27 Jul 2026
Job Information
- Organisation/Company: Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań
- Department: Faculty of English | Psychophysiology of Language and Affect (PoLA) laboratory | Cognitive Neuroscience Center
Offer Description
We invite applications for a fully funded three-year postdoctoral position in Cognitive Neuroscience at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU, PI: Rafał Jończyk), Poznań, Poland, within a research project entitled "Creativity and bilingualism: How neural signatures of creative idea generation and evaluation resonate in the native and second language" and funded by the National Science Center (2024/54/E/HS6/00066).
The successful candidate will join an exciting research project investigating the neural mechanisms underlying creative idea generation and evaluation in bilinguals, combining behavioral methods with cutting-edge neurophysiological techniques. The project aims to advance our understanding of how bilingual experience influences creative cognition and the brain processes that support the generation and evaluation of novel ideas.
The project will be carried out at the Psychophysiology of Language and Affect (PoLA) Lab (PI: Rafał Jończyk) at Adam Mickiewicz University (https://pola.amu.edu.pl/) in collaboration with Prof. Guillaume Thierry (Bangor University, UK). The postdoc will have opportunities for international collaboration and research visits.
The PoLA Lab is part of the Cognitive Neuroscience Center: https://neuroscience.amu.edu.pl/. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art psychophysiological research infrastructure, including two 64-channel BioSemi EEG systems (with GSR sensors) enabling dual-EEG/hyperscanning studies in adjacent testing booths. Additional facilities include access to eye-tracking, fNIRS, tDCS, and TMS.
The successful candidate will join a vibrant and collaborative research team at the intersection of language, emotion, creativity, and cognitive neuroscience. We maintain active collaborations with researchers in Poland and abroad and foster a supportive atmosphere for developing an independent research profile. Applications should be sent to rafal.jonczyk@amu.edu.pl by 11.09.2026.
Expected Start date: October 31, 2026 (later start is possible)
We welcome applications from candidates with a background in:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Linguistics
- Neuroscience
- Related disciplines
Responsibilities:
- Close collaboration with the Principal Investigator (PI) in formulating key research questions, designing experiments, and preparing stimuli (creation, calibration, normalization).
- Applying for research grants (National Science Centre, European Research Council).
- Directing the programming of electrophysiological experiments.
- Managing participant recruitment and the collection of behavioural and electrophysiological data (pilot studies and main studies).
- Conducting data analysis and visualization (e.g., in MATLAB and R) and training other team members.
- Disseminating project results (publications, international conferences, outreach activities).
- Co-supervising doctoral students together with the PI.
- Carrying out other project-related tasks assigned by the PI.
Requirements:
The competition is open to individuals who meet the requirements specified in Article 113 of the Law on Higher Education and Science of 20 July 2018 (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1571, Article 113 as amended) and who meet the following requirements:
- A doctoral degree (obtained, or doctoral thesis submitted for defense before the start date of employment) in psycholinguistics, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or related fields (e.g., linguistics, cognitive science). The degree must be obtained in the year of employment in the project, or within the 7 years preceding January 1 of the year of employment in the project (i.e., 2019-2026), taking into account the permissible extensions specified by the Polish National Science Center.
- Research experience or documented interest in bilingualism and/or the cognitive neuroscience of creativity.
- High proficiency in English (spoken and written) – minimum level C1.
- At least one scientific publication as first author, preprint, or manuscript under review, and/or a popular science text aimed at a broader audience (e.g., blog post, magazine article).
- Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to independently manage multiple research tasks and deadlines.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a research team.
- Interest in pursuing a career in academic research.
Desirable experience:
- A documented track record of original or innovative research achievements in bilingualism, creativity, and/or cognitive neuroscience.
- Experience presenting research findings at international conferences.
- Experience in advanced analysis of behavioral and/or electrophysiological (EEG) data.
- Advanced knowledge of statistical analysis (R / MATLAB).
- Experience programming experiments using specialized software (E-Prime / PsychoPy / OpenSesame / MATLAB).
- Experience with online data collection platforms (Gorilla / Pavlovia / SurveyMonkey / Qualtrics, etc.).
- Experience writing grant applications and securing research funding.
