Postdoctoral position in Human Psychophysics for understanding vision (m/f/d)

Overview

Job Offer from January 02, 2026. The Department of Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems (PI Prof. Li Zhaoping) at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and at the University of Tübingen is seeking highly skilled and motivated individuals to work on projects aimed at understanding visual attentional and perceptual processes using fMRI/MRI, TMS, EEG/MEG, and other relevant methodologies. The projects can involve visual search tasks, stereo vision tasks, visual illusions, and will be discussed during the application process. Methods may be used in combination with eye tracking and other related techniques. The postdoc will work closely with the principal investigator and other members of Zhaoping's team as needed.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and participate in research projects such as lab and equipment setup, data collection, data analysis, writing reports and papers, and presenting at scientific conferences
• Participate in routine laboratory operations, such as planning and preparations for experiments, lab maintenance and lab procedures
• Coordinate with the PI and other team members for strategies and project planning
• Coordinate with the PI and other team members for project planning, and in supervision of student projects or teaching assistance for university courses in our field

Requirements

• Ph.D. in neuroscience, psychology, computer science, physics or a related natural science or engineering field
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Highly skilled in techniques of human visual psychophysics such as MATLAB programming for experiments, experimental data taking, data analysis, and paper writing
• Familiarity with hardware and techniques in eye tracking, fMRI/MRI, EEG, MEG, TMS, tDCS/tACS, and related methods, including carrying out fMRI experiments
• Experience in project management is highly desired
• Strong command of English; knowledge of German is a plus

Who we are

We use a multidisciplinary approach to investigate sensory and sensory-motor transforms in the brain ( Our approaches combine theoretical and experimental techniques including human psychophysics, fMRI imaging, EEG, electrophysiology and computational modelling. One part of our group is located at the University, in the Centre for Integrative Neurosciences (CIN), and the other part at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics as the Department for Sensory and Sensorimotor Systems. You will have the opportunity to learn other skills in our multidisciplinary group and benefit from interactions with colleagues in the university and internationally. This job opening is for the CIN or the MPI working group. The position (salary level TVöD-Bund E13, 100%) is for a duration of two years. Extension or a permanent contract after two years is possible depending on circumstances. We seek to raise the number of women in research and teaching and therefore urge qualified women to apply. Disabled persons will be preferred in case of equal qualification.

Your application

The position is available immediately and will be open until filled. We look forward to receiving your application that includes (1) a cover letter, including a statement on roughly when you would like to start this position, (2) a motivation statement, (3) a CV, (4) names and contact details of three people for references, (5) if you have them, transcripts from your past and current education listing the courses taken and their grades, (6) if you have them, please also include copies of your degree certificates, (7) you may include a pdf file of your best publication(s), or other documents and information that you think could strengthen your application. Please use pdf files for these documents (and you may combine them into a single pdf file) and send to , where also informal inquiries can be addressed. Please note that applications without complete information in (1)-(4) will not be considered unless the cover letter includes an explanation and/or information about when the needed materials will be supplied.