Research Assistant on Development of Human Communication at the Donders Centre for Cognition

Be part of a multidisciplinary team exploring how early-life social experiences shape human communication in a unique child-focused study combining behavioural and neuroimaging research.

Radboud University is looking for a Research Assistant to join the multidisciplinary team at the Donders Institute. The study involves organising acquisition of behavioural and neuroimaging (fMRI) data from six-year-old children during a visit to the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging. You will be responsible for planning and implementing the behavioural and neural measurements. There is the possibility of being involved in the analysis of those measurements.

This project builds on the notion that social experiences early in life are crucial for the development of human communication skills. The project uses natural variability in early-life social experiences as a tool to understand how different sociocultural environments guide the development of human communicative capacities. We plan to test the long-lasting effects of those experiences on the human ability to communicate. The specific goal of the project is to identify which features of children's sociocultural environment influence their ability to coordinate with other people later in development.

I quickly found my rhythm at Radboud University because of the great support, friendly environment and likeminded people.

Yuxuan Dai PhD Candidate at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging

“I decided to pursue my PhD at Radboud University because of positive stories about the research quality and work environment from people I knew. Still, moving to a new country can be quite daunting. My routine was suddenly going to change completely. Having previously moved to London from my home country China, the transition to the Netherlands was not entirely unfamiliar. Yet, the prospect of moving to a non-English-speaking country posed a challenge. I questioned my supervisor multiple times about the necessity of learning Dutch. Fortunately, she assured me that the English level is very high in Nijmegen and the Netherlands.

When I came here, Radboud University offered valuable support with the hurdles of finding housing, healthcare, and establishing my life in a new country. For me, the Donders Institute is the ideal place for pursuing an academic path. The friendly and collaborative environment allows me to exchange ideas with researchers from all over the world. Through the university-wide PhD network, I could join fun activities and build my social circle.

Coming from big metropolitan cities like Beijing and London, I had to get used to the smaller size and more tranquil ambience of Nijmegen. However, I quickly learned there are still many things to do. The calmer atmosphere also allows me to fully focus on my research during the week. On the weekends, I can easily hop on the train and explore because of the compactness of the Netherlands. I now have found my rhythm at Radboud University, partly because of the great support, internationally friendly work environment, and like-minded people.”

Yuxuan Dai PhD Candidate at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging

Does this sound like you?

• You hold a Master’s degree in Psychology, Educational Sciences, Biomedical Sciences or Cognitive Neuroscience and have hands-on experience in experimental testing of young children.
• You have a strong collaborative attitude and a proven ability to work in a team.
• Fluency in written and spoken Dutch is required.

What we offer you

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 1 year.
• Your salary within salary scale 7 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Where you will be working

The project is embedded in the research groups of Prof. Ivan Toni, Prof. Sabine Hunnius and Dr Marlene Meyer at the Donders Institute, combining expertise in social neurocognition, experimental semiotics and developmental neurocognition.

Faculty of Social Sciences

At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology, and the Radboud Centre Social Sciences as an institute for post-master education have been merged into the Social Sciences Education Institute. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

ivan.toni [at] donders.ru.nl