PhD Position: Neurobiology of Multimodal Language at the Donders Centre for Cognition

1. Introduction

How does the human brain combine what we hear with what we see during language processing? Why can language users so effortlessly integrate auditory signals, such as speech, with visual signals, such as gestures and lip movements, even though these signals unfold over different timescales and provide different kinds of information? And how do neural oscillations support this process?

2. Job description

We are looking for a PhD candidate to study how the human brain integrates what we hear and what we see during communication. In daily conversations, spoken language is accompanied by a plethora of visual signals such as hand gestures and lip movements. Although these signals unfold at different speeds and provide different kinds of cues, listeners seem to integrate these signals effortlessly. However, how this happens at a neural level remains a fundamental open question in the language sciences.

The central question of this PhD project is how the brain dynamically integrates and weights auditory and visual signals during natural communication, and which oscillatory mechanisms support this process. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to the development of a new framework for understanding the neurobiology of multimodal language.

As a PhD candidate, you will focus on how multi-timescale oscillatory dynamics support multimodal integration and weighting. You will work with EEG/MEG data to measure how language users process and coordinate multimodal signals and with rapid invisible frequency tagging to track how the brain integrates and attends to speech, gestures and other visual signals over time. You will also work with naturalistic video materials and modern analytical approaches (e.g. MVPA, mTRFs) to capture the temporal dynamics of multimodal processing (i.e. determining which signals are relevant for comprehension at different moments in time). Finally, you will contribute to developing novel methods to provide causal evidence for the involvement of neural oscillations in multimodal integration and weighting during language processing.

Your teaching load may be up to 10% of your working time. 

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You have a Research Master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, psycholinguistics, computer science, communication science, or a related discipline. Students who expect to have obtained their Master’s degree by summer 2026 are welcome to apply. 
• You have strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB and/or R.
• You have experience with EEG, MEG, or related neuroimaging methods, time-frequency analyses, or a strong interest in learning these skills. Experience with analysing these types of data is a plus.
• You have a strong interest in multimodal communication, gesture, language processing, and/or the neurobiology of language.
• You have experience with statistical modelling (e.g. mixed models, regression, MVPA, mTRFs) or a willingness to learn advanced methods.
• You preferably have a good command of Dutch or are willing to learn this language.
• You have an affinity for working with naturalistic stimuli and computational tools for motion/speech analysis (e.g. OpenPose, OpenFace).
• You preferably have experience with rapid invisible frequency tagging.
• You preferably have experience with dual-EEG, hyperscanning or interactive paradigms.
• You preferably have experience with publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at conferences. 

4. We are

You will join 'The Communicative Brain' group (led by Dr Linda Drijvers), which is part of the Psycholinguistics department of the Donders Centre for Cognition. Our group is also affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. You will be part of an interdisciplinary team that brings together expertise from linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, multimodal communication, artificial intelligence and advanced signal analysis. The project provides extensive opportunities for training, collaboration and development as an early-career researcher.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• There may be an opportunity for Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to dr. Linda Drijvers. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.

The first interviews will take place on Tuesday 20 January. Any second interview will take place on Monday 26 January. The start date of this position can be from as soon as possible until 1 September 2026.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.