Research Assistant at DCC

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Research Assistant at DCC

Employment 0.5 - 0.6 FTE

Gross monthly salary € 3,382 - € 4,484

Required background Research University Degree

Organizational unit Faculty of Social Sciences

Application deadline 23 August 2026

Apply now

How people learn a second language (L2) is rarely investigated from the perspective of neurocognitive memory research. Together with our team, you will investigate the role of different memory systems in L2 word and grammar learning across different individuals and learning situations and with different methods, ranging from behavioural to brain imaging techniques.

We are only slowly beginning to understand the different ways in which memories can be formed and retained in long-term memory. Different memory systems in our brain (e.g. the hippocampus vs. neocortical structures) are involved, depending not only on whether and how long ago the information was learned, but probably also on the individual learner, the type of learning material and the learning situation.

As part of the team of the ERC consolidator project ’MultiMemoryL2 - Multiple routes to memory for a second language’, you will contribute to the study of how different memory systems are used for L2 word, pronunciation and grammar learning, and how this differs between individuals and learning contexts. The project makes use of behavioural, electrophysiological and brain imaging techniques. You will collaborate with the project team, consisting of several junior researchers, as well as with project leader Prof. Kristin Lemhöfer.

Your main tasks will be to prepare, carry out and help analyse behavioural and brain imaging experiments with healthy adult participants. Furthermore, you will support the professional handling of data archiving and ethical approval as well as other administrative tasks within the ERC project. Ideally, you have the skills required for maintaining the project’s website and the programming of the experiments. Currently, we are especially looking for someone with experience in the analysis of fMRI data (but this is not a strict requirement). This position is well suited to you if you wish to qualify and prepare for a later PhD position.

I quickly found my rhythm at Radboud University because of the great support, friendly environment and likeminded people.

Yuxuan Dai

PhD Candidate at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging

Yuxuan Dai is a PhD Candidate at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging.

“I decided to pursue my PhD at Radboud University because of positive stories about the research quality and work environment from people I knew. Still, moving to a new country can be quite daunting. My routine was suddenly going to change completely. Having previously moved to London from my home country China, the transition to the Netherlands was not entirely unfamiliar. Yet, the prospect of moving to a non-English-speaking country posed a challenge. I questioned my supervisor multiple times about the necessity of learning Dutch. Fortunately, she assured me that the English level is very high in Nijmegen and the Netherlands.

When I came here, Radboud University offered valuable support with the hurdles of finding housing, healthcare, and establishing my life in a new country. For me, the Donders Institute is the ideal place for pursuing an academic path. The friendly and collaborative environment allows me to exchange ideas with researchers from all over the world. Through the university-wide PhD network, I could join fun activities and build my social circle.

Coming from big metropolitan cities like Beijing and London, I had to get used to the smaller size and more tranquil ambience of Nijmegen. However, I quickly learned there are still many things to do. The calmer atmosphere also allows me to fully focus on my research during the week. On the weekends, I can easily hop on the train and explore because of the compactness of the Netherlands. I now have found my rhythm at Radboud University, partly because of the great support, internationally friendly work environment, and like-minded people.”

Does this sound like you?

• You should hold at least a BA degree (or equivalent) in Psychology, Linguistics, Cognitive Neuroscience, Education, or another relevant field of study.
• You have native or near-native proficiency in Dutch (required for the interaction with our participants) and are fluent in written and spoken English.
• You enjoy, and possibly have experience with, communicating with research participants and possibly also with analysing experimental data.
• You have good communication skills, you are good in planning and time management and like to work in a team.
• You are somewhat flexible with respect to working hours during intensive testing phases.
• It would be advantageous if you are experienced in programming (e.g. in PsychPy/Python), and / or the analysis of fMRI data.
  
  

What we offer you

• We will give you a temporary employment contract until October 31st, 2027.
• Your salary within salary scale 8 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.
  
  

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Where you will be working

The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour is a world-class interfaculty research centre that houses more than 700 researchers devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of the human mind. Research at the Donders Institute is focused around four themes: Language and communication, Perception, action and decision-making, Development and lifelong plasticity and Natural computing and neurotechnology. Excellent, state-of-the-art research facilities are available for the broad range of neuroscience research that is being conducted at the Donders Institute. The Donders Institute has been assessed by an international evaluation committee as ‘excellent’ and recognised as a ‘very stimulating environment for top researchers, as well as for young talent’. The Donders Institute fosters a collaborative, multidisciplinary and supportive research environment with a diverse international staff. English is the lingua franca at the Institute.

The PI group 'Cognition of Multilingualism' is based at the Donders Centre of Cognition, conducting research under Donders Theme 1.

Faculty of Social Sciences

At the Faculty of Social Sciences, humanity and society are our focus; we study how people behave, think and feel. Within this context, we look at themes such as human behaviour and the human psyche, education and upbringing, communication, society and culture. The faculty provides education to 6,000 students and employs 700 staff. Education is organised into six programme clusters: Psychology; Artificial Intelligence; Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences; Communication Science; Sociology; and Cultural Anthropology and Developmental Sociology, and the Radboud Centre Social Sciences as an institute for post-master education have been merged into the Social Sciences Education Institute. Our research is carried out within three research institutes: the Donders Centre for Cognition, the Behavioural Science Institute, and Radboud Social Cultural Research.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.

If you want to learn more about working at Radboud University, follow our Instagram account (link is external) and read stories from our colleagues.

Is this the job for you?

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to prof. dr. Kristin Lemhöfer. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. Please also include a list of grades of courses within your latest degree. We look forward to receiving your application.

The first interviews will take place on 28 August 2026. You will preferably start your employment on October 1, 2026.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.

Do you already work at Radboud University and have questions about making an internal move? Learn more about internal applications.

Apply now Application deadline 23 August 2026

We would like to recruit our new colleague ourselves. Acquisition in response to this vacancy will not be appreciated.

Want to know more about this position?

Prof. K.M. Lemhöfer (Kristin)

S.P. Narayanan (Sweekriti)

Last modified: 28 July 2026

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