Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Cognitive Effort (Department of Experimental Psychology)

Ghent University’s Department of Experimental Psychology is seeking a postdoctoral fellow for the Learning and Cognitive Control Laboratory, focusing on the neurocognitive mechanisms of cognitive effort. The successful candidate will apply control-theoretic approaches to analyze behavioral, EEG, and MEG datasets, training recurrent neural networks to reconstruct dynamical systems and investigating the energy demands of these network architectures. This research supports the Controllosphere Theory of cognitive effort and is funded by a European Research Council Advanced Grant. The position offers a full-time contract for 36 months, with the possibility of extension to 48 months for eligible EEA nationals under MSCA rules. The grant amount matches the net salary of a doctoral assistant (AAP 5), with adjustments possible based on experience and demonstrated competences. Staff benefits include extensive training opportunities, 36 days of annual holiday leave, bicycle allowance, and eco vouchers. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent in computational modeling, engineering, or a related discipline; expertise in linear control theory and dynamical systems is preferred but not required. Exceptional scientific merit may substitute for a doctoral degree in rare cases. International mobility requirements apply: candidates must have resided abroad for at least 24 months out of the 3 years prior to the start date and not have worked or studied in Belgium during that period, except for short-term stays. Interested candidates should email their CV, a statement of research interests, and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Professor Clay Holroyd at [email protected]. Applications are accepted until the position is filled, with a start date of January 1, 2026 at the earliest. For more information about the project and salary scales, visit the provided links.