INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION

- Position: PhD student
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1- up to the point of PhD)
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Project: PRO-LISTEN
- Funding sources: Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University
- Location: Spain > San Sebastian
- Research Field: Neuroscience > Cognition and Language
- Type of contract/Duration of Contract: 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:

PRO-LISTEN addresses how the adult brain adapts to acquire and process an additional language in naturalistic multilingual environments—a question with direct implications for educational policy, technological development, and social integration in linguistically diverse societies. By examining the neural mechanisms underlying proficiency-dependent speech encoding, the project advances fundamental knowledge in cognitive neuroscience while informing evidence-based approaches to adult language education and inclusion.

PRO-LISTEN aligns with the Oriented Research modality (Investigación Orientada), within Priority 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society of the National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (2024–2027). It directly addresses the strategic lines of Demographic challenge and social cohesion (intervention areas: Immigration, integration, multiculturalism, diversity, and Education) and New language economy (Use of Spanish and co-official languages in digital technologies).

The focus on Spanish and Basque is strategically motivated: these co-official languages represent both a majority-minority dynamic and substantial typological distance, allowing us to test how linguistic diversity and sociolinguistic context shape neural plasticity. This approach promotes linguistic equality while generating findings applicable to multilingual contexts worldwide.

Job description:

The successful candidate will join the Brain Rhythms and Cognition group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL) and conduct a PhD within the PRO-LISTEN project, investigating the neural and computational mechanisms supporting speech comprehension in challenging listening conditions. The researcher will contribute primarily to the project’s longitudinal study and computational analyses, including the collection, preprocessing, and integration of behavioral and MEG data. Core responsibilities will include developing hierarchical information-theoretic predictors using the LATXA large language model; implementing and evaluating multivariate temporal response function models with Python and the Eelbrain toolbox; and characterizing longitudinal changes in speech encoding by combining neural, behavioral, and individual-difference measures. The candidate will receive advanced training in MEG acquisition and analysis, naturalistic speech modelling, BIDS-compliant data management, version control, and high-performance computing. They will work under the direct supervision of Prof. Nicola Molinaro and collaborate with BCBL researchers and international experts in speech, lexical, and mTRF modelling. The position also involves participation in group and center-wide scientific meetings, presentation of findings at international conferences, preparation of peer-reviewed publications,



and potential research stays abroad. The candidate will enroll in the UPV/EHU Doctoral Programme in Cognitive Neuroscience and complete a doctoral thesis based on the project.

PI and research group:

Prof. Nicola Molinaro is an Ikerbasque Research Professor and leader of the Brain Rhythms and Cognition group at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL). His research combines MEG/EEG neuroimaging, computational modelling, and language science to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying speech processing, multilingualism, and predictive processing. He has led several competitively funded projects, supervised more than a dozen completed PhD theses, and maintains an extensive network of international collaborations. He is also Graduate Director of the UPV/EHU Doctoral Programme in Cognitive Neuroscience and has substantial experience in interdisciplinary doctoral training and mentoring. The Brain Rhythms and Cognition group investigates how the brain transforms continuous speech into meaningful linguistic representations, with particular emphasis on neural oscillations, cortical tracking of speech, temporal prediction, and the integration of acoustic, phonological, lexical, and contextual information. Its research also examines how these mechanisms vary across individuals and populations, including bilingual and multilingual speakers, different age groups, and people with developmental language-related difficulties. The group combines behavioral experiments, EEG and MEG with advanced computational approaches to study language processing under naturalistic and challenging listening conditions.

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

Desirable skills:

- Academic background in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, computational linguistics, biomedical engineering, data science, or a related field.
- Experience with EEG or MEG data acquisition, preprocessing, or analysis.
- Programming skills, preferably in Python, and familiarity with statistical or computational data analysis.
- Knowledge of speech and language processing, psycholinguistics, neural oscillations, or predictive processing.
- Experience with computational modelling, natural language processing, large language models, or temporal response function approaches.
- Familiarity with reproducible research practices, version control,



high-performance computing, or BIDS-compatible data organization.
- Ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research team while progressively developing scientific independence.
- Strong written and spoken English and the ability to communicate research clearly.
- Experience acquired through non-formal training, international mobility, or professional mobility that demonstrates effective communication and adaptability in an international research environment.

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 BCBL’s equal-opportunity

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, please follow this link: applying for “PRO-LISTEN” and attach the following documentation:

- A curriculum vitae
- A statement outlining research interests and motivation to apply for the position
- 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: Versátil 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: [email protected]

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