In order to fill a fixed-term position in part-time (29.87 hours/week = 75%) from 01.01.2027, pending funding approval, we are looking for 1
PhD position (f/m/d) in TMS-EEG of episodic memory
The Collaborative Research Center “Episodic Memory” (CRC 1844) is an interdisciplinary consortium consisting of researchers from psychology, computational neuroscience, philosophy and neuroscience. The basis for our research is the Scenario Construction Framework which conceptualizes scenarios as mental simulations of past episodes, constructed from episodic memory traces and semantic information. As a part of this team, you will be trained in interdisciplinary research and have access to a broad spectrum of initiatives to support you in your academic journey. The CRC will be housed at the new research building THINK in Bochum, which is not only equipped with cutting edge technology, but also houses a child care area (which includes, e.g., an outside play area, bedroom), parent child offices, common rooms to foster networking, etc. Within the CRC1844, the Computational Neurology group led by Prof. Dr. Xenia Kobeleva, investigates clinically relevant questions in neuropsychiatry and neurodegenerative diseases using advanced computational approaches, neuroimaging, and neurostimulation. The group is situated in the Institute for Neural Computation and is part of the Bernstein Node Bochum of the Science Hub Neuroscience. Our group works at the interface of clinical neuroscience (neurostimulation and neurodegenerative diseases) and computational neuroscience, with a strong focus on translational research that connects computational methods to real-world clinical data and patient-oriented questions. Our team is young, motivated, international, and genuinely interdisciplinary, bringing together expertise from medicine, neuroscience, psychology, and quantitative sciences. Besides a direct connection to clinical neurology, we are intensively collaborating with world-leading experts for mathematics, psychology, and computer science. The proposed PhD position will focus on the following project: Regions within the cortico-hippocampal network display interactions with the prefrontal cortex during episodic memory. To understand network effects, we will conduct an EEG memory task modulated by transcranial magnetic stimulation, studied by Bayesian modeling and EEG oscillatory analysis.
Scope: part-time
Duration: fixed-term, until 31.12.2030 (end of project)
Start: from 01.01.2027, pending funding approval
Apply by: 2026-10-19
Your tasks:
- Independently conduct fMRI and TMS-EEG experiments to better understand and modulate episodic memory
- Preprocess and analyze the resulting neuroimaging data (including oscillatory analysis)
- Presentation of research results at national and international conferences
- Publication of research results in scientific journals
Your profile:
- You are genuinely curious and interested in exploring how the brain works and what can be done to fix it in case of disorders. You can solve problems in a creative way and like to define research gaps by looking across applied and theoretical research. You have experience in interaction both with experimental and theoretical scientists and you have ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a Master’s degree in medicine, neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, biology, biomedical engineering, and related fields.
- Necessary prerequisites are prior practical experience in executing neuroscientific neuroimaging or neurostimulation experiments, preferably using TMS, fMRI, or EEG.
- It is a plus if you are experienced with neuroimaging analysis tools (e.g., MNE-Python, EEGLAB) and statistical tools (R, Stata or similar) or programming (ideally Python).
- We also expect strong analytical skills, ability for independent, creative and critical thinking, and excellent communication and writing skills in the English language. Also, German language skills are a plus but not a requirement.
https://jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/2272b862b9ecce2b036aa5aa4dcd9a7f049cdce30?ref=AfA
PhD position (f/m/d) in TMS-EEG of episodic memory in Bochum Arbeitgeber: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Die Ruhr-Universität Bochum bietet eine inspirierende Arbeitsumgebung für Postdoktoranden, die sich für Geowissenschaften und Erdbebenforschung begeistern. Mit Zugang zu modernster Infrastruktur und Daten aus innovativen Projekten in Griechenland fördert die Universität nicht nur die wissenschaftliche Exzellenz, sondern auch die persönliche und berufliche Weiterentwicklung ihrer Mitarbeiter. Die offene und kollaborative Kultur ermöglicht es den Forschern, ihre eigenen Ideen zu entwickeln und in einem dynamischen Team zu arbeiten, was die Ruhr-Universität zu einem hervorragenden Arbeitgeber macht.
