Two PhD Positions in Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging

Introduction

How do memory, attention, and decision making change as we age, and how can technology help us better understand and support these processes? The Brain & Cognition Team at Erasmus University Rotterdam offers two fully funded PhD positions to study the aging brain through innovative cognitive neuroscience experiments and AI-based methods.

Job description

The Brain & Cognition Team at Erasmus University Rotterdam seeks applicants for two fully funded PhD positions in the field of cognitive neuroscience of aging. The successful candidates will join an interdisciplinary research team studying how aging affects key cognitive domains such as memory, attention, and decision making, using advanced experimental, neuroimaging and AI modeling techniques.

Both projects are part of a broader research program on the aging brain in complex cognitive contexts, focusing on risky decision-making and spatial navigation. The first project investigates how the aging brain influences risky decision-making and how adaptive strategies, including AI tools, can enhance decision quality in later life. The second project examines how the aging brain navigates space and memory using VR methodology, and how factors such as GPS use may shape these processes. Together, the projects aim to advance understanding of brain plasticity and resilience in the context of emerging technologies and their societal impact.

The positions will be supervised by Muhammet Ikbal Sahan, Katinka Dijkstra and Janna Cousijn. Both individual Brain & Cognition team members and the team as a whole have conducted research in aging and cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Muhammet Ikbal Sahan studies the interaction between spatial cognition and working memory, focusing on neural mechanisms underlying memory search. Prof. Dr. Katinka Dijkstra develops and evaluates training programs to improve cognitive functioning in older adults and employees, and examines resilience, text comprehension, and stress in later life. Prof. Dr. Janna Cousijn investigates how the brain in interaction with the environment shape mental health across the lifespan. Together, their expertise reflects the team’s broad approach to cognition and behavior, combining neurobiological, cognitive, and social dimensions with theory development, collaboration, and societal impact.

The PhD candidates will design, implement, and analyze behavioral and cognitive neuroscience experiments, contributing to both lab-based and web-based research. They will work with state-of-the-art methodologies, including eye-tracking, EEG, and fMRI, to investigate neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying cognitive processes in the aging brain. The projects involve AI-based modeling and VR environments to study cognition in complex and ecologically valid contexts. Both positions will require strong analytical and methodological skills. Candidates will handle data preprocessing and analysis, ideally with proficiency in Python, R, or MATLAB. Collaboration within a multidisciplinary team is essential, as both PhD students will contribute to shared research outputs such as conference presentations, reports, and publications. They are also expected to communicate their findings to non-academic audiences and to contribute to the development of tools or policy-relevant outcomes that can be implemented more broadly.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, or a closely related field, and demonstrate a strong interest in cognitive neuroscience and research methods. Proficiency in Dutch is required for one of the positions and strongly recommended for the second position. Prior experience with AI modeling, neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI and/or EEG) or behavioral experimental tools is an advantage. Experience working with aging or elderly populations is also considered as an advantage.

Job requirements

We are looking for candidates who fit the following profile:

Academic Background and Experience

• Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, or a closely related discipline, preferably with a focus on data science or cognitive neuroscience.
• Experience with empirical research, data processing, statistical analysis, programming, and computational modeling.
• Familiarity with experimental methods and tools such as EEG, fMRI, behavioral testing, or questionnaire design.
• Experience working with aging or elderly populations is considered an advantage.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, and/or R.
• Experience with data science frameworks (e.g., AI, LLMs).
• Familiarity with machine learning (e.g., scikit-learn, MVPA, RSA).
• Experience with biosignal processing and neuroimaging analysis (e.g., EEG, fMRI).

Communication Skills

• Excellent spoken and written English
• Dutch is required for one of the two positions and highly recommended for the second position. This is crucial particularly for communication with elderly participants.
• Strong academic writing and presentation skills, with the ability to convey ideas clearly and enthusiastically to a diverse audience.

Organizational and Personal Qualities

• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary research and open science.
• Curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to research integrity and ethical conduct.
• Affinity with teaching is considered a plus.

Employment conditions and benefits

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position is February 1st 2026, and you will be based at Campus Woudestein, in Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB). This position is for 0.8 fte - 1 fte. The salary starts with € 3.059 gross per month Scale PhD on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU.

The contract will initially be for a period of one year, with the intention to extend it into a four-year PhD trajectory, contingent upon satisfactory performance.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

-        Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!

-        Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.

-        Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.

-        Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.

-        Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).

-        Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Employer

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)
Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) combines various disciplines such as public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College is affiliated with the faculty. Within ESSB, we work in teams on education and research, emphasising interdisciplinarity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Together, we strive for societal and scientific impact.

ESSB distinguishes itself through inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary research, in which academics and students work together on complex social issues. Thanks to this approach, ESSB successfully attracts national and international research subsidies and funds, with which we continuously strengthen and renew our education and research.

ESSB serves almost 6,000 students annually with a wide range of bachelor's and master's programmes and has more than 600 employees. These programmes are highly rated by students and alumni. Within ESSB, developing new insights and realising positive societal impact are central, always with a focus on people and society.

Visit our website for more information about the faculty, and click here for more information about our academic teams.

Group

Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies (DPECS)

Department

Team Brain and Cognition

The mission of our team Brain and Cognition is to explore and investigate fundamental questions about brain and cognition conform the principles of open and responsible science. Our strengths lie in both fundamental and applied research, covering topics of memory, language, and perception as well as artificial intelligence, large language models and their effects on human cognition. Our team offers future-proof, engaging courses about the brain and cognition within the bachelor’s programme Psychology and the master’s specialisation Brain and Cognition. These courses also address relevant societal issues, such as conspiracy thinking, stereotypes, and spatial navigation, aligning with our university's strategy for tangible societal impact.

For more information, please visit our website.

Applying

Please submit your application, consisting of a motivation letter and CV, before the vacancy closing date.

The selection procedure consists of at least one interview and a writing assignment. Interviews are expected to be held in the week of 05-01-2026 (week 2), with second-round interviews scheduled for the week of 12-01-2026 (week 3).

We look forward to receiving your application.

You can find more information about the EUR and ESSB at eur.nl/essb­­­­­­­­­

Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained by contacting Muhammet Ikbal Sahan (sahan@essb.eur.nl).

Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.