We are seeking a candidate for a PhD fellowship to work in collaboration with Dr. Fabrice SARLEGNA (Institute of Movement Sciences) and Pr. Olivier FELICIAN (Institute of Systems Neuroscience) in Marseille, France. The aim of the project is to study the neural mechanisms underlying the intermanual transfer of sensorimotor adaptation. More specifically, the proposed approach is to assess the motor skills of healthy individuals and patients with lesions of the corpus callosum. Motion capture and neuroimaging techniques will be used, and in addition to providing additional fundamental knowledge, the project should contribute to a better assessment of neurological diseases and to the optimization of motor learning in the context of rehabilitation. The position is funded by the DOC2AMU program of Aix-Marseille University, the largest university in France and the Francophone world.
Detailed information about the project and its scientific rationale is available on the website:


Due to the international specifity of the DOC2AMU program, we are looking for individuals who have not been in France for more than 12 months in the last 3 years. Detailed information about the funding and eligibility conditions
An innovative doctoral programmeDOC2AMU is an innovative doctoral programme with the aim of financing 30 3-year doctoral contracts from 2016 to 2021 at Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) in Marseille, France. These positions will be offered in three calls: 2016, 2017 and 2018.


You will be in charge of conducting research experiments on healthy individuals and neurological patients. Duties will consist in attending professional meetings, recruiting and interviewing research subjects, assisting in the design of psychophysical and neurophysiological experiments, preparing the experimental equipment and protocol, recording and analyzing data, drafting oral presentations and research manuscripts, all under the supervision of F. Sarlegna and O. Felician.
You must hold (or be in the process of completing) a Masters degree or equivalent in neuroscience or affiliated specialties such as biomedical engineering, neuropsychology, experimental psychology, human motor control... Applicants from other relevant backgrounds in engineering, physics or computing science will also be considered provided they demonstrate additional qualifications in neuroscience.
Experience with programming (e.g. Matlab), data collection and analysis (including statistics) and/or human neuroscience techniques (fMRI) is desirable. Applicants should have excellent organizational skills, be highly motivated and enjoy working in a vibrant collaborative research environment. They should be able to communicate effectively in English, with evidence of strong scientific writing skills. The ability or desire to speak French is a plus considering the experiments with patients. Critically, applicants should be passionate about using their expertise for the benefit of patients for whom cross-disciplinary science has the potential to have a positive impact.
You willl work within a team of researchers and clinicians to publish in peer-reviewed journals and disseminate your work at both national and international conferences. International mobility for conferences and coursework are covered by the DOC2AMU program, which also covers research costs and travel costs between Marseille and your place of origin. The program is funded by the the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND action within the H2020 Research and Innovation program of the European Union, by the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-CĂ´te d’Azur and the A*MIDEX Foundation.

Some additional advantages
• 3-year PhD fellowship remunerated above that of a standard French PhD contract with a monthly net salary of approximately 1625€/month.
• Support in the administrative procedures.
• Reserved rooms in university housing.
• Several activities to promote integration in the local student life and cultural activities.
• French language courses covered by the fellowship.

We value diversity and welcome any application.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at fabrice.sarlegna [at] univ-amu.fr
Please apply online for the position before April 10, 2017 on the DOC2AMU website which is well documented with a detailed guideline for applicants,
Best wishes,
Fabrice SARLEGNA and Olivier FELICIAN

About Aix-Marseille University:
Aix-Marseille University is in France the largest university by the number of its students, its staff and its budget. This has made Aix-Marseille University an institution of higher education and excellent research, with international ambitions.
Aix-Marseille University is multidisciplinary as it offers training in all disciplines: Arts, Literature, Languages and Humanities; Law and Political Science; Economics and Management ; Health; Science and Technology. An intensive research site in collaboration with leading organizations, AMU is one of the French sites of excellence recognized by an international jury as part of Future Investments. AMU is also among the sites labeled "Operation Campus", with 500 million euros in capital mobilized to renovate and modernize its university campuses. AMU helps developing research, training and employability of students, while creating a privileged link with the socio-economic world.