Required documents:
- Application form/letter of the candidate addressed to the Vice-Rector announcing the competition;
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Cover letter explaining the motivation for applying, including a description of prior research experience and scientific interests;
- Diplomas or certificates issued by colleges and universities attesting to education and degrees or titles held (in case of academic degrees obtained abroad - the documents must meet the equivalence criteria set out in Article 328 of the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on Higher Education and Science (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 742 Polish: Dziennik Ustaw 2024 poz. 1571 t.j.);
- Candidates who have not yet obtained a doctoral degree may apply, provided that they obtain it by the date of signing the employment contract.
- Contact details for up to three people who can provide academic references;
- Consent to the processing of personal data as follows: In accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016. (OJ EU L 119/1 of 4 May 2016) I consent to the processing of personal data other than: first name, (first names) and surname; parents' first names; date of birth; place of residence (mailing address); education; previous employment history, included in my job offer for the purpose of the current recruitment.
Monthly salary: ~ 11.983,33 PLN gross (15555,56 PLN gross-gross)
Project description:
Can we differentiate the neural signatures of creative idea generation from those of evaluation? Do people evaluate their own ideas differently from those of others? And finally – in bilinguals, does the language in which they think differentiate the way ideas are generated and evaluated?
Creativity – the uniquely human capacity to generate novel and contextually appropriate ideas – underlies human innovation and problem-solving. Research to date has focused mainly on idea generation (what happens when people come up with ideas), with far less attention paid to idea evaluation (what happens when people perceive an idea as creative or not) – even though both processes are equally important. Moreover, given the growing multilingualism of today's world, it is worth examining whether and how the creative process differs between a bilingual's two languages. This project is the first attempt to characterize the neural signatures of generating and evaluating creative ideas in both a person's native language and their second language.
Across six experiments, we will apply state-of-the-art neuroscientific and statistical methods (including time-frequency analysis and hierarchical linear modeling of EEG data) with Polish-English bilingual participants performing creative problem-solving tasks in their native language (L1, Polish) and second language (L2, English). We will first develop a rigorously controlled set of problems and track the evaluation of creativity through modulations of event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to solutions varying in originality and effectiveness. We will then engage participants in a novel two-stage problem-solving task that forces dynamic switching between idea generation and evaluation – both within individual trials and across experimental blocks – in order to characterize the interplay between the two processes at the neurophysiological level. In the block-based version of this paradigm, we will also conduct the first comparison of the evaluation of one's own ideas versus those of others using neurophysiological measures. Once refined, these paradigms will serve as the foundation for our final experiments investigating the interactions between idea generation, idea evaluation, and language of operation in Polish-English bilinguals. These goals will be pursued by a dedicated, interdisciplinary, and international team assembled specifically for this project.
Our project will push the boundaries of knowledge on the relationship between the generation and evaluation of creative ideas in a native versus second language, making a significant contribution to the rapidly developing field of the neuroscience of creativity. We also believe its findings may have practical significance. Understanding creative problem-solving is crucial today – complex, fast-changing challenges such as environmental pollution or global health crises require innovative and flexible solutions. Understanding the role of language(s) in this process could, in turn, lead to concrete recommendations and even inform policy-making in international settings where multilingualism is increasingly becoming the norm.
Where to apply
E-mail: rafal.jonczyk@amu.edu.pl
Requirements
Research Field: Neurosciences » Neurophysiology
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Research Field: Psychological sciences » Psychology
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Research Field: Psychological sciences » Cognitive science
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Research Field: Language sciences » Linguistics
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- A doctoral degree (obtained, or doctoral thesis submitted for defense before the start date of employment) in psycholinguistics, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or related fields (e.g., linguistics, cognitive science).
- Research experience or documented interest in bilingualism and/or the cognitive neuroscience of creativity.
- High proficiency in English (spoken and written) – minimum level C1.
- At least one scientific publication as first author, preprint, or manuscript under review, and/or a popular science text aimed at a broader audience (e.g., blog post, magazine article).
- Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to independently manage multiple research tasks and deadlines.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a research team.
- Interest in pursuing a career in academic research.
Specific Requirements
Desirable experience:
- A documented track record of original or innovative research achievements in bilingualism, creativity, and/or cognitive neuroscience.
