitkow (Rice-Baylor); the post-doc will benefit from a close interaction with these experts in the fields of reading, semantics, speech production and computational neuroscience.

The selected individual must have a Ph.D. in one or more of the following: neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, linguistics, mathematics, electrical engineering or computer science. Previous experience in neural time series data analysis, functional imaging studies of language, or studies of speech production are desirable – but not crucial. They must also be able to independently code in any or all of the following: MATLAB, R or Python.

They are expected to be highly motivated, team players with a passion to study cognitive processes using any or all of the various modalities available in the lab – imaging, direct recordings and closed-loop cortical stimulation – in humans. Given the multiple unpredictable variables and privacy issues around data collection in human patients, the individual must possess high ethical and professional standards and be adaptable. A strong publication record and excellent academic credentials are highly desirable.

CONTACT:

Eliana.Klier@uth.tmc.edu

More information @ www.tandonlab.org

GROUP LEADER POSITION at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain)

GROUP LEADER POSITION at the BCBL- Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) www.bcbl.eu (Center of excellence Severo Ochoa)

The Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) offers permanent research positions for Group Leaders in three main broad areas or research: 

(1)-Language, reading and developmental disorders: How language acquisition, comprehension, production, and reading take place in the human brain. Special attention will be paid to language disorders and the development of computerized tools for their early diagnosis and treatment.

(2)-Multilingualism and second language learning: The cognitive and brain mechanisms of language acquisition and processing in a second language, taking into consideration the age of acquisition, proficiency and usage. Special attention will be paid to multilingualism within the school system and to the development of new educational technologies for second language learning.

(3)- Neurodegeneration, brain damage and healthy aging: Language and Cognition: Early cognitive and brain markers related to language for neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer, Parkinson); neural plasticity and language functions through brain stimulation in the awake patient during surgical brain operations; developing of computerized diagnostic and training tools for aphasic patients and neurodegenerative diseases.

The Center promotes a rich research environment without substantial teaching obligations. It provides access to the most advanced behavioral and neuroimaging techniques, including 3 Tesla MRI, a whole-head MEG system, four ERP labs, a NIRS lab, a baby lab including an eyetracker, two eyetracking labs, and several well-equipped behavioral labs.  There are excellent technical support staff and research personnel (PhD and postdoctoral students).

We are looking for cognitive neuroscientists or experimental psychologists with a background in psycholinguistics and/or neighboring cognitive neuroscience areas, computational modelers, and physicists and/or engineers with fMRI/MEG expertise. 

•  The applicants must have their PhD completed before January 2011.
•  Only researchers with a solid research track and international research experience will be considered.
•  Demonstrated intellectual independence and scientific madurity are also required.
•  Applications from women are especially welcomed. 

 An acceptance letter from the Scientific Director of the host institution is mandatory.

To submit your application please follow this link: www.ikerbasque.net

Deadline: September the 17th 2019 at 13:00, CET.

For further information, please contact the Scientific Director of BCBL, Manuel Carreiras (info@bcbl.eu)

Postdoctoral position in cognitive neuroscience – ERC project – Speech & Bilingualism research group

One postdoctoral position is offered to individuals holding a PhD in cognitive neuroscience or psychology and with experience in research on language and speech perception and/or production. The selected candidate will work in the context of the 5-year ERC project Phonemic representations in speech perception and production: Recalibration by reading acquisition (ReadCalibration), supervised by Dr. Clara Martin, within the Speech & Bilingualism group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL, San Sebastian, Spain; https://www.bcbl.eu/).

The main aim of the ReadCalibration ERC project is to explore the interplay between phonology and orthography in speech perception and production in various populations (children and adults; typically developing or with reading and/or hearing impairments; monolinguals and bilinguals).

ADDITIONAL INFO

Benefits

The BCBL (Severo Ochoa Excellence label) promotes a rich research environment without substantial teaching obligations. It provides access to the most advanced behavioral and neuroimaging techniques, including 3 Tesla Siemens Prisma scanner, a whole-head MEG system, four ERP labs, a NIRS lab, a baby lab including an eye-tracker, two eye-tracking labs, and several well-equipped behavioral labs. The BCBL hosts excellent support staff and research personnel. Details of BCBL faculty research interests and research facilities can be found at https://www.bcbl.eu/research/.

Gross salary € 28.000  

Two-year contract with possibilities of extension (an additional 2 years).

 

Selection process

To submit your application, please follow this link: http://www.bcbl.eu/calls, applying for “ERC Postdoc S&B 2019” and upload before June 14^th, 2019:

- A curriculum vitae (4 pages maximum)

- A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position (1 page maximum)

- Two letters of recommendation

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview.

Additional comments

Inquiries about further project or contract details can be directed to hr@bcbl.eu.

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Predoctoral position in cognitive neuroscience – ERC project – Speech & Bilingualism research group

One predoctoral fellowship is offered to individuals with a background in cognitive neuroscience or psychology and with experience in research on language and speech perception and/or production. The selected candidate will work in the context of the 5-year ERC project Phonemic representations in speech perception and production: Recalibration by reading acquisition (ReadCalibration), supervised by Dr. Clara Martin, within the Speech & Bilingualism group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL, San Sebastian, Spain; https://www.bcbl.eu/).

The main aim of the ReadCalibration ERC project is to explore the interplay between phonology and orthography in speech perception and production in various populations (children and adults; typically developing or with Reading and/or hearing impairments; monolinguals and bilinguals).

ADDITIONAL INFO

Benefits

The BCBL (Severo Ochoa Excellence label) promotes a rich research environment without substantial teaching obligations. It provides access to the most advanced behavioral and neuroimaging techniques, including 3 Tesla Siemens Prisma scanner, a whole-head MEG system, four ERP labs, a NIRS lab, a baby lab including an eye-tracker, two eye-tracking labs, and several well-equipped behavioral labs. The BCBL hosts excellent support staff and research personnel. Details of BCBL faculty research interests and research facilities can be found at https://www.bcbl.eu/research/.

Gross salary € 16.000.

Four-year contract with no teaching duties.

Selection process

To submit your application, please follow this link: http://www.bcbl.eu/calls, applying for “ERC Predoc S&B 2019” and upload before June 14^th, 2019:

- A curriculum vitae (4 pages maximum)

- A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position (1 page maximum)

- Two letters of recommendation

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview.

 

Additional comments

Inquiries about further project or contract details can be directed to hr@bcbl.eu