2-year neuroscientist position at Laurea University of Applied Sciences (FINLAND) 

A neuroscientist position is available in the NeuroLab at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland. The position is part of a 2 year project investigating consumer’s preferences (measured by fMRI) of goods presented in the scanner. The project is funded through TEKES (Technology Agency of Finland) and during project three neuromarketing studies will be executed. In the neuromarketing studies, real marketing materials will be used in the fMRI experiments (Still pictures, videos, audios).

 NeuroLab is located at the Service, Innovation & Design campus in Leppävaara, 11 kilometers from downtown Helsinki in Finland. The lab has all equipments  in order to plan (Making stimulus simulations by presentations) fMRI-studies and analyzing fMRI-data (Matlab and SPM). NeuroLab uses AMI-centre’s new SIEMENS 3 Tesla fMRI-scanner, located at Aalto University campus at Otaniemi. AMI-centre gives excellent research infrastructure for fMRI-research.   

Primary responsibilities include planning, executing, analyzing, and co-authoring papers from fMRI studies with healthy adults who will participate to the neuromarketing studies. Neuroscientist works in the research group lead by Principal Investigator Jyrki Suomala (Ph.D., Docent, Principal Lecturer).

Candidates should have a doctor degree in neuroscience, neuropsychology natural sciences, engineering or a related field. Ph.D. students with strong experience and motivation of fMRI-studies and track record of high level scientific publications could be suitable candidate. Basic computer programming skills (preferably Matlab) and experience with fMRI in general and SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping 8.0 or newer) especially are necessary requisites for the candidate. 

The high level motivation to make fMRI research and ability to work independently and in a team are qualities of suitable candidate.  Depending on background and interests, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop computational neural models of human behavior (F.ex. hierarchical reinforcement learning) and buying decision in the marketing environments, as well as to contribute to the design, execution, and analysis of behavioral and fMRI experiments intended to inform and constrain new computational models.

The position is available from the January , 2014. The project and position ends at 31th of December 2015, however the NeuroLab looks actively new funding source for the research. Review of applications for the position begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The salary depends from experience and the degree.

To apply please submit your application electronically (email) directly to Dr Jyrki Suomala (jyrki.suomala@laurea.fi), who will be the Principal Investicator of the NeuroService-project. The application should include a brief statement of research interests, CV (clear description of the fMRI-research skills, SPM analysis skills, MatLAb skills), publication list and contact information for two references to Jyrki.Suomala@Laurea.fi. The dedline for application is 12^th of December 2013. If you have questions about the neuroscientist position, please ask by email (jyrki.suomala@laurea.fi).