Sarah Bernolet

The University of Antwerp invites applications for a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in Dutch Linguistics within the Arts Faculty’s Department of Linguistics. As a dynamic and forward-thinking European university, Antwerp offers innovative academic education to over 20,000 students and conducts pioneering scientific research. The university is committed to diversity, inclusion, and excellence, providing a stimulating environment for researchers from around the world. This PhD position focuses on the acquisition of sentence structures, particularly passive sentences, in a second language (L2). The research will involve sentence production experiments with Ukrainian learners of Dutch and Dutch learners of Ukrainian and Swedish. Additionally, the project will test computational models to simulate the learning process. The successful candidate will actively prepare and defend a PhD thesis, publish scientific articles related to the research, and provide limited teaching support for courses aligned with the research topic. Applicants must hold or expect to obtain a Master Degree in Linguistics, Digital Text Analysis, Experimental Psychology, or related fields by the start date. Excellent academic performance is required. Candidates should demonstrate teaching competences in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision and research qualities that meet faculty and university standards. Knowledge of Dutch and Ukrainian (or another Slavic language) is an asset. Experience with linguistic research (such as psycholinguistics) and/or quantitative data analysis is desirable. Basic understanding of statistical and/or programming skills is required, with willingness to receive further training. Social skills for effective collaboration with the target audience are necessary. The scholarship is offered for a period of four years, starting with a one-year contract that can be extended following a positive evaluation. The planned start date is October 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to university rates. Additional benefits include ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, bicycle allowance or full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting, and access to a wide range of courses and educational credit through the Antwerp Doctoral School. Most work will be conducted at the city campus in downtown Antwerp. To apply, candidates must submit their application via the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform by May 12, 2026. Required attachments include a motivation letter and CV, with relevant research experience clearly mentioned. The selection committee will review applications promptly after the deadline, and eligible candidates will be informed about the next steps. Selection interviews are scheduled for June 3 and 4, with candidates’ availability taken into account. For questions about the application process, contact [email protected]. For job-specific inquiries, contact Prof. Sarah Bernolet at [email protected]. The University of Antwerp is a sustainable, family-friendly organization that invests in its employees’ growth. It has received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award and encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds and characteristics.

The University of Antwerp, a dynamic and forward-thinking institution, invites applications for a full-time PhD studentship in neurolinguistics. This opportunity is offered jointly by the Department of Linguistics (Faculty of Arts) and the Department of Biomedical Sciences (Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences). The position is embedded in an interdisciplinary research environment, with access to the Centre for Computational Linguistics, Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics, as well as the Computational Neurology group of the Experimental Neurobiology Unit. The doctoral project focuses on the psycholinguistic analysis of sentence construction and its underlying neural substrates. You will collect behavioral and EEG data from participants, analyze patterns of sentence production in spontaneous speech across diverse groups (including youth, elderly, and patients with neurological conditions), and investigate the relationship between local and global coherence in speech. The project also examines the effects of sentence construction modulation during comprehension tasks, linking linguistic phenomena to neural activity via EEG. You will disseminate your findings through scientific publications and presentations at international conferences. As a doctoral researcher, you will also contribute to teaching and research support within the departments, such as supervising bachelor/master theses related to your research. The position offers a unique chance to conduct fundamental research in neurolinguistics within a collaborative and inclusive academic setting. Eligibility: Applicants must have (or soon obtain) a master's degree in Linguistics, Language and Literature, Digital Text Analysis, or a related field. Excellent academic performance is required, and candidates must meet the criteria for the FWO Aspirant mandate. Experience in linguistic or neuroscientific research (e.g., psycholinguistics, neuroimaging) and/or quantitative data analysis is expected. Basic skills in statistics and programming (R, Matlab, Python) are required, with willingness to further develop these. Minimum B2 level in Dutch or readiness to acquire it quickly, and excellent English proficiency are necessary. Funding: The position offers a doctoral scholarship for one year, renewable annually up to four years based on positive evaluation. The monthly stipend is set according to university rates. Additional benefits include ecocheques, internet-connectivity allowance, bicycle or public transport reimbursement, and access to a wide range of doctoral training and credits via the Antwerp Doctoral School. Application Process: Applications must be submitted online via the University of Antwerp platform by 1 July 2026. Required documents include a motivation letter, CV with transcripts, information about your master thesis, and contact details of at least one reference (postdoctoral level). After the deadline, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview in the second week of July 2026. For questions about the application process, contact [email protected]. For academic inquiries, contact Prof. Dr. Sarah Bernolet ([email protected]) or Prof. Dr. Rose Bruffaerts ([email protected]). The University of Antwerp is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities. The institution has been awarded the 'HR Excellence in Research Award' by the European Commission and offers a supportive, family-friendly work environment.