INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION

- Position: PhD student
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1- up to the point of PhD)
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Project: Foreign Language Learning and Auditory Processing Precision (FLLAPP; PID2025-170588NB-I00)
- Funding sources: Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities
- Location: Spain > San Sebastian
- Research Field: Psychology > Cognition and Language; Psycholinguistics > Phonetics
- Type of contract/Duration of Contract: Temporary, 4 years
- Job Status: Full-time
- Hours per week: 35
- Starting date: Flexible between 01/01/2027 and 30/04/2027
- Application deadline: 08/11/2026

Information about the project:

Why do some people develop more target-like pronunciation in a foreign language than others? The FLLAPP project investigates whether part of the answer lies in auditory processing precision, which is the ability to encode and distinguish fine-grained acoustic information and use it to guide speech production. It examines these mechanisms in both adults and children learning English as a foreign language, while considering learners’ bilingual experience and stage of development.

The doctoral project can be developed within either of the project’s two complementary work packages, or across both. WP1 investigates how auditory processing precision and bilingual experience relate to foreign-language speech production and includes the development and evaluation of targeted auditory and phonetic training. WP2 uses EEG/ERP to examine whether neural sensitivity to speech contrasts is associated with pronunciation outcomes in adults and can predict later outcomes in children. The precise focus will be defined with the successful candidate according to their expertise and research interests while remaining within the aims of the funded project.

This is an interdisciplinary PhD at the intersection of psycholinguistics, phonetics, bilingualism, and cognitive neuroscience. Candidates may pursue a primarily acoustic-phonetic and behavioural direction, an EEG-focused neurocognitive direction, or a project that connects these approaches. Applicants with a strong interest in phonetics, EEG, or the relationship between speech production and auditory processing are therefore particularly encouraged to apply. The position also offers exciting opportunities for a research stay with one of the PI’s international collaborators. Such a stay will be strongly encouraged as part of the candidate’s doctoral development and will provide an opportunity to work in a different research environment, acquire additional methodological expertise, and expand their international network.

Job description:

The successful candidate will join the Speech & Bilingualism research group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language and carry out a PhD within the FLLAPP project. Within this project, the successful candidate will

- develop research questions and experimental designs within one or both FLLAPP work packages
- design and implement studies with adult and/or child foreign-language learners
- collect and analyse behavioural, acoustic-phonetic, listener-rating, and/or EEG/ERP data, depending on the thesis focus
- use transparent and reproducible workflows for data management, analysis, and open-science outputs
- prepare research articles with the PI and present findings at international conferences and public-engagement events
- contribute to the collaborative research life of the Speech and Bilingualism group and the BCBL

The successful candidate will enrol in the UPV/EHU Doctoral Programme in Cognitive Neuroscience (https://www.ehu.eus/en/web/doktoregoa/doctorate-cognitive-neuroscience) and receive close training in experimental design, acoustic-phonetic and/or electrophysiological methods, advanced statistical analysis,



and reproducible research practices. Depending on the focus of the thesis, the candidate will have opportunities to become a certified EEG user and receive training in an additional neuroimaging technique. Participation in international conferences, summer schools, and research visits will form an important part of the candidate’s doctoral development.

PI and research group:

Dr. Antje Stoehr (https://www.bcbl.eu/en/conocenos/equipo/antje-stoehr) investigates bilingual speech and foreign-language learning from a psycholinguistic and phonetic perspective. She has extensive experience supervising doctoral research and has led competitively funded research projects on bilingual speech and language learning. The successful candidate will therefore join an established and expanding research programme with close supervision and a strong international network.

The Speech & Bilingualism research group (https://www.bcbl.eu/en/research/research-groups/speech-bilingualism) is a vibrant, genuinely international research group currently comprising two PIs, four PhD researchers, two postdoctoral researchers, and one research assistant, representing six nationalities. The group also welcomes several international research visitors each year, creating regular opportunities to exchange ideas, develop new collaborations, and engage with researchers from institutions around the world.

