A Postdoc in multimodal MRI of infant brain and motor development

Are you interested in understanding how developing brain structure and connectivity shape motor outcomes in infants and toddlers? Do you enjoy working in collaborative, multidisciplinary teams, that bridge brain mapping, computational modeling, and developmental neuroscience? Then you may be the person we are looking for.

The Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR) at Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre (Denmark) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher in infant and early childhood multimodal MRI to join the NIBS-CP project. The NIBS-CP project () is an ongoing longitudinal study following ~200 infants aged 3-24 months, including infants at risk for cerebral palsy and typically developing infants. Using advanced multimodal MRI and motor assessments at three time points (3-9, 12, and 24 months), the project aims to characterize early brain development, how brain structure and connectivity relate to developing motor function and improve the prediction of motor outcomes. Participant recruitment is nearing completion, and longitudinal data collection is well underway.

You will join the Brain Maturation research group () at DRCMR and the broader NIBS-CP team. The group works closely together across projects, and you will have ample opportunities to interact with researchers working on related developmental neuroimaging studies. We value openness, knowledge sharing, and a supportive research culture. Our work spans multiple pediatric cohorts, covering both typical and atypical development from birth to early adulthood.

In this position, you will contribute to multimodal MRI analyses, longitudinal modeling of brain development and motor outcomes, scientific publications, and collaborative interdisciplinary research activities within the NIBS-CP project. We expect you to take scientific ownership of parts of the project, while also working closely with other members of the team.

Your profile :

You are a highly motivated and dedicated postdoctoral researcher with the following qualifications:

• A PhD in Neuroscience, Psychology, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong experience with structural and/or diffusion MRI data analysis and/or computational modeling of multimodal neuroimaging data; network-based analysis experience is an advantage
• Interest and/or experience in early brain development, brain injury, and motor function
• Good programming skills (e.g., Python, or similar)
• Good statistical skills; experience with longitudinal analysis and/or predictive modeling is an advantage
• Ability to work independently, while contributing actively to a collaborative multidisciplinary and international research environment
• Strong English communication skills

The project will be carried out at the DRCMR, which is a leading research center for biomedical MRI in Europe (). Approx. 75 researchers from more than 20 countries and a diverse range of disciplines are currently pursuing basic and clinically applied MR research and its validation with a focus on structural, functional, and metabolic MRI of the human brain and its disorders. The DRCMR is embedded in the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, a large diagnostic imaging department that houses all biomedical imaging modalities at the Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre.

The DRCMR offers a highly collaborative research environment and outstanding research infrastructure for preclinical and human imaging, including six whole-body MR scanners (one 7T, four 3T, and one 1.5T) and a preclinical 7T scanner. The DRCMR also houses a high-performance computer cluster, state-of-the-art electrophysiology and non-invasive brain stimulation laboratories, and dedicated infrastructure for infant MRI studies.

The postdoc project will be supervised by Senior Researcher, Associate Professor Kathrine Skak Madsen, and co-supervised by Associate Professor Melanie Ganz, Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen ().

Starting date:  August 1st, 2026, or soon thereafter.

Salary and Terms of Employment

The position is for 2 years with the possibility of extension . Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Regions (Danske Regioner) and the relevant professional organization. The salary depends on background education and seniority. Further, supplements can be negotiated. Note that candidates coming from abroad may be eligible for tax reductions. The position is open to applicants of all nationalities. 

We strongly value diversity and aim to create an inclusive and supportive research environment. We therefore encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability, or religion, to apply. 

Applications must include a cover letter, CV, list of publications, and references, and be submitted through the RegionH job portal.

Application deadline:   June 16th , 2026 at 23:59 (CET)

Job interviews are expected shortly after the deadline.

Further information
If you have questions about the position or the project, you are very welcome to contact Senior Researcher, Associate Professor, Kathrine Skak Madsen via e-mail at  Se e-mailadresse på candidate.hr-manager.net , (phone: Vis telefonnummer).