The Department of Electronic Systems at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design invites applications for a PhD stipend in the field of causal discovery and spatiotemporal analysis of brain signals. The stipend is within the general study programme Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and available from January 1st, or as soon as possible thereafter. The duration of the position is three years.
 
In electronic engineering, Aalborg University is known worldwide for its high academic quality and societal impact. The Department of Electronic Systems employs more than 200 people, of which about 90 are PhD students, and about 40 % of all employees are internationals. In total, it has more than 600 students in its BSc and MSc programs, which are based on AAU's problem-based learning model. The department leverages its unique research infrastructure and lab facilities to conduct world-leading fundamental and applied research within communication, networks, control systems, AI, sound, cyber security, and robotics. The department plays an active role in transferring inventions and results into applications in close collaboration with industrial partners worldwide. You can read more about the department at www.es.aau.dk.
 

Your work tasks

This PhD project is part of a bigger Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) New Exploratory Research and Discovery grant entitled: Information Theoretic Disentanglement of the Exceptional Biological Learning Machine, which is headed by Professor Jan Østergaard.  The goal is to develop novel information-theoretic methods for identifying and analyzing temporal and spatial patterns of synergy and redundancy in brain signals elicited by acoustic stimuli.

The PhD project falls under Research Track 1: Informational Modes of Learning. Functional connectivity captures the statistical relationships between distinct brain regions, whereas effective connectivity characterizes the causal influences among them. Even in a resting state, the brain exhibits spontaneous neuronal activity organized into networks that regulate cognitive functions. These functional brain networks display intricate spatiotemporal dynamics that encode rich informational content. However, analyzing such interactions remains challenging due to the high dimensionality, nonlinearity, and noise inherent in neural signals.

In this project, we propose to expose participants to controlled acoustic stimuli and record the corresponding brain responses. The primary goal is to develop explainable spatiotemporal causal discovery frameworks for time-series data such as EEG, leveraging prior knowledge of the driving stimuli. Specifically, the project aims to determine which features of the acoustic input elicit particular EEG responses, thereby mapping stimulus-response relationships in both space and time. Understanding these dynamic informational patterns is key to revealing how the brain tracks, processes, and learns auditory information.

Methodologically, the project will explore the integration of information-theoretic decompositions, deep neural architectures, and large language models (LLMs) as powerful tools for uncovering, quantifying, and interpreting causal information flow within the brain’s dynamic networks.

Your competencies
Prospective applicants to this PhD proposal should have the following qualifications:

• MSc degree in electrical engineering, mathematical engineering, mathematics, computer science or similar;
• Solid mathematical and analytical skills, including signal processing, statistical learning, optimization, deep learning, or information theory;
• Experience in programming, e.g., in C++, Python or Matlab.
  

Qualification requirements

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

Who we are    
The successful candidate will be hosted by the Section AI & Sound in the Department of Electronic Systems. The Section AI & Sound is led by Prof. Jan Østergaard and offers a strong research environment, outstanding working and networking opportunities, and full employment benefits, including a competitive salary.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor’s and master’s degree diploma)
• Project description. Applicants are required to submit, along with their application documents, a one-page statement, indicating their vision for research to be conducted in relation to the project topics outlined above.
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website. 

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?     
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information  
We recommend that you save a copy of the job posting, as it will be removed once the application deadline has passed.  

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Contacts

• Professor Jan Østergaard: jo@es.aau.dk
• Lisbeth Diinhoff: ld@adm.aau.dk

Ref number

2025/626

Deadline

30.11.2025