Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) has a vacancy in the Machine Learning research group for a talented 2 PHD-STUDENTS IN NEUROAI OF DEVELOPMENTAL VISION (M/F/X).
Job description
The Curriculum of Sight - How Visual Processing Develops in Brains and Machines.
For animals, it is imperative to learn as quickly as possible. To do this, we know that the mammalian visual system utilizes "inductive biases"—inherent assumptions that streamline learning for specific environments. In this project, we aim to investigate how rapid learning in mammals is facilitated by the learning curriculum shaped in the developmental stages of human infants. By comprehensively measuring and documenting these developmental stages and the associated inductive biases, we aim to identify key mechanisms that drive rapid learning in the visual system. The goal is to create a robust mechanistic neural network model of the visual system that not only mimics its processing capabilities but also its adaptability, leveraging early developmental data and ecological validity. Infant data will be acquired in collaboration with Dr. Tessa Dekker (University College London) and Dr. Ingmar Visser at UvA. The project thus aims to quantify and model the remarkable learning efficiency of the human visual system.
The project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the the Machine Learning group at CWI in Amsterdam (Prof.dr Sander Bohte) and the Brain & Cognition group (Dr. Steven Scholte) at the UvA, where the PhD at UvA will focus more on quantifiying and modeling developmental stages, and the PhD at CWI on developing detailed neural models.
Requirements
The successful applicants will have:
- A solid computational background, an interest in cognitive neuroscience a and strong deep learning programming skills.
- Ability to work in an international, interdisciplinary team.
- Preferable qualifications for candidates include proven research talent, an excellent command of English and good academic writing and presentation skills.
- At the start of the PhD, having obtained a Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as AI, cognitive psychology, mathematics, physics, (computational) neuroscience, etc..
Terms and conditions
The terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres ("CAO-onderzoeksinstellingen"). The initial labour agreement will be for a period of 18 months. After a positive evaluation, the agreement will be extended by 30 months. The gross monthly salary, for a PhD student on a full time basis, is € 2,968 during the first year and increases to € 3,801 over the four year period. Employees are also entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.33%. CWI offers attractive working conditions, including flexible scheduling and help with housing for expat employees.
Please visit our websites for more information about our terms of employment:
https://www.cwi.nl/jobs/terms-of-employment and
https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/working-at-nwo-i/jobsatnwoi/
Information and application
Please apply below with a motivation letter, CV, transcript of courses and grades, a copy of your MSc thesis and/or and indication of expected graduation date, and two references.
Evaluation of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Promising candidates will be contacted by email. We aim to fill the position between June and Oktober 2025.
For more information about the vacancy, please contact (for CWI) Prof.dr. Sander Bohte, email sbohte@cwi.nl, telephone +31 20 592 4074, or (for UvA) Dr. Steven Scholte, email H.S.Scholte@uva.nl, telephone +31 20 525 6781.
CWI and UvA encourage a diverse workforce: we endeavor to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent. We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.
Diversity code
CWI encourages a diverse workforce: we endeavour to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent. We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.
About CWI
Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science and is part of the Institutes Organisation of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The mission of CWI is to conduct pioneering research in mathematics and computer science, generating new knowledge in these fields and conveying it to trade, industry, and society at large.
CWI is an internationally oriented institute, with 160 scientists from approximately 27 countries, an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. We have an activity committee that organizes after-work activities and an informal women’s network.
CWI is located at Amsterdam Science Park, which is a major location for scientific research in the Netherlands. Next to CWI, Science Park houses several other national research institutes, many startups and scale-ups, the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), and the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam.
About Research group
Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science and is part of the Institutes Organisation of NWO. The mission of CWI is to conduct pioneering research in mathematics and computer science, generating new knowledge in these fields and conveying it to trade, industry, and society at large. CWI is an internationally oriented institute, with 160 scientists from approximately 27 countries. The facilities are first-rate and include excellent IT support, career planning, training, and courses. CWI is located at Science Park Amsterdam that is presently developing into a major location of research in the natural sciences in The Netherlands, housing the sciences of the University of Amsterdam and of the Vrije Universiteit as well as several other national research institutes next to CWI. For more information about the CWI ML research group at CWI, please visit our website.
About the UvA
The University of Amsterdam is a prestigious research university with a rich history dating back to 1632, consistently ranking among the top 60 universities worldwide. As the Netherlands' largest and most diverse university, it fosters a vibrant international community across its centrally-located urban campuses, offering world-class education across disciplines with particular excellence in communication science, psychology, and humanities.
The Psychology Department at the University of Amsterdam stands at the forefront of global psychological research, consistently ranking among the world's top 10 institutions with exceptional research output that spans cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology and research methods.
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