Description

The Center of Excellence for Neuroscience and Mental Health at Babe-Bolyai University (BBU), Cluj-Napoca, Romania, seeks to recruit a postdoctoral researcher with strong experience in fMRI as part of a longitudinal study on the mechanisms of mental disorders in Romanian youth. The successful candidate will work at BBU’s Center for Biomedical Imaging, using 3T and 7T MRI systems across multiple fMRI studies, with duties ranging from study design to the analysis and interpretation of fMRI data.

The appointment will initially be for one year but may be renewed for up to three years in total, subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.

Requirements

Candidates for this position should have strong methodological and analytical expertise in human fMRI research. Applicants should hold a PhD awarded within the past eight years and have doctoral or postdoctoral experience in designing and implementing fMRI paradigms addressing cognitive, affective, social, or mental-health-related processes. Strong experience with both task-based and resting-state fMRI analysis is expected. Familiarity with commonly used tools such as SPM, FSL, AFNI, CONN, Nilearn, or fMRIPrep is also expected. Experience with structural MRI analysis (VBM), DTI or MR spectroscopy is considered an advantage.

Candidates from different but complementary research backgrounds, including but not limited to cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and related fields, are encouraged to apply, particularly those whose work combines rigorous neuroimaging methods with an interest in cognitive, affective, social, or mental-health-related processes. The primary criteria for selection will be academic excellence, demonstrated experience in the design, analysis, or interpretation of functional MRI studies, scientific productivity, fit with the aims of the project, and the potential to contribute effectively to a multidisciplinary research environment. Applicants should have at least four publications relevant to functional MRI research in internationally indexed journals and a very good command of English. Knowledge of Romanian and citizenship in an EU country are desirable but not required.