We invite applications for a postdoctoral position in the Humanoid and cognitive robotics group (https://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/research/groups-teams/humanoids/) led by Assoc. Prof. Matej Hoffmann (https://sites.google.com/site/matejhof/) at the Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague.

Project context 

The position is part of the project “Understanding infant body know-how development through baby humanoid robots (ROBOTBABY)”. The postdoc will coordinate the developmental psychology aspects of the project, which aims to: 

1. Study infant behavior in three scenarios: (i) spontaneous behavior, (ii) reaching to touch, (iii) reaching to visual targets.

2. Apply AI-based tools to extract motion trajectories from infant videos.

3. Refine and advance theories of body know-how development.

The group offers a unique dataset of infant behavioral recordings, combined with state-of-the-art AI tools for automatic movement analysis. While the focus is behavioral, the project may also involve brain imaging (iEEG in adults, fNIRS in infants).

Requirements

• PhD in developmental or cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or related fields. 

• Expertise in the specific research topics and interest in embodied computational modeling is a plus.  

What we offer

• Two-year appointment (with possible extension). 

• Salary: approx. 3000 EUR / month (gross), depending on the applicant’s qualifications, with additional bonuses tied to publication outputs.

• No mandatory teaching; opportunities for teaching are available if desired.

• A highly international and interdisciplinary group. 

• The postdoc will conduct independent research, help shape group research directions, and supervise students. 

• Access to baby humanoid robots and simulators, motion capture facilities, and high-performance computing clusters.

International collaborations:

The project involves collaborations with: 

• Prof. Daniela Corbetta (U. Tennessee Knoxville – UTK, USA)

• Prof. Francesca Garbarini (U. Turin, Italy) 

• Prof. Yasuo Kuniyoshi and Dr. Hoshinori Kanazawa (U. Tokyo, Japan)

• Prof. Matthew R. Longo (Birkbeck U., London, UK) 

• Prof. Tobias Heed (U. Salzburg, Austria) 

• Dr. Kevin O’Regan (U. Paris Cité, France) 

• Dr. Luke E. Miller (Donders Inst., Radboud U., Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

Starting date:

January 1st, 2026 (flexible).

How to apply: 

Please send the following documents  to matej.hoffmann@fel.cvut.cz with “Postdoc application” in the subject line. 

- Motivation letter (max. 1 page)

- CV (including contact details of two references)

Deadline: October 1, 2025.

If you are attending the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL) in Prague (https://icdl2025.fel.cvut.cz/), feel free to approach me there. 

Best regards,

Matej Hoffmann