Postdoc in Cognitive Neuroscience: Development of artificial sensory modality to improve social cognition

Do you want to contribute to top quality research?

In the Social Perception Lab at Karolinska Institutet (KI), you will find a unique opportunity to work together with top researchers in cognitive neuroscience with the common goal to understand how our brains encode the minds of others. We conduct various research projects that lie in the relatively unexplored intersection between social cognition, attentional processing, and gaze perception. 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.

Your mission

As a postdoc in the group, you will lead one of two new projects, both of which are related to the development of a novel sensory modality for improving social cognition. In our lab, we have a state-of-the-art motion capture system which is synchronized with portable eye tracking devices. In these projects, you will help integrate this motion-capture-eye-tracker system with a programmable full-body haptic suit, allowing research participants to psychically sense another person’s gaze as a touch to the skin. The successful development of this setup will allow for a range of real-world experimental paradigms where physical feedback of others’ gaze is used to ‘train up’ specific aspects of social perception – both in neurotypical individuals and in people with conditions associated challenges in social interactions, such as autism.

As a postdoc, you are offered the opportunity to work in a successful and well-funded research group, and will be surrounded by senior and junior researchers. Our research group collaborates with other groups at the department and prominent research groups around the world, with ample opportunities for collaborations.

You are also encouraged to develop your own ideas within the areas of social cognition, attention, and theory of mind. At KI, you have access to several state-of-the-art MRI scanners (including one new 7T scanner) as well as MEG (Elekta Neuromag TRIUX 306-channel system).

If you are at the end of your PhD and expect to defend your thesis within 6 months (and may not be eligible to apply for this particular position), please reach out to the PI (arvid.guterstam@ki.se) for information regarding future postdoc positions within related projects in the lab.

Your profile

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

We are looking for a talented, innovative, independent and enthusiastic researcher with a PhD in a relevant research field. The successful candidate has previous well-documented research experience of working with motion capture, eye tracking, machine learning, or other advanced behavioral analyses 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.

Potential candidates will be interviewed, and personal skills and characteristics will be considered when filling the position.

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

Read more about the Division of Psychology
Read more about the research group you will be part of

Application

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

• PhD certificate
• 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)

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!