Faculty of Arts
Vacancy number: 23.31.08
Closing date: 14-09-2008

Job description
The NWO project A Computational Model of Language Acquisition aims to develop a computational model of language acquisition. The project team will comprise a postdoc and two PhD students. The PhD student will conduct computer simulations to investigate the emergence and development of neural
representations of speech signals. In the first year the focus will be on representations of rhythm and intonation that a foetus is already able to form. The following years will be devoted to research addressing the segmentation of continuous speech signals into word-like units and the emergence of sub-word representations. In addition to designing and conducting the computer simulations, the PhD student is expected to have completed a PhD thesis on the topic by the end of the contract.

Requirements:
The successful candidate has a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Psychology, Pattern Recognition, or Computer Science. She/he has excellent writing skills and is fluent in English.

Organization
The Faculty of Arts consists of eleven departments in the area of language and culture, history, history of arts, linguistics and business communication, which together cater for about 2,700 students and collaborate closely in teaching and research. The project will be carried out at the research institute Centre for Language Studies as part of the Linguistic Information Processing and Grammar and Cognition research programmes.

Conditions of employment
The total duration of the contract is 3.5 years. The PhD student will receive an initial contract for the duration of 1.5 year with the possibility of prolongation for another 2 years.

Additional information
The starting gross salary is € 2.000 per month based upon a full-time employment.

For further information such as a copy of the project proposal, please contact prof. dr. Lou Boves (l.boves[ at ]let.ru.nl).

Application letters, including extensive CV and MA thesis or other publications, (with vacancy number: 23.31.08, preferably by e-mail) can be sent to:

Radboud University Nijmegen, Faculty of Arts,
Department of Human Resources, attn. of Ms. A. Graat
P.O. Box 9103, 6500 HD Nijmegen, the Netherlands
E-mail: vacatures[ at ]let.ru.nl