Postdoctoral researcher cognitive development

You will be embedded in the Lifespan Cognitive Dynamics Lab, part of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, and part of the department of Medical Neuroscience (Radboud University Medical Centre). The lab consists of an (inter)national team of postdocs, PhD students, Research Assistants and interns (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) and is headed by Prof. Dr. Rogier Kievit. The postholder will be directly supervised by Dr. Nick Judd (Jacobs Fellow).

At the department of Medical Neuroscience, you work on research and education focused on the nervous system in both health and disease, spanning levels from molecule to individual and population. You study neurodevelopment, stress related disorders, and sensory systems, with the aim of generating knowledge that drives impact in care, prevention, and treatment. In multidisciplinary teams, you integrate fundamental and applied research and translate new insights into innovations in neurological and psychiatric healthcare. You contribute to education and talent development, training the next generation of professionals. As one of the three science departments within Radboudumc, Medical Neuroscience is fully dedicated to research and education. This allows you to focus entirely on deepening the understanding of the nervous system and the brain. Together, you work toward groundbreaking discoveries and knowledge that will shape the healthcare of tomorrow.

The ideal candidate will have:

• An ability to conduct independent theory-based research.
• A PhD in (developmental) psychology, cognitive neuroscience, psychometrics or related field (either awarded or about to submit).
• Excellent quantitative skills (e.g., multivariate analysis, structural equation modelling, linear mixed modelling, time series analysis, causal inference).
• Experience working with large, multimodal and/or open access data sets
• Interpersonal and communication skills toeffectively collaborate and communicate in academia.
• Excellent computational skills (e.g., R,Python or comparable).
• Fluency in written and spoken English (at least C1 level).
• The capacity to participate in an interdisciplinary, international, and translational research environment.
• A demonstrable interest in open science practices (e.g., data and code sharing).

Desirable skills:

• Expertise regarding cognitive abilities such as (working) memory, intelligence, executive functions or related.
• Expertise in developmental psychology (children/adolescence or old age).
• Expertise in neuroimaging (MRI).

Candidates who only partially meet this profile are nonetheless strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates from underrepresented groups and/or women are especially encouraged to apply.

• The anticipated start date is between 1st September 2026 and 1st October 2026.
• Applicants should include 1) a motivation letter outlining their interest in the position, their qualifications, and experience related to the vacancy; 2) Two most relevant publications, and 3) An academic curriculum vitae, including names and email addresses of two professional references.
• The first job interviews will take place on 26 or 29 May 2026. Please take this into account.
• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!