Doctoral (PhD) student position in developmental cognitive neuroscience - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Applications are welcome for a 4-year fully funded PhD position at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to conduct advanced analyses of brain and behavioural development in infants.

A doctoral student is admitted to third-cycle/doctoral education. A doctoral education consists of supervised research, combined with courses and other educational activities. An individual study plan is established for each doctoral student. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

Department
The Department of Women's and Children's Health is organized in 10 divisions: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology, Pediatric Surgery, Neuropediatrics, Pediatric Oncology, Neonatology, Reproductive Endocrinology, Neuropsychiatry (KIND), Reproductive and Perinatal Health. The divisions have separate scientific profiles and vary in size and have several research groups, dealing with both basic and clinical science.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student
This position is tied to the BABYTWINS study, in which we assess brain (EEG) and behavior (including eye movements) in 5 month old twins who are subsequently followed to the age of three years of age (n = 620, classical twin design comparing identical and fraternal twins). A key aim of the BABYTWINS study is to understand etiological factors behind early brain and behavioral processes that predict later variability in domains such as language, social-communication and behavioral flexibility. This aim will be realized through structural equation twin model-fitting analyses of these newly acquired infant twin data. The 5-month data collection in the BABYTWINS study, which is unique of its kind in the world, will be completed by the end of 2019.

The student will be analyzing this rich dataset to increase our understanding of early development in infants, with a particular focus on the role of genes and environments for different early phenotypes. For example, the PhD student will analyze videos recorded during social interaction between infant and parent to establish the extent to which genetic factors influence parent-child-interaction, including “evocative genetic effects” whereby genes affect characteristics of the parent. In addition, several other possibilities for analyses are available; we try to take the particular strengths and interests of the PhD candidate into account when formulating the individual study plan.

The PhD student project is embedded in the SAPIENS consortium, a European Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network, in which 15 early-stage researchers investigate how the dynamics of early social interactions support the development of the social brain. SAPIENS combines advances in ecological, mobile real-time brain and behaviour measurement, data modeling and artificial intelligence to study early social development and to train a new generation of researchers in these ground-breaking approaches.  The other nodes in the network are well-reputed research institutes located in the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Italy.

Research group
The PhD student will be working at the Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), with Dr Terje Falck-Ytter as the main supervisor. KIND has a state-of-the art cognitive neuroscience lab, but is also a leading clinical research center for neurodevelopmental disorders in Sweden. It offers excellent research facilities, as well as outstanding PhD supervision. Several research visits are planned to collaborators at other research sites within the network. The research group is very well connected internationally, for example we are part of the world-leading autism consortium AIMS-2-TRIALS and the EUROSIBS network.

Recent examples of publications from the team:

• Nyström, P., Gliga, T., Nilsson Jobs, E., Gredebäck, G., Charman, T., Johnson, M., Bölte, S., and Falck-Ytter, T., Enhanced pupillary light reflex in infancy is associated with autism diagnosis in toddlerhood. Nature Communications, 2018. 9(1).
• Nystrom, P., Thorup, E., Bölte, S., and Falck-Ytter, T., Joint attention in infancy and the emergence of autism. Biological Psychiatry, in press.

Eligibility requirements for doctoral education
In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

Candidates should have a master’s degree (or equivalent) in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, statistics, engineering science or a related field.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement
You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

1. have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree) or
2. have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or
3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.*

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement
You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

• Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

Verification of your documents
Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

Skills and personal qualities
Demonstrable experience with different quantitative data analysis and statistical approaches is highly desirable. As the project focuses on data analysis, you should enjoy working with quantitative data and be able to quickly learn new advanced analytical/statistical techniques. Due to the international and interdisciplinary nature of the research group, good collaborative and communication skills are essential. Excellent English writing skills are a requirement. Computer programming skills is an advantage.

Terms and conditions
The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time. The intended start date is September/October 2019.

Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD positions offer a highly competitive salary from an international perspective. Further, Karolinska Institutet (and Sweden in general) offers many opportunities for building an independent line of research. These include world-renowned training courses and many grant opportunities tailored for junior researchers. The supervisory team will be supportive and keen to maximize opportunities for the potholder’s career development.

In addition, the following applies (Marie Sklodowska-Curie ITN requirements):

1. Mobility Rule: candidate must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country where the position is based for more than 12 months in the last 3 years (short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account).
2. Early Stage Researcher: the candidate is in the first four years* of his/her research career and has not been awarded a doctoral degree.

* measured from the date when the candidate obtained the degree which would formally entitle him/her to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the candidate is recruited, irrespective of whether or not a doctorate is or was ever envisaged

Application process
Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions.

Your application should contain the following documents:

• A personal letter describing why you are interested in and suitable for the position, with explicit reference to the criteria stated above (no more than one page) and a curriculum vitae (Swedish or English)
• Degree projects and previous publications, if any (Swedish or English)
• Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above (Swedish or English)
• Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
• Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

Selection
A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

KI uses the following bases of assessment:

• Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research
• Analytical skill
• Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject

All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed. The process to validate eligibility takes about 5-6 weeks from last date of application and invitations for interwiews will not be sent out before the validation is done.

In case of questions please contact Dr Terje Falck-Ytter at +46 (0)70 4581475 or terje.falck-ytter@ki.se