Postdoc Position: Computational Models of Bilingual Sentence Processing

Employment 1.0 FTE

Gross monthly salary € 4,332 - € 5,929

Required background PhD

Organizational unit Faculty of Arts

Application deadline 01 October 2024

Are you passionate about how the mind processes multiple languages simultaneously? Do you want to play a crucial role in groundbreaking research on language interaction in bilingual individuals? If so, join the Centre for Language Studies as a postdoc!

The Centre for Language Studies (CLS) seeks a postdoctoral researcher for the NWO-funded project ’The Language Leak: The statistics of language as a novel window into the multilingual mind’ which investigates how the languages of a bilingual affect each other during language comprehension. For more information about this project, see this link.

You will collaborate in a small project team investigating how a bilingual’s languages interact during the comprehension of written sentences. Your main tasks will be to develop, implement and evaluate computational models that simulate bilingual sentence processing. You will present your work at international scientific meetings and in papers in journal articles and/or conference proceedings. You will also be expected to help organise group meetings and a workshop, and may be asked to supervise undergraduate/graduate student projects.

Profile

• You have a PhD degree in a relevant discipline, for example Artificial Intelligence, (Computational) Linguistics or Cognitive Science.
• You have demonstrable experience with developing computational models of language.
• You have demonstrable ability to publish scientific papers.
• You possess excellent communication skills in written and spoken English; knowledge of Dutch would be useful but is not required.
• You are able to work independently and flexibly, and to take initiative when needed.
• You are able to communicate and collaborate effectively in a team setting.
• You possess good organisational skills.

We are

Many CLS researchers closely collaborate with colleagues at related research institutes on the Radboud University campus, in particular the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. You can also benefit from the presence of a large and active Artificial Intelligence department at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

You will be integrated into one of three CLS research groups (Language and Speech Technology, Grammar and Cognition, or Cognitive and Developmental Aspects of Multilingualism) (https://www.ru.nl/en/cls/research), but you will also be encouraged to join the meetings of the other two groups. Dr Stefan Frank will be your direct supervisor.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.

Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts is committed to the development of knowledge with a strong scientific and social impact. With over 500 academic and support staff, we teach and conduct research in the fields of art, history, language, culture and communication, using innovative methodologies and collaborating closely across disciplines. Our research is embedded in two research institutes: the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) and the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH). Approximately 2,500 students are currently enrolled with us across our three departments: the Department of History, Art History and Classics, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures and the Department of Language and Communication. The faculty is characterised by a pleasant and open culture with various opportunities for the professional development of our staff.

We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 2 years.
• Your salary within salary scale 11 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Support Service. The Dual Career Programme assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. Our Family Support Service helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customised assistance in navigating local facilities, schools, and amenities. Also take a look at our support for international staff page to discover all our services for international employees.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Stefan Frank. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place on 24 October. You will preferably start your employment on 01 January 2025.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.