Connectionists: One PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience at the University of Bremen, Germany

[David Rotermund]

The Computational Neuroscience lab at the University of Bremen headed by
Dr. Udo Ernst offers a PhD position in the field of Neural Network
Modelling and Data Analysis. Successful candidates will join an
international research group dealing with Neural Dynamics, Criticality
in Neural Systems, Information Processing and Feature Integration in the
Visual System (www.bernstein.uni-bremen.de).

The project in the SPP 1665 "Resolving and manipulating neuronal
networks in the mammalian brain - from correlative to causal analysis"
funded by the DFG is entitled:

"Interareal phase coherence as a mechanism for attention-dependent
neuronal signal routing"

The visual system selectively processes information in dependence on the
current behavioral task. However, the neural mechanisms underlying
flexible computation in the brain are presently not known. In our troica
project, engineers, neurobiologists and theoreticians collaborate to
investigate this important topic for understanding brain function. Your
task will be to build and to simulate selective information processing
in neural models of the visual system, and to compare your results to
data from electrophysiological recordings and intracortical
microstimulation performed in rats and macaque monkeys. You will work in
a highly interdisciplinary, exciting research environment which is
embedded into the "Schwerpunktsprogramm 1665" funding twelve similar
projects throughout Germany (http://www.spp1665.de).

The position is funded with a salary comparable to a 65 % TVL13 position
and comes with support for 3 years and direct supervision by the
principal investigator.

Ideal candidates have a MSc in Neuroscience, Physics, or Computer
Sciences. They must have a strong background in physics and/or
computational neuroscience and solid programming experience, ideally in
Matlab or Python. Above all, they must have a strong motivation, a sense
for responsibility, interest for detailed analysis, and a distinct
desire to learn. Fluency in English is required (both written and spoken).

If you are interested, please send your complete application at your
earliest convenience by e-mail (see detailed instructions below) to
ajanssen at neuro.uni-bremen.de. Severely disabled applicants and women
with essentially identical and personal suitability will be
preferentially selected.

=== Detailed instructions for applicants ===

Your application must comprise:

== Motivation letter ==

Your 1-2 page essay should reply the following questions:

* What is your background? In which fields have you worked before and
how do you think this can be useful for the present job?
* What attracts you to the field of neuroscience?
* Which problem(s) in neuroscience are you most interested in?
* Which kind of person are you (e.g. creative, analytic, communicative,
pragmatic, etc.) and how do you approach a research problem?
* What are your plans for your future career?

== Curriculum Vitae ==

Send a classical tabular CV with your contact details, your
date-of-birth, a current photograph, and all stages of education and
employment.

== List of skills, awards, publications ==

List your skills, especially proficiency in languages (including the
level of proficiency), that you think might be useful for the job. Also
list awards you might have got and peer-reviewed papers, in case there
are some.

== Contact details of two academic references ==

One of the references should be your MSc advisor. Please contact the
references prior to listing their names so that they are not surprised
if they get contacted.

Your application can be in English or German, whatever language you are
more familiar with.

Please send your application to ajanssen at neuro.uni-bremen.de!

All documents must be in PDF format and must not be compressed. Combine
all documents to a single PDF file or at least name the separate files
appropriately.
If we find your application interesting, we will let you know within
three to four weeks and potentially ask for more documents.