Postdoctoral Position in Modeling Cognitive Fluctuations

Curious about why cognitive abilities fluctuate over time? Interested in using cognitive models and Bayesian hierarchical approaches to tackle complex, real-world data? Join this ERC-funded project to investigate cognitive variability by integrating the dynamic cognitive and biological processes that drive fluctuations in performance across multiple timescales.

Working at the UvA Join us! We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join our project entitled “Next-Generation Cognitive Testing: A Theory-Driven Approach to Multi-Scale Dynamics in Cognition”, funded by an ERC Consolidator grant awarded to Dora Matzke.

Few aspects of human performance are as salient and consequential as its variability. Fluctuations are evident in essentially all areas of cognition. For example, attention fluctuates with alertness modulated by circadian timing, while cognitive abilities change over longer time scales due to skill acquisition and forgetting. Given the critical role of cognition in nearly all aspects of human functioning, including safety-critical situations, these fluctuations have profound implications. Yet, the causes and temporal scales of cognitive fluctuations remain poorly understood. The project will develop a unified theoretical framework, for the first time synthetizing the dynamics of the diverse factors underlying fluctuations in cognitive abilities across multiple temporal scales. This interdisciplinary approach will create new opportunities for the emerging field of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in cognitive testing, enhancing reliability and predictive power, and advancing understanding of cognitive dynamics in real-world contexts. The project includes two synergistic strands: (1) Theoretical work to create a dynamic quantitative modeling framework, linking accounts of short-term variability to longer-term adaptations in performance; (2) Empirical work using EMA to investigate how and why performance on a wide range of cognitive tasks fluctuates across time scales from sub-seconds to several weeks.

This postdoctoral project has three main objectives:

• Contribute to the development of novel adaptive evidence-accumulation models for a range of cognitive tasks (e.g., stop-signal and Stroop tasks), providing theory-driven accounts of trial-to-trial fluctuations in cognitive performance.
• Integrate these models within a Bayesian hierarchical framework with formal models of learning and biological mathematical models of alertness, connecting accounts of short-term cognitive variability to longer-term adaptations in performance.
• Implement and maintain software for fitting and applying the developed models, making the new methods accessible for use in cognitive research.
• A good salary Your salary will be determined on the basis of your experience and seniority, in accordance with the Labour agreement. Your grading and therefore the amounts mentioned are based on full employment of 38 hours per week.
• 232 vacation hours We also offer parental leave, partner leave and social engagement leave. Through the Employment Conditions Menu Card, there are opportunities for even more vacation hours.
• Financial arrangements On top of your salary, you receive holiday allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%). You build up a good pension with ABP. And in addition, we offer many other allowances and schemes.
• Career development and room for growth The UvA encourages you to continue to professionalise through training courses and open UvA lectures.
• Family matters Relocating to the Netherlands with your family? Find out about daycare, schooling, health insurance or employment options and support for your partner or spouse. Including the IDCN-network which provides support for your spouse through various training sessions, social activities, and networking events.

All About This Vacancy What are you going to do The postdoctoral researcher will be embedded in the Amsterdam Mathematical Psychology Laboratory (https://www.ampl-psych.com/), within the Psychological Methods program group. Teaching is limited to 5% of the contracted hours, and consists of assisting in courses and supervising (bachelor) thesis students.

What Do You Have To Offer A strong candidate will have a clear affinity with mathematical psychology and Bayesian cognitive modeling. Given that the project sits at the intersection of psychology, cognitive science, and mathematics, we are looking for someone who is motivated to work in a multidisciplinary team and able to collaborate across fields.

Your experience and profile:

• PhD in mathematical psychology, computational cognitive modeling, psychological methods or a related discipline
• Demonstrable experience with response time modeling, particularly evidence-accumulation models
• Demonstrable experience with Bayesian hierarchical methods
• Strong programming skills in R and experience developing reproducible research software
• A strong research track record, demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and/or other relevant research outputs
• The ability to work independently and contribute creatively to the development of new models and methods
• Strong collaborative skills
• Excellent written and spoken English

What Else Do We Offer You The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week. The employment is for two years.

For this position the University Job Classification profile 'onderzoeker 3/researcher 3' applies.

Your salary will be €4.925 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €6.682 in the second year, based on full-time employment and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.

The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

What else do we offer

• a position in which initiative and input are highly valued
• an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

Your place at the UvA In this department, you will work You will join the Amsterdam Mathematical Psychology Laboratory, led by Dr. Dora Matzke and Dr. Andrew Heathcote, and be embedded in the Psychological Methods program group within the Department of Psychology.

About The Faculty Of Social And Behavioural Sciences The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the field of social and behavioural sciences in Europe. Here, we explore societal and human-centered issues, driven by scientific curiosity but also with an eye for current themes. For example, the impact of media and communication on individuals and society, healthcare challenges, global urbanization, human development, the role of political institutions, understanding the human mind, growing inequality, diversity issues, and changing social relationships.

In Europe and beyond, the FMG holds a leading position, thanks in part to its more than 1,300 staff members who contribute to education and research. Will you be one of them?

Important to know Your application & contact To apply for this position, please submit in a single PDF :

• a curriculum vitae (max. 3 pages), including a list of publications and highlighting up to three publications or other research outputs most relevant to the position;
• a motivation letter (max. 2 pages) describing your relevant expertise, your interest in the project, and how you would approach the research;
• the names and contact details of two academic references.

If you recognize yourself in this profile and are interested in the role, we look forward to receiving your motivation letter and CV. You can apply via the red button until November 3, 2026. Interviews will take place in the second week of November. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates.

For questions about the vacancy, you can contact: Dora Matzke, [email protected]

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.