Doctoral Researcher in Interdisciplinary Music Research (MUSICOTAS Project) at the University of Jyväskylä University of Jyväskylä in Finland

Call for applications for a Doctoral Researcher in Interdisciplinary Music Research within the MUSICOTAS Project at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

This PhD opportunity is hosted by the Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies and linked to the Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain. The project, Musical Sharing in Copresent Time and Space (MUSICOTAS), investigates how music is experienced and shared across live concerts, livestreams, and recorded performances, and how these contexts shape movement, emotions, physiological responses such as heart activity, rhythmic-social synchrony, and social interaction among performers and audiences.

The position is interdisciplinary and combines music research, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and quantitative methods. The doctoral researcher will contribute to data collection, analysis, method development for multimodal and synchrony analysis, publishing in international peer-reviewed journals, and completion of the PhD dissertation. The project uses participatory and multimodal research methods including focus group interviews, live concert experiments, and concert showings.

Eligibility highlights: applicants should have a Master’s degree in musicology, music technology, psychology of music, cognitive science, computer science, human sciences, or a related field; strong interest in music perception, performance studies, or music technology; familiarity with physiological measurement, movement analysis, or experimental design; strong quantitative analysis and data processing skills; excellent English academic writing and communication skills; and motivation for doctoral studies in an international, collaborative environment. Experience with cardiac activity, motion capture, biosignal analysis, Julia, MATLAB, Python, R, multimodal data analysis, or synchrony measurement is an advantage.

Funding: the position is a 3-year funded PhD appointment with a starting salary of approximately €2500/month gross, with salary progression over time. The university also offers relocation support and a holiday bonus.

Application window: submit by 30 April 2026. The selected candidate must also apply separately for postgraduate study rights at the University of Jyväskylä after selection.

How to apply: prepare an English PDF application including a CV, short motivation/cover letter, publication list if applicable, MA thesis text and evaluations if available, diploma of highest degree, and transcripts. Submit through the university recruitment system. For questions, contact Assistant Professor Martin Hartmann at [email protected].