PhD Position in Computational Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence for Bilingual Speech Decoding

The Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL) in San Sebastián, Spain, is offering a fully funded PhD position in Computational Neuroscience as part of the Deco-B project. This interdisciplinary research opportunity focuses on decoding bilingual speech perception (Spanish–Basque) using advanced neuroimaging (MEG, fMRI) and state-of-the-art multilingual AI models. The successful candidate will join the Brain Rhythms and Cognition Lab, led by Nicola Molinaro, and work at the intersection of neuroscience, machine learning, and language research. The Deco-B project aims to uncover how the bilingual brain represents meaning across two structurally different languages, investigating whether bilinguals use separate or shared semantic systems. The research involves recording brain activity from Spanish–Basque bilinguals as they listen to natural speech, and applying transformer-based language models (e.g., GPT-2, XLM-R, mT5, LaBSE) to decode neural data. The project leverages multimodal fusion techniques, including cross-modal transformers and shared latent space models, to integrate the spatial and temporal precision of fMRI and MEG data. The PhD researcher will be responsible for developing and optimizing analysis pipelines, extracting and aligning linguistic features, and contributing to cross-language decoding and model evaluation. The position offers extensive training in neuroimaging analysis, AI modeling, and interdisciplinary research, with opportunities for scientific publication and professional development. The contract is for four years, full-time, with a gross annual salary of 21,000€, and includes institutional benefits and a career development plan. Applicants must have completed at least 300 ECTS credits across their bachelor's and master's studies and should have a background in computational neuroscience or a related field. Proficiency in English is required, and knowledge of Spanish or Basque is advantageous. The BCBL fosters an inclusive environment and provides language lessons for international staff. The application deadline is May 10, 2026, with the position starting in early Autumn 2026. For more information, visit the BCBL website or contact Nicola Molinaro directly.