PhD Student

Your tasks

• Design and perform multielectrode in vivo electrophysiological recordings from the inferior colliculus of the Mongolian gerbil.
• Develop and validate computational and data-driven models of auditory information processing and optogenetically evoked neural responses.
• Integrate experimental measurements into a digital-twin framework and assess model generalization, uncertainty and biological plausibility.
• Design and optimize sound-processing algorithms that map acoustic signals to spatial and temporal optical stimulation patterns, and benchmark their performance in vivo and in silico.
• Collaborate with experimental neuroscientists and engineers; present and publish scientific findings and contribute to interdisciplinary project meetings.

Your qualifications

• Completed MSc or equivalent in neuroscience, biomedical/electrical engineering, biology, physics or a related field.
• Enthusiasm for in vivo electrophysiology. No prior in vivo experience is required; full training in electrophysiological techniques will be provided.
• Good programming skills (preferably MATLAB/Python) and experience in signal processing, scientific computing or machine learning.
• Strong analytical skills, curiosity about biological systems and enthusiasm for developing experimental and computational research.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary, international team; very good written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of auditory neuroscience, PyTorch/JAX or computational neuroprosthetics is an advantage but not a prerequisite.

We offer

• A scientifically ambitious PhD project at the interface of in vivo electrophysiology, computational modeling and optogenetic neurotechnology for future hearing restoration.
• Close interaction with teams at IAN and EKFZ-OT developing optical cochlear implants, with access to complementary experimental, computational and engineering expertise.
• An internationally connected Göttingen Campus research environment, opportunities for doctoral training at the Göttingen Graduate Center for Neuroscience, Biophysics and Molecular Biosciences.
• Support for scientific publications, professional development and participation in collaborative research networks and training academies.
• Employment and social benefits in accordance with the applicable TV-L regulations; final contract conditions to be specified.

This PhD project is funded by CAIMed (Lower Saxony Center for AI and Causal Methods in Medicine) and will contribute to the Göttingen program developing optical cochlear implants for future hearing restoration. The goal is to establish an experimentally grounded digital twin of the auditory system and use it to generate, optimize, and benchmark sound-coding strategies for optogenetic stimulation of the auditory nerve. Combining in vivo electrophysiology, computational neuroscience, and generative modeling, the project investigates how acoustic signals can be transformed into spatiotenporal light patterns for stimulation via the optical cochlear implant under development at IAN and EKFZ-OT.