Connectionists: PhD-Researcher and Lecturer, Neurocomputation of Language, Tilburg University (1.0 fte, six years)

Fri Sep 27 02:39:51 EDT 2024

PhD-Researcher and Lecturer, Neurocomputation of Language, Department of Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence (1.0 fte, six years)

The Neurocomputation of Language (NCL) lab from the Department of Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence (CSAI) at Tilburg University invites applications for a 6-year position. The successful applicant for this position would spend 60% of their time as a PhD student and 40% as a lecturer. The PhD project would be determined by the successful applicant and the lab director but should employ advanced statistical modeling and/or neurocomputational modeling to address one or more of the core themes of the lab: the nature and time course of language comprehension, the neural representation and computation of meaning, and the cortical organization of the language network. The educational tasks of the candidate could include leading practical sessions, grading assignments and exams, and (eventually) supervising thesis students.

Requirements

  *   Master’s degree in (computational) cognitive (neuro)science, neurobiology of language, or a related field. If you expect to obtain your degree before August 2024, you are also eligible.
  *   Good knowledge of statistics and machine learning (practical experience with large language models is a plus).
  *   Excellent knowledge of English and good academic writing skills.

What we offer

  *   A full-time position.
  *   The selected candidate will receive a contract for six years.
  *   You will receive a temporary employment contract for the duration of 12 months. A 5-year extension is offered upon a positive assessment. After one year your UFO profile will change to PhD Candidate / Lecturer. In the second year your initial education assignment is 40% and your research assignment is 60%.
  *   A minimum gross salary of €3226- per month up to a maximum of € 4036- in the 6th year. For the duration of 12 months, you are entitled to a allowance. The amount is the difference in salary of scale 10 level 0 and scale PR level 0.
  *   A holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% (annually).
  *   Researchers from outside the Netherlands may qualify for a tax-free allowance equal to 30% of their taxable salary (the 30% tax regulation). The University will apply for such an allowance on their behalf. Note that the 30% rule will be scaled back from 1 January 2024. For new applications, during a five-year term, the scheme will gradually decrease to a 10% rule. More specifically, this means that during the first 20 months of the term, 30% of the salary will be reimbursed untaxed. In the next 20 months, this percentage drops to 20% and during the last 20 months, the untaxed reimbursement is 10% of the salary.
  *   Assistance in finding accommodation (for foreign employees).
  *   Benefits such as an options model for terms and conditions of employment and reimbursement of moving expenses, also including excellent technical infrastructure, savings schemes and excellent sports facilities.

The collective labor agreement of the Dutch Universities applies.

Information and application

More detailed project information can be provided on request: please contact dr. Harm Brouwer (h.brouwer at tilburguniversity.edu<mailto:h.brouwer at tilburguniversity.edu>), PI of the Neurocomputation of Language lab.

To apply, please submit:

  *   a motivation letter in which you describe why you want to be considered for this position, and why you are the right person to do it;
  *   a full curriculum vitae, demonstrating academic excellence, including publications (if applicable); academic transcripts of your Bachelor and Master’s degrees;
  *   a sample of writing, such as your Master’s thesis or a relevant paper;
  *   contact details of two academic referees.

The only way to apply is online<https://tiu.nu/22296>. The position is open until filled. The start date is as soon as possible, but in agreement with the candidate.

Neurocomputation of Language lab

The Neurocomputational of Language (NCL) lab combines neurocomputational modeling with empirical experimentation to investigate the neural basis of language. Grounded in principles of neural information processing, and informed by empirical insights on the nature and time course of comprehension, our models aim to offer mechanistic explanations of how an interpretation is constructed in real time as spoken or written linguistic signal unfolds on a, more or less, word-by-word basis. See the lab website for more information: https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/schools/tshd/departments/dca/lab/neurocomputation-language

The department of Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence (CSAI)

The Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence department (https://csai.nl/)  at Tilburg University is part of the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences. The department emphasizes innovative research spanning a wide array of fields including computational linguistics and language technology, data-science, human-robot interaction, virtual reality and serious games. CSAI is a member of the Benelux Association for Artificial Intelligence, participates in the Special Interest Group for AI (SIG AI), and also participates in the Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe (CLAIRE). Tilburg University and the CSAI department offer a vibrant international environment, with current CSAI staff originating from more than 10 countries.

Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences

Research and education at the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD) has a unique focus on humans in the context of the globalizing digital society, on the development of artificial intelligence and interactive technologies, on their impact on communication, culture and society, and on moral and existential challenges that arise. The School of Humanities and Digital Sciences consists of four departments: Communication and Cognition, Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence, Culture Studies and Philosophy; several research institutes and a faculty office. Also the University College Tilburg is part of the School. Each year around 275 students commence a Bachelor or (Pre) Master Program. The School has approximately 2000 students and 250 employees.

Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences<https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/about/schools/humanities/>

Recruitment code
Tilburg University applies the recruitmentcode<https://kmt.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/download/?id=21374> of the Dutch Association for Personnel Management & Organization Development (NVP).

Disclaimer
The text of this vacancy advertisement is copyright-protected property of Tilburg University. Use, distribution and further disclosure of the advertisement without express permission from Tilburg University is not allowed, and this applies explicitly to use by recruitment and selection agencies which do not act directly on the instructions of Tilburg University. Responses resulting from recruitment by non-contractors of Tilburg Universities will not be handled.

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Dr. Harm Brouwer | Associate Professor
Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence | Tilburg University
Research Unit Leader | Computational Models of Brain and Behavior
Principal Investigator | Neurocomputation of Language lab
http://www.hbrouwer.eu/
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