PhD position in cognitive computational neuroscience Full-time

PhD Position in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience

The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a PhD position in cognitive computational neuroscience to be filled by 1st of October 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The PhD student will be part of a project entitled A Neuronal Mechanism for Auditory Imagination funded by the Lundbeck Foundation and headed by Principal Investigator (PI) David R. Quiroga-Martinez. The project aims to uncover the neural basis of auditory imagination, its variation in the general population, and its dysfunction in schizophrenia. The project combines a variety of methods including scalp EEG recordings, intracranial EEG measurements in humans including single-neuron activity, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and cognitive modeling.

Candidates with an interest and background in cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, or similar are encouraged to apply. Strong motivation, independence, as well as critical and creative thinking are essential qualities for the position. Experience with the design and implementation of experiments, signal processing, data analysis, programming, and cognitive modeling will be positively valued. The successful candidate will lead the design and execution of experiments aimed at understanding the neuronal dynamics of auditory imagination using EEG and cognitive modeling. As part of the bigger project, the PhD student will have the opportunity to work with intracranial EEG data (including human single-neuron recordings), TMS, and neuropsychiatric patients, in close collaboration with cognitive psychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and other cognitive scientists. It is expected that the successful candidate will partake in the activities of the research group on a daily basis. The PhD student will be physically located at the Cognition and Neuropsychology research cluster at the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact PI David R. Quiroga-Martinez for more information about the project.

PhD studies consist of research programmes that qualify students for independent and wide-ranging research, development and teaching at international level. The main emphasis is on PhD students organising and conducting their own research project (under supervision). The programme culminates in the submission of a PhD thesis, which the student must defend in public. The programme is prescribed to 180 ECTS points, corresponding to three years of full-time study.

A PhD opens up a range of career opportunities in academia and elsewhere. As well as writing a thesis, PhD students work in active research environments in Denmark and abroad. They contribute to the academic environment, take research training courses and convey the results of their research in teaching, at academic conferences and to the general public.

Applicants must have a two-year Master's degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent and, as a minimum, have submitted a Master's thesis for which they have received pre-approval at the time of application. The qualifications of applicants with non-Danish Master's degrees will be assessed to ascertain whether they correspond to the Danish level. For further information, please refer to the website of the Ministry of Education and Research.

All applications must be submitted online, in PDF or Microsoft Word format, via the link “Apply for the position” at the bottom of the page.

The application must include:

• Project description covering the problem formulation, overall objectives, methodology, and expected results (max. 1 page/2400 characters, incl. spaces, excl. bibliography).
• Personal statement (max. one page) outlining how the PhD project relates to other research activities at the department and describing competencies, motivations, and personal qualifications relevant to the PhD programme.
• CV (max. one page) and a list of publications, if relevant.
• Documentation (diplomas and transcripts) including a copy of their Master's degree diploma or similar, a copy of their Master's degree transcript, a copy of their Bachelor's degree diploma, and a copy of their Bachelor's degree transcript.

The following criteria are applied when assessing PhD applications:

• The quality and originality of the PhD project
• Research qualifications, as reflected in the attached CV and project description
• Competencies and knowledge of relevant fields of academic research
• Level (grades obtained) of Bachelor and Master's studies.

The deadline for applications is 1st of July 2026, at 23:59 CEST.