PhD candidate (Doktorand) in the Stöcklein Lab

Scope of duties: The Functional Neuroimaging research group is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to join an ERC-funded project, combining neuroimaging and machine learning to advance our understanding of functional connectivity in neurological disorders, with a focus on neuro-oncology and neurodegeneration. During your three-year doctorate period you will be supervised to:

• Implement, and maintain a scalable research database, integrating multimodal neuroimaging data (structural MRI, resting-state fMRI), along with clinical, demographic, and acquisition metadata.
• Design and develop AI-based methods for anomaly detection in brain connectivity data.
• Develop and maintain processing pipelines for large-scale neuroimaging datasets (structural and resting-state fMRI).
• Perform MRI preprocessing, quality control, and functional connectivity analysis.
• Integrate imaging data with demographic and acquisition metadata for machine learning applications.
• Work with large multi-cohort datasets and collaborate in an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, imaging scientists, and AI researchers - including international research partners
• Contribute to cutting-edge research with the goal of publishing in leading international journals.

Our requirements

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, computer science, physics, data science, or a related field, with an excellent academic record (e.g., excellent GPA, first-class degree, or equivalent).
• Experience with scientific programming (Python preferred); familiarity with SQL and database systems is desirable. Experience with MATLAB, R, or similar languages, as well as basic scripting skills (e.g., Bash), is welcome.
• Experience working with Linux-based computing environments and large-scale datasets is beneficial.
• Basic understanding of machine learning or deep learning methods.
• Strong interest in neuroimaging, brain connectivity, and machine learning.
• Familiarity with neuroimaging data formats and tools (e.g., NIfTI, BIDS, FSL, AFNI, FreeSurfer) is advantageous; experience with functional MRI (fMRI) analysis is a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Very good written and spoken English.

Our offer

• A dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment at LMU Klinikum, one of Europe’s leading medical institutions.
• An established and structured research group with a strong publication track record, striving for high-impact publications.
• A collaborative and supportive team culture, including regular group meetings, structured supervision, and one-on-one mentoring.
• Strong research infrastructure, including dedicated support in biostatistics, clinical data science, AI algorithm development, and project management.
• Opportunities for career development, including mentorship, grant writing support, and international networking.
• Flexible and family-friendly working conditions, including options for remote work where appropriate.
• The position is limited to three years.
• PhD degree awarded through the Medical Faculty of LMU Munich (PhD in Medical Research, or Dr. rer. nat., or Dr. hum. biol.)
• Remuneration is based on the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector of the Länder (TV-L) including all allowances customary in the public sector.

Contact:
Dr.rer.nat. Julia Ruat Julia.Ruat@med.uni-muenchen.de
+49 89 4400 76624

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