PhD position: Linking singing exercise to vocal performance in songbirds

Description of the PhD project:
The Vocal Neuromechanics Lab at the Research Group Sound and Behavior of the Department of Biology is looking for a PhD candidate to study the relationship between singing exercise and vocal performance in songbirds, to be filled earliest by 1 March 2026.

One of the most important behaviors in vertebrates, especially for humans, is communication by sound, with human speech at the pinnacle of complexity. Like human babies, songbirds learn their vocalizations early in life from a social tutor. Numerous parallels to human speech learning, including analogous neural circuitry and shared molecular pathways have established songbirds as the model system of choice for human speech learning and fine motor control in general.

The PhD candidate will use behavioral and physiological methods to investigate the effect of singing exercise on vocal muscle properties and vocal performance in songbirds. Specifically, this includes developing and using behavioral paradigms to control singing exercise, analyzing song using sophisticated bioacoustics analysis methods, muscle physiology, immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging.
The Vocal Neuromechanics lab is embedded in the Sound and Behavior group, which studies sound communication in all its aspects in a wide range of animals and part of the Department of Biology at the University of Southern Denmark.

Qualifications/requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated, dedicated and ambitious candidate with:

-    A recent MSc degree - or similar - in biology or other relevant educations like engineering, preferably with a background in behavioral neuroscience or signal processing (especially of bioacoustics data)
-    Programming experience (e.g. Python, R, Matlab, etc.)
-    Strong communication and collaborative skills and proficiency in spoken and written English.
-    Willingness to contribute to the Biology teaching program at BSc and MSc levels, in particular in the area of Animal Physiology and Zoology.
-    Interest in working in an interdisciplinary environment paired with excellent social skills 
-    A completed education in laboratory animal science (equivalent to Felasa A or B certificate) is advantageous, but not necessary 
-    Experience with behavioral manipulations and animal physiology are advantageous, but not necessary.

We offer:
-    A three-year PhD position in a stimulating and supportive, international research team
-    Access to state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure
-    Excellent training in all aspects of this project.
-    The opportunity to work and interact with an extensive network of international collaborators
-    A competitive salary and social benefits (e.g. health coverage, parental leave, social security etc.)

Contact
For more information feel free to contact Assistant Professor Dr. Iris Adam (irisadam@biology.sdu.dk) or Professor Dr. Coen P.H. Elemans (coen@biology.sdu.dk).

Vocal Neuromechanics lab: https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/sound-communication-behaviour/research-labs/vocal-neuromechanics-lab 
Sound and Behavior Group: https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/sound-communication-behaviour
University of Southern Denmark: https://www.sdu.dk/en/om_sdu/international_staff

About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.