We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate with expertise in perception research, psychophysics and human factors, and with a strong interest in medical technology development. You will contribute to the consortium project ’MultiSens‑1.0: Towards a Home‑Based Assessment of Multisensory Disorders’, a collaboration between Radboud University, two hospitals (Radboud university medical center, Sint Maartenskliniek) and two technology partners (Orikami, VicarVision).
This project, funded by the NWO Open Technology Programme, aims to develop, validate and implement a novel remote assessment tool for measuring multisensory integration, enabling high‑quality perceptual data collection outside traditional laboratory settings. The work brings together human perception research, psychophysics, user‑centred design and digital health innovation. Patient studies will be conducted to advance our understanding of human functioning, characterise multisensory disorders and evaluate emerging technologies in real‑world settings.
As a PhD candidate, you will play a central role in both the scientific investigations and the development of the MultiSens application. Your responsibilities will include establishing and managing an end‑user participation programme, contributing to application design and development by investigating stimulus design, human factors and calibration requirements, and evaluating MultiSens prototypes by benchmarking their performance against standard laboratory methods. You will work closely with colleagues at the Donders Institute as well as partners across the consortium. Your appointment will also include a research secondment at one of the partner institutions.
Additional responsibilities may include mentoring BSc and MSc students and taking on limited teaching duties.
Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.
A PhD track at Radboud University gives you room to follow your own interests and ambitions.
Mustafa Akpinar
PhD candidate at the Behavioural Science Institute and lecturer in Communication Science
Mustafa Akpinar is a PhD candidate at the Behavioural Science Institute and a lecturer in Communication Science.
"While studying at Radboud University, I was already teaching statistics. It started as just a side job, but I quickly discovered how much I enjoyed helping others learn. After graduating, I began working as a lecturer and researcher at a university of applied sciences. Still, that one dream kept nagging at me: pursuing a PhD.
The thing is, most PhD programmes focus heavily on research, and teaching often comes second. I wanted to do both. Then a colleague pointed me to a PhD vacancy where research and teaching were given equal weight. I instantly knew: this is my chance. I really appreciate that Radboud University offers different types of PhD tracks. That way, there's room for a range of ambitions.
Now, I study the relationship between culture and health communication, specifically within Turkish-Dutch communities. I mainly teach statistics and also coordinate a learning project on cultural communication practices. I can bring my own background into my teaching, as I’m a second-generation Turkish-Dutch person myself. What I also value is how Radboud University is becoming increasingly inclusive. For example, there was a lot of attention for Ramadan. We even celebrated Eid with colleagues! Things like that truly make a difference.
I'm also a father, combining work with family life. That takes good planning. Fortunately, at Radboud University, I have the flexibility to shape my work in a way that fits my life. My supervisors trust that I’ll get my work done, even if I have to take my child to swimming lessons in the afternoon. That freedom gives me peace of mind."
Does this sound like you?
You hold an MSc degree in Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related field. Applied backgrounds such as Human Factors, Biomedical Engineering, or Human‑Centred Design are also suitable, provided they include rigorous training and experience in human perception research and quantitative methods.
You have a demonstrated affinity for experimental research in human participants and/or computational or mathematical modelling of behaviour.
You have proven experience with quantitative data analysis, for example using MATLAB and/or Python.
You are highly motivated to conduct interdisciplinary empirical research at the intersection of perception science, technology and health.
You possess strong collaboration and communication skills and enjoy working in multidisciplinary research teams.
What we offer you
We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
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. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. 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.
Where you will be working
You will be embedded in the Donders Centre for Cognition (DCC), part of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and one of the 6 centres of the interfaculty Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour houses more than 800 researchers devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of the human mind. Research at the Donders Institute is focused around four themes:
Language and communication
Perception, action and decision making
Development and lifelong plasticity
Neural computation and neurotechnology
Excellent, state-of-the-art research facilities are available for the broad range of neuroscience research that is being conducted at the Donders Institute. The Donders Institute fosters a collaborative, multidisciplinary, supportive research environment with a diverse international staff. English is the lingua franca at the Institute. The PhD position will be embedded in the sensorimotor research group of Prof. Pieter Medendorp. Research in the group focuses on the neural mechanisms of perceptual processing, motor control and sensorimotor integration, building on theory, methods, and findings of psychology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and related disciplines.
Faculty of Social Sciences
At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology, and the Radboud Centre Social Sciences as an institute for post-master education have been merged into the Social Sciences Education Institute. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.
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.
If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account and read stories from our colleagues.
Is this the job for you?
You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Pieter Medendorp. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application.
The first interviews will take place on Tuesday 2 June. Any second interview will take place on Tuesday 16 June. You will preferably start your employment on 1 September.
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.
