Postdoctoral Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Social Perception Lab

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

In the Social Perception Lab at Karolinska Institutet, you will find a unique opportunity to work together with top researchers in cognitive neuroscience to jointly try to understand how the brain encodes the mental state of others. To achieve this goal, we conduct various research projects that lie in the relatively unexplored intersection between social cognition and attentional processing. We use several different methods, including functional magnetic brain imaging (fMRI), behavioral and psychophysical approaches (including advanced eye tracking and motion capture), and intracranial electrophysiological (EEG) recordings in neurosurgical patients. We offer an engaging and international research environment where you get an opportunity to contribute to high-quality research at the highest international level. The position is a full-time position for 2 years with a possible extension.

Your mission

The postdoctoral fellow will lead one of two new projects, both of which aim to characterize how the brain processes the attention of others. The research group has recently characterized a novel mechanism by which the brain encodes others’ attention as an implied motion connecting agents to attended objects (e.g. Guterstam et al 2019, 2020, 2021 PNAS; Guterstam & Graziano 2020 Prog Neurobiol). Although people show no awareness of this agent-to-object motion, it has a significant effect on motion-processing brain areas and behavioral measures, and on social cognitive decisions about the attention of others.

In one of the projects, advanced behavioral methods, machine learning and eye tracking (simultaneously in two participants) will be used to identify cues that the brain uses to determine another person’s direction of covert attention. In the other project, in collaboration with a group of neurosurgeons in Portland (Oregon, USA), intracranial EEG experiments will be conducted to identify brain activity associated with the perception of other people's mental states. The postdoctoral researcher will also be encouraged to develop their own ideas within the areas of social cognition and attention. With the help of research assistants, the successful candidate will be responsible for setting up experiments, analyzing data and writing scientific articles. The research group have access to two state-of-the-art 3-Tesla MRI scanners and one new 7-Tesla scanner.

The successful candidate are offered the opportunity to work in a successful and well-funded research group, and will be surrounded by a number of senior and junior researchers. Our research group collaborates with other groups at the department and a number of prominent research groups around the world, which provides an opportunity for international exchanges.

Your profile

We are looking for a talented, innovative, and enthusiastic researcher with a PhD in a relevant research field. The successful candidate has previous well-documented research experience of working with advanced behavioral analyses, eye tracking, EEG analyses, machine learning, or other advanced experimental electrophysiology or related research experiences. A consistently excellent academic track record is required, including publications in high-quality international scientific journals. English is the main language of communication in the research group, therefore it is a requirement to have strong English skills in writing and speaking. Personal skills and characteristics will also be considered when filling the position.

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctor a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
A complete list of publications
A summary of current work (no more than one page)

Welcome to apply at the latest June 11th 2024.

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all!