Postdoctoral researcher 'Memory access in language"

We are seeking to hire a highly motivated, driven, and talented postdoctoral researcher to participate in the project “Memory access in language (MEMLANG): how we store and retrieve linguistic information” led byJakub Dotlacil. The job is offered for the duration of 3 years and will be carried out at the Institute for Language Sciences (ILS) at Utrecht University, the Netherlands.

Wat ga je doen?

The position is part of the research funded by European Research Council (ERC) under the ERC-Consolidator grant scheme. You will work in an interdisciplinary team with the PI, 2 PhD researchers from the fields of (experimental) linguistics. There will be another postdoctoral researcher joining the project later.

This project aims to develop, implement and test a general model of memory that can provide insights into how we store and retrieve linguistic information and how our language use is intertwined with memory when we communicate. The model to be developed and tested will be hybrid in the sense that it merges linguistic factors uncovered in computational and theoretical linguistics with general cognitive mechanisms. The overarching goal is to find out how the model of memory can be generalized across various linguistic domains, from the lexicon through syntax to discourse semantics, and how the memory model can help us predict diverse quantitative data in linguistics and cognitive science.

There are two components in the project: an empirical and a computational one. The empirical component of the project consists in developing, carrying out and analysing experiments that collect behavioural data (e.g., reaction times, eye fixations) and EEG data. The computational modelling component involves simulating behavioral and neural data connected to processing and memory retrieval. This postdoc position is part of the computational component of the project.

The tasks include:

• data modelling and data analysis, in particular, modeling behavioural (reading-time) data and EEG data by combining NLP techniques with theoretical understanding of underlying cognitive processes and computational cognitive modelling;
• reporting findings at conferences, proceedings and in peer reviewed journals, in collaboration with PhD candidates and supervisors;
• participation in the supervision team of two PhD candidates.

Wat breng je mee?

You bring the following qualifications:

• a PhD degree in (computational) linguistics, AI, computer science, psychology or closely related fields in hand by the starting date;
• solid knowledge in programming;
• interest in computational cognitive modelling;
• interest in experimental research and/or modelling of experimental results;
• high proficiency in academic English;
• ability to work both as an independent researcher and as a team member in an interdisciplinary team;
• strong organisational, social and communication skills

Wat bieden wij?

We offer:

• an employment contract for one year with - after a positive evaluation - an extension for the remaining period of 24 months (3 years in total);
• a working week of 32-36 hours and a gross monthly salary between €4,185 and €4,340 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10.5-10.6 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.