Postdoctoral position in planning, decision making, and meta-cognition

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The Cognition, Intention, and Action (CoInAct) Research Group and Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a postdoctoral position in mathematical modelling of cognitive processes to be filled by 1 June 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is for 2 years.

Information about CoInAct can be found at ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpsychology.ku.dk%2Fcoinact%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpsychology.ku.dk%2Fcoinact%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://psychology.ku.dk/coinact/

Job content

The postdoc will be part of a project entitled Selection in Cognition funded by the Carlsberg Foundation and headed by Professor Søren Kyllingsbæk and Professor Thor Grünbaum. The larger project develops and tests a new theory of basic cognitive selection mechanisms by combining methods and perspectives from experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, mathematical modelling, and philosophy (Grünbaum, Oren, & Kyllingsbæk, 2021; Oren, Kyllingsbæk, Dupont, & Grünbaum, 2024). Applicants are asked to situate and develop their research plan within the framework of the Selection in Cognition project. For more information about the project, please contact Professor Søren Kyllingsbæk, skpsy.ku.dk .

The postdoc should be a researcher with a strong background in experimental psychology of higher-level cognitive functions such as planning, decision making, problem-solving, and meta-cognition. The candidate is expected to have worked with formals modelling frameworks such as Bayesian models. During the employment, the candidate is expected to engage in the development of computational models, model selection, and contribute to the development of experimental paradigms. This will enable us to test and develop our theory of cognitive selection in the domains of task selection, planning, and decision making at both psychological and neurophysiological levels.

The successful candidate will be working in close collaboration with cognitive psychologists and philosophers, and other cognitive scientists, and should be interested in the development of new computational models, experimental paradigms, and theories. It is expected that the successful candidate will be present, part of the team, and partake in the activities at CoInAct on a daily basis. The postdoc will be physically located at the Cognition and Neuropsychology research cluster psychology.ku.dk/research/research_clusters/cognit... , at the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen.

Qualification requirements

The candidate must have obtained a PhD degree in mathematics, statistics, psychology, cognitive science, engineering, or related fields.

Emphasis will be placed on the following:

• Research qualifications, which will be assessed in relation to the period of active research, the degree of originality, and academic output.
• Experience in one or more of the following:
  • Computational models of cognition.
  • Advanced statistical analyses of behavioural data;
  • Designing and conducting psychological experiments;
• The applicant’s scientific record (publications in top journals within modelling and experimental and cognitive psychology), academic breadth and depth, rigor, thoroughness, and accuracy, as well as academic relevance in relation to the job description.
• Participation in networks - national and international.
• Previous experience with interdisciplinary collaboration and research.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent skills in English, written and spoken.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the head of CoInAct, Professor Søren Kyllingsbæk, skpsy.ku.dk , for more information about the Selection in Cognition project.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences
The Department of Psychology is part of the Faculty of the Social Sciences. The faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:

• Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
• Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge and the competences to change society for the better.
• Energising global, European and Danish communities of knowledge by innovating research methodologies and by research findings with impact

For more on the Faculty strategy, see : ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamf.ku.dk%2Ffakultetet%2Fstrategi%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamf.ku.dk%2Ffakultetet%2Fstrategi%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://samf.ku.dk/­fakultetet/strategi/

Terms of Employment

• Further information on qualification requirements as postdoc can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities 2025 here: ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.retsinformation.dk%2Feli%2Flta%2F2019%2F1443&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.retsinformation.dk%2Feli%2Flta%2F2019%2F1443&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/­lta/2019/1443 (In danish only).
• Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• The salary range starts at DKK 39,200 (EUR 5,159.42) per month + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  ?url=https%3A%2F%2Femployment.ku.dk%2Ffaculty%2Frecruitment-process%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=https%3A%2F%2Femployment.ku.dk%2Ffaculty%2Frecruitment-process%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/­recruitment-process/

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-re...

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fism.ku.dk%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=https%3A%2F%2Fism.ku.dk%2F&module=jobs&id=4390" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://ism.ku.dk/

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: hr-soendreadm.ku.dk ., please refer to ID number: 211-2526/26-2I #2.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from Professor Søren Kyllingsbæk, e-mail: skpsy.ku.dk

How to apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the "Apply now" icon at the bottom of the page to apply. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.  

The application must be written in English and include the following documents:

• Application letter/cover letter
• Curriculum vitae (with applicant’s e-mail address & telephone number)
• Documentation of qualifications (Master and PhD diploma, etc.).
• Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with *.
• Research plan (max 5 pages), including a short description of previous research and a plan for the coming years.
• Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of three publications for assessment, of which at least two must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for applications. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and listed from 1 to 3.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavours, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly stipulated. The faculty may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors stipulating the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Only material in English will be assessed.

The closing date for applications is 6 April 2026 23:59 CEST

Applications or enclosures received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation - with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture - creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

Contact

Søren Kyllingsbæk
E-mail: wjt184ku.dk

Info

Application deadline: 06-04-2026

Employment start: 01-06-2026

Department/Location: Institut for Psykologi

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