PhD Student

The “Developmental Computational Psychiatry” lab and the W3 professorship “Computational Psychiatry” at the Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Tübingen is led by Tobias Hauser and focuses on understanding the neural and computational mechanisms underlying decision making and learning, as well as their aberrant processes in psychiatric disorders. 

We are now inviting applications for 

a PhD-student (m/f/d; 65%, 3 years in first instance) 

to work on a large-scale €6m multi-site Wellcome-funded project. 

This position is ideal for candidates who have completed or are close to completing an MSc degree in a relevant discipline such as computational neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related fields. The successful candidate will be highly self-motivated, analytically minded, and comfortable with critical scientific thinking. A strong background in cognitive/computational neuroscience or related areas is expected. 

Relevant expertise includes neuroimaging (particularly fMRI), behavioural testing, and computational modelling of behaviour. Applicants should possess excellent programming skills, experience in behavioural data analysis, and ideally an emerging publication record. Familiarity with the literature on decision neuroscience and computational psychiatry is essential. Experience working with vulnerable populations, such as psychiatric patients, and first experience conducting clinical interviews are highly desirable. 

Important language requirement 
As this position involves direct work with psychiatric patient populations, applicants must have an excellent command of German. Please note that only native German speakers or applicants with certified German language proficiency at a minimum level of C1 can be considered for this position. 

What we offer 

The position is initially funded for 3 years, with the possibility of extension. The successful candidate will be co-supervised by Tobias Hauser and Gina Monov. 

The project is a highly collaborative international effort involving multiple institutions, including the University of Tübingen, the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, the Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru. 

Remuneration will be according to TV-L (collective agreement for the public service of the German federal states), including the standard benefits of public sector employment. 

The position is based at the University Hospital Tübingen and embedded within the Developmental Computational Psychiatry research group, located both in Tübingen and at the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research in London. The successful candidate will work on cutting-edge topics in computational psychiatry and neuroscience and will be connected to the German Centre for Mental Health. 

About Tübingen 

Tübingen is a scenic university town located on the Neckar River in southwestern Germany. It offers an exceptionally high quality of life and an international, inclusive atmosphere. Tübingen LA B provides outstanding research opportunities through the University, three Max Planck Institutes, the University Hospital, and Europe’s largest AI research consortium. 

More information about Tübingen can be found here: https://www.tuebingen.de/ 

How to apply 

If you are interested in the position and would like to apply, please send a formal application including:

• a motivation letter, 
• your CV,
• up to two representative publications, 
• and the contact details of two referees 

as a single PDF file to Laura Kübler. 

The University of Tübingen is an equal opportunities employer. Applications from qualified women are particularly encouraged. Disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given preferential consideration. Please note the applicable vaccination regulations. We aim to ensure a fair and equitable selection process and therefore kindly ask you to submit your application documents without a photograph. 

Preference will be given to applications received by 15.06.2026; however, applications may continue to be considered until the position is filled.