Job Information
- Organisation/Company: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)
- Research Field: Psychological sciences » Cognitive science
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Application Deadline: 30 Sep 2026 - 21:59 (UTC)
- Country: Netherlands
- Type of Contract: Temporary
- Job Status: Not Applicable
- Hours Per Week: 38.0
- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme
Offer Description
Preferred starting date: January 1, 2027 at the latest
We offer a four-year PhD position within the NWO-funded project “The Role of Foveal Processing in Spatial Attention.” The project investigates the novel hypothesis that directing attention to an object in peripheral vision recruits foveal brain systems normally involved in high-resolution central vision. Ultimately, it aims to develop a new theoretical account of how spatial attention shapes perception and prepares the visual system for eye movements.
As the PhD candidate, you will be responsible for the project’s behavioural and psychophysical studies. Your main tasks will include designing and programming experiments, collecting behavioural and eye-tracking data, conducting psychophysical and statistical analyses, and disseminating the results through scientific publications, conference presentations, and a PhD thesis. You will work closely with a postdoctoral researcher who will use ultra-high-field 7T fMRI to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying foveal recruitment. You will work in a stimulating interdisciplinary environment that combines behavioural psychophysics, eye tracking, and advanced neuroimaging.
Your duties
- map out the scientific literature on spatial attention, foveal processing, eye movements, predictive remapping, and visual perception;
- contribute to the further theoretical and methodological development of the project;
- design, program, pilot, and conduct behavioural psychophysical experiments;
- use eye tracking to monitor fixation and measure eye movements;
- collect and analyse behavioural, psychophysical, and eye-tracking data using appropriate statistical and computational methods;
- document experimental and analytical procedures carefully and reproducibly;
- preregister studies where appropriate;
- prepare research materials, analysis scripts, and datasets for responsible sharing in accordance with FAIR and open-science principles;
- collaborate closely with the other members of the research group;
- present findings at national and international scientific conferences;
- publish research findings in international peer-reviewed journals;
- complete a PhD thesis and defend it at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam;
- participate in the training programme of the graduate school;
- contribute to the academic community and team spirit of the Cognitive Psychology section;
- assist in (minor) teaching activities within the department, where appropriate.
Requirements
Specific Requirements
We are looking for a curious, precise, and collaborative researcher with a strong interest in visual perception and attention.
You have:
- completed, or will complete before the starting date, a Research Master’s or Master’s degree in cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, human movement sciences, or another relevant discipline;
- a demonstrable interest in visual attention, perception, eye movements, cognitive neuroscience, and/or experimental psychology;
- experience with experimental research and quantitative data analysis;
- a good understanding of research methods and statistics;
- an interest in psychophysics and eye-tracking research;
- strong programming skills;
- experience with analysis environments such as R, Python, MATLAB, or comparable software;
- the ability to work carefully and systematically with complex experimental designs and large numbers of repeated measurements;
- an interest in open, transparent, and reproducible research practices;
- excellent written and spoken English;
- good organisational and communication skills;
- the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative research team.
Experience with one or more of the following would be an advantage:
- visual psychophysics;
- eye tracking;
- time-resolved behavioural analyses;
- computational or statistical modelling;
- Bayesian statistics;
- programming behavioural experiments;
- research on attention, perception, or eye movements;
- preregistration, FAIR data management, OSF, or GitHub.
You do not need to meet every preferred qualification to apply. We especially encourage candidates who are enthusiastic about the research question and motivated to develop the necessary methodological skills during the PhD.
Additional Information
Benefits
A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:
- a salary of € 3.204,00 (PhD) and maximum € 4.051,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
- an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.
We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:
- 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
- contribution to commuting expenses
- optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
- a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
Additional comments
Are you interested in this position and do you believe that your experience will contribute to the further development of our university? In that case, we encourage you to submit your application. Please ensure your application includes (1) a motivation letter explaining your interest in the position and how your background fits the project; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) a copy of your Bachelor’s and Master’s degree certificates and grade transcripts, or an indication of when you expect to complete your Master’s degree; (4) the names and contact details of two academic referees; (5) an example of academic work, such as a Master’s thesis, research report, preregistration, analysis script, or scientific paper.
Submitting a diploma and a reference check are part of the application process.
The application deadline is September 30, 2026.
The intended starting date is between November 1, 2026 and January 1, 2027.
Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.
Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 1
- Company/Institute: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Country: Netherlands
- City: Amsterdam
- Postal Code: 1081BT
- Street: Van der Boechorststraat 7
Contact
- City: Amsterdam
- Website: http://www.vu.nl/
- Street: De Boelelaan 1105
- Postal Code: 1081 HV
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