Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience

Join the Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience.

Your function

We are looking for a candidate who is developing a theory-driven experimental research programme that advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying human cognition and complements the main research interests of the Cognitive Psychology section of the department. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong expertise in cognitive neuroscience methods, including EEG, eye tracking, and computational approaches to understanding brain and cognitive functioning. The successful candidate will thrive in a collaborative academic environment and demonstrate a strong commitment to high-quality, research-informed teaching. As an Assistant Professor, you will contribute to the section’s research, teaching, supervision, and administrative activities. In cases of clear seniority in research and/or education, combined with substantial leadership experience, such as having obtained major funding or fulfilled management roles, appointment as or later promotion to Associate Professor may be considered.

Your duties

• Establishing and leading a research group in cognitive neuroscience at the Vrije Universiteit.
• Developing an innovative and internationally visible research programme that complements and strengthens the existing expertise of the Cognitive Psychology section of the department.
• Conducting high-quality research and publishing your findings in leading international journals.
• Securing external research funding through national and international grant applications.
• Teaching and coordinating courses in one or more of the major Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes to which the section contributes.
• Supervising Bachelor’s and Master’s students and, where applicable, PhD candidates and junior researchers.
• Contributing to the development and innovation of the section’s teaching programmes.
• Collaborating with colleagues within the Cognitive Psychology section and across sections and other faculty departments.
• Contributing actively to the organisation, academic community, and strategic development of the section and department.
• Taking on an appropriate share of administrative and organisational responsibilities.

Your profile

• You have a doctoral degree (PhD) in cognitive neuroscience, AI, or a related discipline.
• A methodological focus on EEG and/or eye tracking is a plus, but experience with computational methods such as LLMs and/or fMRI is also valued.
• You are enthusiastic about research, as shown in high-quality research output.
• You have a demonstrated ability, or the potential, to acquire external funding for your research. You are expected to build up and coordinate a research team and supervise PhD candidates.
• You are able to contribute to teaching in the area of cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and AI, both at the bachelor and at the research master level.
• You have a university teaching qualification (BKO) or the willingness to complete the BKO training during your appointment.
• You are a team player, both at the level of the section and at the level of the faculty. This means that you are willing to contribute to the goals of the section and the faculty, for example as a member of research and teaching committees, and to set up collaborative research projects.
• You are committed to the principles of open science.
• You can communicate fluently in English and preferably also Dutch. If the latter is not the case, you are willing to learn Dutch. Courses are currently taught in English.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world.

• A position for at least 0.8 fte. Your employment contract will initially last 18 months. This can be converted into a permanent contract depending on performance in light of criteria formulated at the start of the contract.
• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Solid pension scheme (ABP).
• Contribution to commuting expenses.

About us

The Cognitive Psychology section is part of the Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology in the Faculty of Behavioral & Movement Sciences. The section's research programme has a strong commitment to theory development, and innovative research aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, working memory and language. We use innovative theoretical approaches and methodologies from cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

The Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology provides a vibrant climate with high quality teaching and research staff and PhD students who are supported by excellent facilities for teaching and research, including EEG, eye tracking and VR labs for experimental research. The section is affiliated with the Spinoza Neuroimaging center, which houses a 3T and 7T MRI scanner. The section is also part of the Institute of Brain and Behavior Amsterdam.

Research and teaching have a strong international and interdisciplinary focus covering central themes in cognitive psychology and neuroscience and closely related fields. We participate in the international Bachelor Psychology and the Research Master Cognitive Neuropsychology. We furthermore contribute to Bachelor and Research Master Programs in Artificial Intelligence.