PhD Position Investigating Utterance Comprehension in Multimodal Context at the Donders Centre for Cognition

 

The PhD project will aim to develop a model of how we understand language in face-to-face communication. A fundamental question of human behaviour is how social agents communicate meaning and comprehend others. This core aspect of behaviour allows us to influence and coordinate with others in meaningful and highly complex ways, and often quite rapidly. Most often this is achieved using language. Language provides a great deal of structure and flexibility for communication, but also leads to a high level of complexity.

You will investigate how visual and verbal information streams are selectively bound during face-to-face conversation to form multimodal message representations online, as utterances unfold. The project will combine behavioural, electrophysiological and computational methods.

We ask

• A background in the language or cognitive sciences (including a Master's degree).
• A strong interest in human multimodal communication and cognition (experience in research on multimodal communication is a clear advantage), as well as a strong interest in psycholinguistic language processing.
• Experience in experimental research, including recruiting participants, running experiments, hypothesis formulation and testing.
• Experience in qualitative and/or quantitative language corpus analysis (ideally conversation-based).
• Experience in statistical analysis (including linear mixed effects models).
• Experience in computational modelling and with Elan, Praat and R (desirable).
• Experience with EEG (desirable).
• Programming skills (desirable).
• Proficient or near-proficient Dutch language skills.

We are

The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour is a world-class interfaculty research centre, housing more than 700 researchers devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of the human mind. Research at the Donders Institute is focused around four themes: 1. Language and communication, 2. Perception, action and decision-making, 3. Development and lifelong plasticity, 4. Natural computing & neurotechnology. Excellent, state-of-the-art research facilities are available for the broad range of neuroscience research that is being conducted at the Donders Institute. The Donders Institute has been assessed by an international evaluation committee as 'excellent' and recognised as a 'very stimulating environment for top researchers, as well as for young talent'. The Donders Institute fosters a collaborative, multi-disciplinary, supportive research environment with a diverse international staff. English is the lingua franca at the Institute.

You will join the Communication in Social Interaction (CoSI) Group, led by PI Judith Holler. The CoSI group investigates human communication in interactive situ, with a focus on the role of visual communicative signals (including those performed using hands, head, torso and face) during language use and processing in conversational interaction. In doing so, the project combines a variety of methodological approaches, including the collection and analysis of conversational corpus data and experimental data.

Radboud University

We want to get the best out of science, others and ourselves. Why? Because this is what the world around us desperately needs. Leading research and education make an indispensable contribution to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. This is what unites the more than 22,000 students and 5,000 employees at Radboud University. And this requires even more talent, collaboration and lifelong learning. You have a part to play!

We offer

• Employment: 1.0 FTE.
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,395 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,061 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• In addition to the salary: an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Duration of the contract: you will be appointed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).
• The intended start date is 1 September 2021.
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment  and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Have a look at our excellent employment conditions. They include a good work-life balance (among other things because of the excellent leave arrangements), opportunities for development and a great pension scheme.
• You will be part of the Donders Graduate School for Cognitive Neuroscience.

Would you like more information?

For more information about this vacancy, please contact:
Judith Holler, Associate Professor
Email: j.holler@donders.ru.nl

Apply directly

Please address your application to Judith Holler and submit it, using the application button, no later than 15 June 2021, 23:59 Amsterdam Time Zone.   

Your application should include the following attachments:

• Letter of motivation.
• CV, including a detailed section describing your research skills and experience and the contact details of two referees.

The first round of interviews will take place on Monday 21 June.