PhD Research associate (m/f/x) for the CRC 1844 \"Episodic Memory\"

Ruhr-University Bochum; Bochum; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 52,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Independent research tasks

Collaborative team environment

Access to MRI facilities

Job summary

Ruhr-Universität Bochum is seeking a Research Associate (m/f/x) for CRC 1844 Episodic Memory, Subproject A16, at 75% (29.87 hours/week). The fixed-term position runs until 31.12.2030 with start 01.01.2027, pending funding approval.

The role combines neuroimaging, behavioural measurements, and computational models in a dynamic, interdisciplinary team. You will conduct experiments, acquire and analyze MRI data, and contribute to publications in an international THINK research environment at RUB.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, or related field.
• Strong programming and statistical skills are required.
• Experience with predictive processing, memory, learning, and communication.
• Prior experience with fMRI is an advantage.
• Experience and interest in using large language models.
• Strong organizational and independent work abilities.
• Excellent spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Organization and execution of experimental research work, from programming setups to data analysis and dissemination.
• Acquisition of MRI data.
• Analysis and publication of MRI data.
• Practice of Open Science practices.
• Close collaboration with PIs and ECRs from other subprojects.

Skills

Master's degree

Programming

Statistics

fMRI

English proficiency

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Master of Science or equivalent

Tools

fMRI

Job description

Faculty of Psychology : Chair of Predictive Cognition CRC 1844 "Episodic Memory"

In order to fill a fixed-term position in part-time (29.87 hours/week = 75%) 01.01.2027, pending funding approval, we are looking for one

Research associate (m/f/x) for the CRC 1844 "Episodic Memory", Subproject A16

Scope: part-time
Duration: fixed-term, 31.12.2030 (end of project)
Start: 01.01.2027, pending funding approval
Apply by: 2026-11-30

The Department of Predictive Cognition is a newly established research unit within the Faculty of Psychology. After the completion of the new THINK research building on the former Opel site Mark 51°7, the team will move there https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/think/index.html.en. The research focus of our department is on combining neuroimaging and behavioural measurements with computational models to understand how the human brain learns and uses prior expectations during cognition. More information can be found here: https://blanklab.eu/

The position is part of the Collaborative Research Center “Episodic Memory” (CRC 1844), an interdisciplinary consortium consisting of researchers from psychology, computational neuroscience, philosophy, and neuroscience. The basis for our research is the Scenario Construction Framework, which conceptualizes episodic memory as mental simulations of past episodes, constructed from episodic memory traces and semantic information. As a part of this team, you will be trained in interdisciplinary research and have access to a broad spectrum of initiatives to support you in your academic journey. When we communicate with others, our perception of their speech is continuously guided by the memory of our past interactions. But how? In this CRC subproject A16 " Integration of episodic traces and semantic other-person models in a social context", we will investigate how memory traces of previously heard dialogues and the other-person model, which contains general semantic knowledge about the person, modify speech perception. This project places the generative model of scenario construction within a social context. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigate how EM traces and other-person models differentially influence the neural representation of speech and language. We are looking for an enthusiastic researcher with a Master's degree in psychology, cognitive science, or a related field and strong programming and statistical skills to carry out the proposed project.

Your tasks:

• Organization and execution of experimental research work, from programming experimental setups, data acquisition, and data analysis, to the dissemination of the results
• Acquisition of MRI data
• Analysis and publication of MRI data
• Practice of Open Science Practices
• Close collaboration with PIs and ECRs from other subprojects

Your profile:

• A Master of Science or an equivalent degree in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, or a related discipline
• Strong programming and statistical skills
• Experience in experimental approaches to study predictive processing, memory, learning, and communication
• Prior experience with fMRI is an advantage
• Experience and keen interest in using large language models
• Strong organizational skills
• A high level of spoken and written English
• Highly self-motivated and eager to learn
• Working independently, in a structured manner, and with a focus on results
• Enjoy working as part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers

We offer:

• Challenging and varied tasks with a high level of independence
• Employment at one of the largest universities in Germany within the University Alliance Ruhr
• Collaboration in a committed and appreciative team
• A modern, well-equipped workplace with a research-dedicated 3T MR scanner, eye-tracking, and EEG laboratories, excellent infrastructure for behavioural testing, as well as access to a 7T MR scanner
• A friendly and collegial environment
• Opportunity to get hands-on supervision for learning various data acquisition and analysis techniques
• A dynamic, interdisciplinary, and international research environment within THINK
• Multiple training opportunities within the University (e.g., https://www.research-school.rub.de/)

Further information:

The position is salaried and based on the collective agreement of the Länder (TV-L). If the personal and collective agreement requirements are met, the employee will receive pay grade E13 TV-L.

Further information can be found at https://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/ (in German).

The place of work is Ruhr University Bochum.

If the position is funded by third-party funds the employee has no teaching obligation.

RUB sees itself as a university with an international presence. The campus languages are German and English. Competence in at least one of the two languages and the willingness to learn the other are a prerequisite. RUB provides corresponding free courses for employees.

German language courses are offered by the University Language Center (ZFA) in the field of German as a Foreign Language (DaF). https://www.daf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/daf/mitarbeitende/index.html.en

The Staff Council has the right to participate in all selection interviews. At the request of a candidate (m/f/x), it will ensure its participation in the entire procedure. Please contact [e-mail]

Contact persons for further information:

Prof. Dr. Helen Blank Tel.: [phone]
Carina Hardering

Travel costs, accommodation costs and loss of earnings or other application costs for job interviews can unfortunately not be reimbursed.