Postdoctoral Researcher: Predicting brain stimulation through network dynamics

Maastricht University; Maastricht; Hybrid; EUR 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contract: 24-month (1.0 fte)

Holiday allowance 8%

Year-end bonus 8.3%

29 vacation days

Home office allowance

Flexible working hours

Pension ABP

Access to university sports facilities

Collaborative research environment

Job summary

Maastricht University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position focused on predicting brain stimulation through network dynamics. You will develop a computational framework that combines latent-state estimation, dynamic causal modelling, and network control theory, and apply it to EEG–tACS and SEEG datasets in memory tasks and epilepsy care.

You will publish your results at international venues, share the framework as open-source, and contribute to grant applications.

Qualifications

• PhD in computational neuroscience or biomedical engineering or a related field.
• Excellent programming skills (Python or MATLAB) and experience writing reproducible, well-documented code.
• Experience with analysis or modelling of neural time series (EEG, SEEG, MEG).
• Experience with dynamic causal modelling, network control theory or whole-brain modelling is a plus.
• Strong mathematical skills in linear algebra, dynamical systems and statistics; knowledge of control theory or estimation theory is a plus.
• Genuine interest in cognitive neuroscience and clinical applications.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Ability to work independently and in a multidisciplinary team across two groups.
• Strong communication skills and proficiency in English.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate a computational framework combining latent-state estimation, DCM and network control theory.
• Test methods in simulations and apply to EEG–tACS and SEEG datasets.
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at conferences, release open-source code, and contribute to grant applications.
• Collaborate with clinicians and neuroscientists and supervise MSc students.

Skills

Neural time series analysis

Dynamic causal modelling

Network control theory

Linear algebra / dynamical systems

Estimation theory

English proficiency

Independent work in a multi-group team

Education

PhD in computational neuroscience or biomedical engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Postdoctoral Researcher: Predicting brain stimulation through network dynamics

Welcome to Maastricht University! Do you want to contribute to innovative research in computational neuroscience and neural engineering? Are you passionate about understanding how brain networks respond to stimulation, and how to predict and control that response? Then we would like to meet you.

Postdoctoral Researcher: predicting brain stimulation through network dynamics

Our goal: Brain stimulation is increasingly used to enhance cognition and to treat neurological disorders, but its success depends on choosing the right target and the right moment. In this project you will develop a computational framework that predicts how an individual’s brain network responds to an intervention, by combining latent brain-state models, effective connectivity estimated with dynamic causal modelling (DCM), and network control theory. The framework will be evaluated in two settings: EEG combined with transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) during a memory task, and stereo-EEG (SEEG) in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, where it aims to guide target selection for radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC).

Your colleagues: You will be embedded in two research groups at Maastricht University and work closely with both. The group of Dr. Ryszard Auksztulewicz (Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience) studies cognition with biophysically realistic models of effective connectivity. The group of Dr. Borbála Hunyadi (Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences) is a team of engineers developing signal processing methods for clinical neurophysiology, with a focus on network biomarkers and epilepsy. You will also collaborate with our colleagues providing data, including Dr. Tuba Aktürk (Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, FPN) and Dr. Simon Tousseyn (Kempenhaeghe / MUMC+ / Brain&Nerve Center).

You will work in a challenging academic position within a dynamic and multidisciplinary research team. Together with your colleagues you will have the opportunity to play a role in innovation in research in neuropsychology. On top of that you will work in an inspiring working environment at Maastricht University, where education and research are closely connected to societal impact.

What you do

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will develop and validate this framework, from theory to application. You will design methods that combine latent-state estimation, dynamic causal modelling and network control theory, and test them in simulations with known ground truth. You will then apply the framework to existing datasets: EEG–tACS recordings during a memory task, and SEEG recordings from 30 patients with epilepsy treated with RFTC, predicting when stimulation is most effective for memory and which RFTC targets lead to seizure freedom.

You will publish in high-quality peer-reviewed journals, present your work at international conferences, release the framework as open-source code and contribute to follow-up grant applications. You will work across both groups, collaborate with clinicians and neuroscientists, and help supervise MSc students working on related projects.

What you bring

• A PhD in computational neuroscience or biomedical engineering, or a related field
• Excellent programming skills (e.g. Python or MATLAB) and experience writing reproducible, well-documented code
• Experience with the analysis or modelling of neural time series, such as EEG, SEEG or MEG
• Experience with dynamic causal modelling, network control theory or whole-brain modelling is a plus
• Strong mathematical skills, in particular in linear algebra, dynamical systems and statistics; knowledge of control theory, state-space models or estimation theory is a strong plus
• A genuine interest in cognitive neuroscience and clinical applications
• A track record of peer-reviewed publications appropriate to career stage
• Ability to work independently as well as in a multidisciplinary team spanning two research groups
• Strong communication skills and proficiency in English

What we offer

• A 24-month contract (1,0 fte).
• A gross monthly salary between €3706,00and €5760,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN)

At FPN, we share a curiosity about the human brain and behaviour. Together with our students, we explore how our brains function and learn why we do what we do. We connect perspectives and contribute to living together in society.

Interested?

Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Ryszard Auksztulewicz at [e-mail] or Borbála Hunyadi at [e-mail]. The end date of the publication is 27 November 2026. Interviews likely take place mid December.

About Maastricht University

At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.

Faculty/Service Center: Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience