Predoctoral Researcher (75% TV-G-U E13) Cognitive Neuroscience/Developmental Psychology

Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 54,000; Part time

Job summary

Goethe University Frankfurt invites applications for a predoc researcher (m/f/d) in the Chair of Developmental Psychology within the CRC 1844, starting 01.01.2027 for four years. The role focuses on neocortical mechanisms of episodic memory using advanced imaging, with a 75% part-time schedule (E 13 TV-G-U).

You will lead experimental setup, data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. The position offers interdisciplinary training and potential thesis supervision within an

Qualifications

• Master in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related disciplines.
• Good knowledge of neuroimaging techniques.
• Excellent organizational and teamwork skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English (including writing).
• Programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, R) are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Take lead on setting up the experimental paradigm.
• Collect and analyze data.
• Write up scientific manuscripts for publication.
• Opportunity to supervise Bachelor/Master thesis work and contribute to further research within the department.

Skills

Neuroimaging knowledge

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Effective written and spoken English

Education

Master's in cognitive neuroscience or psychology

Tools

MATLAB

Unix

Python

R

Job description

The Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main is one of the largest universities in Germany with around 41,000 students and with about 7,000 employees. Founded in 1914 by Frankfurt citizens and since 2008 once again proud of its foundation status Goethe University possesses a high degree of autonomy, modernity and professional diversity. As a comprehensive university, the Goethe University offers a total of 16 departments on five campuses and 159 degree programs along with an outstanding research reputation. Furthermore, the Goethe University is part of the Group of Rhine-Main-Universities (RMU).

The Faculty of Psychology and Sports Sciences of Goethe University, at the Chair of Developmental Psychology (led by Prof. Dr. Yee Lee Shing) is offering a position of

• Predoctoral researcher (m/f/d) (E 13 TV-G-U, 75% part-time)

starting 01.01.2027 for a duration of four years (pending on approval of grant application). The salary grade is based on the job characteristics of the collective agreement applicable to Goethe University (TV-G-U).

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.

In this specific subproject “Neocortical mechanisms of generative episodic memory” PI Yee Lee Shing (Goethe University Frankfurt) and PI Nikolai Axmacher (Ruhr University Bochum) will join forces to elucidate the neural mechanisms of scenario construction at the level of cortical layers and oscillation frequencies that correspond to feedforward, feedback, and lateral processing of information. Using the same experimental paradigm, we will integrate empirical evidence from ultra-high field 7T fMRI and intracranial EEG to capture spatiotemporal dynamics of memory-related information flow involving sensory inputs, episodic memory traces, and semantic information during scenario construction. The PhD student in the Shing group will be responsible for acquiring and analyzing 7T fMRI data.

The successful candidate will take lead on setting up the experimental paradigm, collecting and analyzing data, as well as writing up scientific manuscripts for publication. In addition to these core tasks, she*he will have the opportunity to contribute to supervising thesis work (Bachelor/Master) and further research within the department. The successful candidate will be a member of the Lifespan Cognitive and Brain Development (LISCO) lab that has an international team (see http://www.psychologie.uni-frankfurt.de/50042944/50_entwicklung) with the shared mission of advancing knowledge about the development of cognitive and brain functioning across the human lifespan, with an emphasis on learning and episodic memory.

Applicants must have a master in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related disciplines, with good knowledge (ideally also experience) for neuroimaging techniques. Programming skills (e.g., Matlab, Unix, Python, R) are highly desirable. Applicants should have excellent organizational and teamwork skills, be highly motivated for research, and be able to communicate effectively in English (including writing ability).

Goethe University is committed to equal opportunity, family friendliness, and diversity. To strengthen the diversity of perspectives and lived experiences within the university, applications from individuals with a migration background and from members of other groups that have so far been underrepresented are particularly welcome. Applicants with a severe disability, or those legally equivalent, will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal suitability. If women are underrepresented in a faculty or administrative unit, they will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal qualifications.