- Experience presenting research findings at international conferences.
- Experience in advanced analysis of behavioral and/or electrophysiological (EEG) data.
- Advanced knowledge of statistical analysis (R / MATLAB).
- Experience programming experiments using specialized software (E-Prime / PsychoPy / OpenSesame / MATLAB).
- Experience with online data collection platforms (Gorilla / Pavlovia / SurveyMonkey / Qualtrics, etc.).
- Experience writing grant applications and securing research funding
Required documents:
- Application form/letter of the candidate addressed to the Vice-Rector announcing the competition;
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Cover letter explaining the motivation for applying, including a description of prior research experience and scientific interests
- Diplomas or certificates issued by colleges and universities attesting to education and degrees or titles held (in case of academic degrees obtained abroad - the documents must meet the equivalence criteria set out in Article 328 of the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on Higher Education and Science (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 742 Polish: Dziennik Ustaw 2024 poz. 1571 t.j.);
- Candidates who have not yet obtained a doctoral degree may apply, provided that they obtain it by the date of signing the employment contract.
- Contact details for up to three people who can provide academic references
- Consent to the processing of personal data as follows: In accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016. (OJ EU L 119/1 of 4 May 2016) I consent to the processing of personal data other than: first name, (first names) and surname; parents' first names; date of birth; place of residence (mailing address); education; previous employment history, included in my job offer for the purpose of the current recruitment.
Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
- an atmosphere of respect and cooperation
- supporting employees with disabilities
- flexible working hours
- funding for language learning
- co-financing of training and courses
- additional days off for education
- life insurance
- pension plan
- savings and investment fund
- preferential loans
- additional social benefits
- leisure-time funding
- subsidizing children's vacations
- "13th" salary
- healthcare package
Eligibility criteria
- Documented publication record consistent with the research area specified in the competition requirements, taking into account journal ranking and first authorship (0–70 pts.).
- Research internships completed, participation in conferences, scientific seminars, workshops, and training courses (0–10 pts.).
- Involvement in research projects, including experience preparing grant applications (0–10 pts.).
- Documented knowledge of behavioral and/or electrophysiological (EEG) data analysis, advanced statistical analysis (R/MATLAB), and experiment programming (E-Prime/PsychoPy/OpenSesame) (0–10 pts.).
Selection process
- Competition committee begins working no later than 14 days after the deadline for submission of documents.
- Formal evaluation of submitted proposals.
- Call to provide additional or missing documents if necessary.
- Selection of candidates for the interview stage (min 75/100 points)
- Interviews for candidates who meet the formal requirements and exceed the threshold of 75/100 points
- The committee has the right to request external reviews of candidates' work or to ask candidates to conduct teaching assignments with an opportunity for student evaluation.
- The chair of the competition committee announces the results and informs the candidates. This information will include justification with a reference to candidates' strengths and weaknesses. Submitted documents will be sent back to candidates
Additional comments
Prospects for professional development:
- Support in building an academic profile through publications in renowned journals in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and psycholinguistics.
- Development of advanced methodological expertise in EEG, time-frequency analysis, and EEG data modeling.
- Support in writing grant applications for national (NCN) and international (ERC) projects.
- Establishing collaborations with renowned research centres worldwide as part of an interdisciplinary, international project team.
- Experience in running novel, original research paradigms.
- Opportunity to co-supervise doctoral students and gain mentoring experience.
- Development of skills valuable beyond academia (statistical analysis, experiment programming).
Website for additional job details: https://bip.amu.edu.pl/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/674666/zal-1_26_konkurs_ogloszenie_EN_SONATA_BIS_RJ.pdf
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Adam Mickiewicz University
Country: Poland
City: Poznań
Postal Code: 61-712
Street: Grunwaldzka 6
Contact
State/Province: Wielkopolska
City: Poznań
Website: http://www.amu.edu.pl, https://pola.amu.edu.pl/, https://neuroscience.amu.edu.pl/
Street: Wieniawskiego 1
Postal Code: 61-712
E-Mail: klinke@amu.edu.pl, rafal.jonczyk@amu.edu.pl
Mobile Phone: +48536489524
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