The group brings together expertise in psycholinguistics, phonetics, cognitive science, auditory processing, EEG, and advanced statistical modelling. Its two PIs lead complementary research lines on bilingualism. Antje Stoehr investigates bilingual speech and language learning from a psycholinguistic and phonetic perspective, while Clara Martin approaches bilingualism from a broader cognitive perspective. This combination creates a strongly interdisciplinary environment in which researchers can exchange theoretical and methodological expertise across different areas. The new PhD researcher will become an integral member of this collaborative team and will benefit from an active cohort of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers working on closely related questions using complementary approaches.

2. CANDIDATES’ PROFILE AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Required skills:

- To be eligible for admission to a PhD programme, candidates must have completed at least 300 ECTS credits through their official university studies, including at least 60 ECTS credits at master's level
- Carry out research under supervision
- Have the ambition to develop knowledge of research methodologies and discipline
- Have demonstrated a good understanding of a field of study
- Have demonstrated the ability to produce data under supervision
- Be capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas
- Be able to explain the outcome of research and value thereof to research colleagues

Desirable skills:

Because the doctoral project can follow different methodological directions, applicants are not expected to meet all the criteria listed below. We particularly welcome candidates with a strong profile or interest in either acoustic phonetics and behavioural research, EEG/cognitive neuroscience, or a combination of these areas.

- An academic background in (psycho-)linguistics, phonetics, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, speech and language sciences, or another relevant field
- A strong interest in phonetics,



EEG/cognitive neuroscience, speech perception and production, foreign-language learning, bilingualism, or auditory processing
- Experience conducting experimental research and analysing quantitative data
- Experience programming or adapting behavioural experiments and using research software such as R, Python, MATLAB, PsychoPy, or comparable tools
- Experience with acoustic-phonetic analysis, particularly in Praat, and/or with EEG/ERP methods
- Experience with training, longitudinal, or online study designs and/or with testing child participants
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with strong organisational skills and careful attention to research quality
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Knowledge of Spanish, or a willingness to learn; Spanish would be particularly useful for participant-facing work

Additional considerations (if any):

No project-specific retention, redeployment, mobility, or previous BCBL membership requirements apply. The position is open to all candidates who meet the funding scheme and UPV/EHU doctoral admission requirements. Recruitment will follow the BCBL’s equal-opportunity recruitment policy.

3. WORKING CONDITIONS

Salary: 21.000€ gross annual salary

Training opportunities and Career development plan:

Researchers at any stage of their career, regardless of their contractual situation, are given an opportunity for professional development and for improving their employability through access to a Personal Career Development Plan which includes:

(1) Training through individually personalized research projects under senior supervision

(2) Exchanging knowledge with the scientific community and the general public

(3) Network-wide training in theory and methods

(4) Complementary training courses

(5) Involvement in proposal writing, task coordination

(6) Development of skills for the organization of training and scientific events

BCBL seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, sociocultural background, nationality or impairments. We are proud to have in place both an LGTBIQ+ Plan and a Gender Equality Plan to actively promote inclusion and equal opportunities. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us.

4. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:

Language policy

- The corporative language at the Center is English but the national language will be an asset for this particular position
- The center provides initial level Spanish and Basque lessons to all the international staff members
- The interview will be conducted entirely in English

5. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Submission of the application and documentation:

To submit your application, applying for “AUDITORY PROCESSING L2” and attach the following documentation:

- A curriculum vitae
- A statement outlining research interests, relevant experience, and motivation to apply for the position (maximum two pages)
- Transcript of records for the master and bachelor degrees
- Two letters of recommendation (submitted by the referees no later than the application deadline)

Learn more about the BCBL’s OTM-R policy

Application process timetable:

- Deadline for application: 08/11/2026

- Evaluation by committee: 09/11/2026 - 24/11/2026

- Interviews: 25/11/2026 – 04/12/2026

- Final decision: 09/12/2026

- Feedback to all applicants: 09/12/2026 - 11/12/2026

- Work contract start date: Adaptable between 01/01/2027 and 30/04/2027

Contact details for enquiries:

For technical problems with the calls platform please contact: [email protected]

For inquiries or questions related to the content of the position and/or information about the project and the research group please contact Antje Stoehr: [email protected]

📌 PhD student (San Sebastián)
🏢 BCBL BASQUE CENTER ON COGNITION BRAIN AND LANGUAGE
📍 San Sebastián