Dear all,

The Mejias lab and the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group at the University of Amsterdam are seeking a highly qualified and motivated candidate for a PhD position in Computational Neuroscience. The position falls under the Horizon Health Europe Consortium grant “Virtual Brain Twins for Personalized Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders”. This Consortium constitutes a large collaboration between different European institutions, aiming to develop personalized brain simulation software (“virtual brain twins”) to improve the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. 

The main objective of this PhD project is to develop a biologically realistic computational model of the human brain, and use it to study alterations in brain activity associated with schizophrenia. Such model will make use of local neural mass models (developed by our Consortium partners) to simulate multiple brain areas, and will bring them together using structural connectivity data from human subjects. The model will be then used to explore the effects of schizophrenia-related alterations in brain dynamics and function, and to derive patient-specific virtual brain simulations to improve diagnosis and explore treatments in collaboration with clinical Consortium partners.

The project will be supervised by Dr. Jorge Mejias, principal investigator in computational neuroscience and leader of the Dutch component of the Consortium, and by Prof. Dr. Cyriel Pennartz, head of the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group. You will closely collaborate with other Consortium members, particularly with the team of Prof. Viktor Jirsa at Aix-Marseille University, and will also benefit from interactions with local colleagues including other theoretical, computational and experimental neuroscientists at the Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Group.

We are looking for candidates with:

•    a Master's Degree in computational neuroscience or closely related field, with a focus on modeling biological neural systems. Alternatively, a Master Degree in Physics, Mathematics, Computational Science or a closely related field, and a clear background or affinity for brain modeling;
•    strong quantitative and analytical skills, including calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, dynamical systems, stochastic processes and complex systems;
•    strong computational/programming skills (preferably with Python), including numerical methods for differential equations, machine learning and data analysis;
•    a keen, demonstrated interest in neuroscience research;
•    experience with computational neuroscience modeling projects, with virtual brain simulation engines (e.g. TVB), and/or with high performance computers is considered an advantage;
•    ability to read and understand relevant neuroscientific, cognitive and clinical literature and use experimental data to build models;
•    ability to communicate effectively in English, within a multidisciplinary team and in an international context;

We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years, which will culminate in the defense of your PhD thesis. We will also draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings, and you will also assist in teaching and other activities in the lab. The gross monthly salary will range from €2,770 in the first year to €3,539 in the last year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week). Additionally, you will receive every year an 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants, effectively increasing their net salary.

The lab is located in the state-of-the-art facilities of the Science Park at the University of Amsterdam, a top research university with a strong focus on cognition and brain research, and it has good communications with other academic and research centers in the city. As one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, Amsterdam has a rich historical and cultural heritage that includes the UNESCO World Heritage city center and canals, dozens of world-class museums and restaurants, and an exciting nightlife. The city promotes a healthy lifestyle with fantastic work-life balance, plenty of outdoor life, parks and recreational areas, an excellent bicycle path networks and an expat-friendly environment.

The application deadline is February 25, 2024. Candidates may apply by following this link: https://vacatures.uva.nl/UvA/job/PhD-position-in-Computational-Neuroscience/786924102/

Best,

Jorge Mejias