2 Post-doctoral positions under an ERC grant in object recognition (one in computational neuroscience and one in Neuroimaging and MVPA)

The Proaction Laboratory (Jorge Almeida’s Lab; proactionlab.fpce.uc.pt) at the University of Coimbra (www.uc.pt), Portugal is looking for 2 motivated and bright Post-Doctoral Researchers (one in fMRI and Cognitive Neuroscience and one in dimensionality reduction, SOMs and Computational Neuroscience) to work on a prestigious ERC Starting Grant project (ContentMAP; https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/802553) on the neural organization of object knowledge. In this project we are exploring how complex information is topographically organized in the brain using fMRI and state of the art analytical techniques, as well as computational approaches, and neuromodulation. We strongly and particularly encourage applications from women, and from underrepresented groups in academia.

General Requirements for the positions:

• Candidates should have a PhD in Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computer Science, Computational Neuroscience or any other related field as long as their work relates to the specific profiles below.
• They should already have their diplomas (so that we can start the process of recognition in Portugal, which is a necessary step for hiring).
• The candidate should be a recent graduate – the date in their PhD diploma should not be before January 2020.
• Interest in object recognition and neural representation.
• Very good English (oral and written) communicative skills are necessary.

Specific requirements for each profile:

Cognitive Neuroscience/fMRI:

• Excellent understanding of and experience with fMRI and data analysis, and specifically with MVPA and Representational Similarity Analysis is required.
• Strong programming skills (matlab, python, etc.) are also a requirement.

Mapping/SOMs/Computational Neuroscience:

• Excellent understanding of Machine Learning especially applied to fMRI
• Command of computational approaches for mapping and dimensionality reduction especially applied to neuroimaging (e.g., SOM – self-organizing maps).

Salary and duration:

The position will start as soon as possible and finish in January 2024. The position involves no formal teaching (unless the candidate wants to). It does involve, however, lab mentoring.

The salary is extremely competitive – between 2200 and 2400 euros per month (dependent on experience), tax free (annual 26400-28800 euros tax free). This value is on par with the average salaries at top American institutions, as well as London, Paris, etc. However, the cost of living in Portugal (and particularly in Coimbra) is much lower. According to Numbeo, 2400 euros would be equivalent to 4850 pounds in London/4800 euros in Paris/6615 USD in Boston/6210 USD in Los Angeles/ 8330 USD in New York.

Working conditions:

The researcher will work directly with Jorge Almeida in Coimbra. The researcher will also be encouraged to develop her/his own projects and look for additional funding so that the stay can be extended.

We have access to 2 3T MRI scanner with a 32-channel coil, to tDCS with neuronavigation, and to a fully set psychophysics lab. We have EEG and eyetracking on site. We also have access, through other collaborations, to a 7T scanner.

Finally, the University of Coimbra is a 700 year old University and has been selected as a UNESCO world Heritage site. Coimbra is one of the most lively university cities in the world, and it is a beautiful city with easy access to the beach and mountain.

How can I apply:

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as these positions will be closed as they are filled. Nevertheless, the deadline in May 15. The interested candidates should email Jorge Almeida for questions and applications. Please send an email (jorgealmeida at fpce.uc.pt) with the subject “Post-doc position under ERC – ContentMAP” with:

• The Curriculum Vitae with a list of publications,
• 2 Reference letters
• A motivation letter with a short description of your experience in the field and how you fulfill the requirements (fit with the position).