Postdoctoral Position in Lifespan Psychology, Neuroimaging, and Brain Plasticity Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany

The Center for Lifespan Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin is recruiting for a Postdoctoral Position focused on mechanisms and sequential progression of plasticity. The project investigates the EESR theory of learning-related plastic brain changes through behavioral and neuroimaging research, with a strong emphasis on motor skill learning, cognitive neuroscience, and advanced quantitative analysis.

The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to the design and execution of behavioral and neuroimaging studies, oversee empirical work, and analyze data using advanced statistical methods. The role also includes manuscript preparation and revision, as well as presenting results at international conferences. The broader project environment includes interests in computational modeling of sensorimotor learning, music-related plasticity, and species-comparative research.

The successful candidate will join an international, English-speaking research environment at one of Europe’s leading institutes for human development research. The post offers a collaborative working atmosphere, excellent research infrastructure, and access to the Planck Academy training programs. Additional benefits include flexible working hours, remote work options (up to 40% depending on work processes), annual bonus payment under TVöD, 30 days of vacation, daycare partnerships, a parent-child room, public transport access, a jobticket, an institute canteen, and a range of health and support services.

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a related field. The institute seeks candidates with strong quantitative and analytical skills, experience with cognitive neuroscience experiments, multivariate statistics, and familiarity with neuroimaging methods such as functional connectivity, representational similarity analysis, decoding, structural connectivity, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or quantitative MRI. Excellent English skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively are required. Interest in transparent, rigorous, and responsible research is expected, while experience or interest in computational modeling and related domains is desirable.

The appointment is for an initial period of two years, with a planned starting date of October 1, 2026, or until the position is filled. The application deadline is 2026-08-14. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF through the recruitment platform and should include a cover letter, CV with publication list, relevant certificates, and one preprint or publication.