Doctoral Researcher, RCF project

Academic Positions; Finland; On-site; EUR 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The University of Jyväskylä invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher in the Department of Psychology to work on the RCF project starting 1 November 2026 for three years. The role focuses on gut-brain interactions, employing EEG, EGG, and tACS, and aims to complete a doctoral thesis.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience or related fields and have excellent English skills. A six-month trial period will apply and relocation support is available if needed.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and spoken English skills are required.
• Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, human movement science, or related field is required or soon to be completed.

Responsibilities

• Set up experiments for gut-brain interaction studies.
• Acquire and manage data from EEG/EGG/tACS experiments.
• Develop analysis pipelines for neural and physiological data.
• Disseminate results through scientific papers and conferences.

Skills

English proficiency

Research skills

Education

Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience

Tools

EEG

EGG

tACS

Job description

Organisation/Company University of Jyväskylä Research Field Biological sciences Other Neurosciences Other Psychological sciences Psychology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 20 Sep 2026 - 20:59 (UTC) Country Finland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Department of Psychology is seeking to recruit aDoctoral Researcher to work in the RCF projectstarting 1 November 2026, or as soon as possible after that for three years. The fixed-term position is for completing doctoral studies.

We offer a three-year PhD position for the Research Council of Finland funded project "Leveraging state dependent viscera-brain coupling to identify novel treatment targets for mental health disorders". The project investigates how state-dependent changes in coupling between the brain and body are related to mental health, and will test new interventions to alter the coupling between the viscera and brain. More information about the project can be found here .

Who should apply

The PhD candidate’s work will specifically focus on gut-brain interactions, and will involve recording and analysis using various methods such as electroencephalography (EEG), electrogastrogram (EGG), and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Main tasks include setting up experiments, acquiring data, developing analysis pipelines, and sharing the results through scientific papers and conferences. You will be working closely together with another PhD student supported by the same project, and will be integrated in the neuroscience community at the University of Jyväskylä. The project furthermore benefits from a network of international collaborators.

The tasks of a Doctoral Researcher focus on research aiming at the completion of a doctoral thesis, doctoral studies, assisting teaching tasks, and other related tasks to these.The duties, qualification requirements, and the language skills of Doctoral Researchers are stipulated bythe University of Jyväskylä Regulations and language skills guidelines (Doctoral Students). Excellent written and spoken English skills are required.A trial period of six months will be used in the beginning of the employment.

The eligible candidate has, or is about to obtain, a Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, human movement science, or related fields. In addition, the Doctoral Researcher must havea permission for post-graduate studies at the University of Jyväskylä.After selection, the selected person must apply for postgraduate study rights througha separate application procedure from the Faculty of Education and psychology.

What we offer

Come to Jyväskylä, Finland, and join our vibrant and inspiring community!

At the University of Jyväskylä, you will be a valued member of our community with a unique opportunity to contribute to international research. You will become part of our international and multidisciplinary community that prioritizes the wellbeing of each individual. Our lively campus provides excellent opportunities for maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

Finland, named the world’s happiest country for consecutive years since 2018, offers a high standard of living with free education (also in English), affordable childcare, generous family benefits, and comprehensive healthcare. Work–life balance is highly valued in Finland, and employees enjoy four to six weeks of annual holiday. Jyväskylä is located in central Finland, just three hours by train from the capital Helsinki. Part of the Finnish Lakeland, the city offers easy access to nature and a range of outdoor, sports and exercise activities. As a major centre of education with a large student population, it also features a vibrant cultural scene. For more information about the University of Jyväskylä, the city of Jyväskylä, and living in Finland, see theUniversity's International Staff Guide .

Salaries are based on job demands and employees’ performance following the Finnish University Salary System. The salary for a Doctoral Researcher is determined based on the task‑specific demand level 2–4 for teaching and research staff. The starting salary will be approximately 2700 €/month(gross income).A holiday bonus is paid to all employees. With progress of thesis work, the salary will be revised in accordance with the Collective Agreement of Finnish Education Employers.If you are relocating from abroad, we will support your move to Jyväskyläand Finland.

Our application process is transparent, professional and international. We communicate openly with the applicants throughout the recruitment process. We value equality and diversity in our work community and encourage qualified applicants to apply for this position.

Department of Psychology

The Faculty of Education and Psychology is a research and education unit that uses its strong traditions as a foundation for building a sustainable future. The mission of the faculty isLearning and wellbeing in building a sustainable future society. The faculty is among the top units in Finland in teacher education and psychotherapy training.

The strengths of the faculty's internationally renowned high-quality research arelearning,teachingandinteraction. The faculty has fivefocus areasof research: Education, teaching and interventions; The psychological and neurocognitive basis of learning; Interactive and technology-enhanced learning environments; Childhood, family, interaction and wellbeing; and Wellbeing, learning and interaction at work.The faculty coordinates a number of infrastructures and networks, including the Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Research (CIBR), the Methodology Centre for Human Sciences (IHME), the Psychotherapy Training and Research Centre, Multidisciplinary Research on Children and Families, and the Centre for Research on Learning and Teaching (CLT).

The University of Jyväskylä is a human-centred environment of 2,500 experts and 14,500 students. Our goal is to create wisdom and wellbeing for us all. It is essential that each member of the community thrives and has opportunities to develop and grow. We cherish openness of thinking as well as the balance between research and education. Our naturally beautiful campus is located at the heart of the city of Jyväskylä. JYU is the third largest employer in Central Finland.