Doctoral student in Computer Science with specialisation in neurobiology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

While employed at the Department of Biology, the successful candidate will be enrolled in the PhD programme at the Department of Computer Science (LTH) and perform interdisciplinary research studies at the interface of Neurobiology and Computer Science, hosted at the Department of Biology.

Work duties

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties, up to 20%.

Project description: Computational approaches to neural memory mechanisms have largely focused on one form of memory – a gradual change in the strength of the synapse(s) between neurons (usually abstracted as a change in the connection weights between nodes in a network). This change can be under the control of memory rules of variable biological plausibility, from Hebbian association to error back-propagation. However, memory in real neural systems can take other forms that have been less well explored from a computational point of view, such as temporal integration of activity, intrinsic change in a neuron’s excitability, and one-shot storage of a salient state that can be selectively retrieved to affect future action. One behavior that is fundamental for the majority of animals and for which many memory processes interact, is navigation - spanning timescales from seconds to months even in insects.

In this project we will explore navigational memory from a theoretical perspective via computer simulations, with the aim of developing constraints and predictions for uncovering the real biological substrates of navigational memory in the insect brain. These insights will facilitate biological understanding, but also critically inform our ongoing research aimed at implementing biologically inspired memory in novel neuromorphic hardware. The project will be embedded in our current efforts towards unravelling the synaptic level connectomes of the navigation centres across insects. The continuous feedback between theoretical predictions and biological insights into the underlying neural substrates of navigational memory are thus at the core of this project.

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if he or she:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantial equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Computer Science if they have

1. at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level with relevance to the subject area, or
2. Master's degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, information and communication technology, technical physics, or technical mathematics.

Additional requirements

• Master’s degree in computer science with a strong neurobiological component
• Excellent oral and written proficiency in English.
• Demonstrated ability for proactive and independent work.
• Extended experience in programming (e.g. python, matlab, C++, Rust)
• Documented interest in the biology of insect neural circuits.

In addition to the mandatory requirements, documented experience in the following areas will be considered as strong merits:

• Experience in interdisciplinary work
• Experience in computational modeling and/or the theoretical basis of biological or biologically inspired memory
• Experience with current computational models of insect navigation
• Documented interest in neuromorphic computing
• Professional IT work experience is a merit

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

• Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
• An assessment of the ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
• Written and oral communication skills
• Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, for example professional experience.

Consideration will also be given to strong collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programe.

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1–7 §§.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the postgraduate education programme and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered.