Open Positions

PhD Position for our project ChildBrainCircuits: Neural basis of multisensory learning and processing during child development

Fluent German required!

We have an open PhD Position with supervision by Sarah Di Pietro and AdaBD member Silvia Brem, in collaboration with AdaBD members Christian Ruff, Nora Raschle, Michael von Rhein, Anita Rauch. If you are interested in investigating how the structure, activation and connectivity of brain regions adapt during multisensory learning across early and middle childhood in healthy children and in patients with developmental language disorders and autismus do not hesitate to read our job ad and apply. We look forward to meeting you!

As a doctoral candidate, you will be responsible for the second phase of the project. You will collect longitudinal data on the cohort's behaviour and (f)MRI and analyse it, in particular using a computational modelling approach, for your publication-based dissertation. In addition, you will recruit a group of children with autism, which will be compared with the group of children already surveyed.

Your responsibilities

• Independent planning, development, implementation and evaluation of annual psychometric follow-up measurements and an MRI follow-up measurement as part of longitudinal studies
• Recruitment of a group of children with autism, followed by planning, implementation and evaluation of the measurements
• Data analysis using computational models
• Scientific publications and presentations of the results
• Responsibility for recruitment and coordination of the study
• Support in supervising master's students and interns and teaching courses

Your profile

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in biomedicine, (human/neuro) biology, psychology with a neuroscience focus, health sciences and technology or a related subject
• Enjoy contact with young children and their parents, as well as patience and empathy
• Very good statistical knowledge and programming skills (e.g. MATLAB, Python, R), in particular for computational modelling
• Fluency in German (including understanding of Swiss dialects) and good written and spoken English skills
• Begeisterung für genaues wissenschaftliches Arbeiten (MRT-Erfahrung von Vorteil) und wissenschaftliches Schreiben
• Enthusiasm for precise scientific work (MRI experience is an advantage) and scientific writing
• Very good communication and organisational skills and enthusiasm for working in an interdisciplinary team

Are you interested? Please apply via the website of the University of Zurich:
Apply here