We are looking for a PhD candidate to join the BabyBRAIN lab. In this fully funded position, the PhD candidate will conduct cross-sectional and longitudinal research to investigate how learning unfolds in early childhood. This will entail acquiring and analyzing behavioral as well as electrophysiological data of infants and young children under the supervision of Marlene Meyer, Robert Oostenveld and Sabine Hunnius. The PhD candidate will be a member of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Baby and Child Research Center.
The project
The PhD candidate will use a novel neuroscience tool, optically-pumped magnetometers, to understand how early learning develops. The project will address how caregivers’ behaviour influences infants’ learning and how early differences in learning predict language and social skills later. Insights from this project can provide knowledge for early interventions to foster learning in infancy, with potential to support later skill acquisition. This research is at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychology.
The candidates
Candidates should ideally hold a MSc degree in (Developmental) Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Science or related field. Importantly, they should have a strong motivation to conduct interdisciplinary empirical research at the intersection of developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
Deadline
Apply before September 15th 2025.