The Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne conducts interdisciplinary life sciences research using innovative approaches at the highest international level. The aim is to maintain and improve human health and performance in a mobile society – in space, in aviation and on Earth.
About the position
The ‘Sleep and Human Factors’ department at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine strives to continually expand knowledge of aviation- and transport-specific aspects of human health, performance and well-being through research involving extensive laboratory and field studies.
As part of the “Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop” (CeTI) Cluster of Excellence at Dresden University of Technology and in cooperation with the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics in Oberpfaffenhofen, we are seeking a committed and scientifically proficient PhD candidate for an interdisciplinary doctoral project in the field of human spaceflight and human-centred technologies. The project “Vibrotactile Feedback to Support Complex Tasks in Spaceflight” aims to develop and validate a novel vibrotactile feedback system that supports astronauts during their missions in microgravity or on the Moon. Of particular concern are the impairments to spatial orientation and cognitive performance under microgravity conditions.
Your tasks
You will work within an interdisciplinary research network combining human factors, haptics, robotics and space technology. The work involves:
- Analysing multimodal physiological and behavioural data from parabolic flights (eye tracking, ECG, EEG) with regard to performance impairments in microgravity
- Supporting the conceptual development of a vibrotactile feedback system and adaptive feedback strategies based on (physiological) operator state indicators
- Conducting and evaluating experiments under simulated space conditions using simulations and analogue studies, e.g. bed rest and parabolic flight studies, VR environments
- Participation in further research projects in the field of performance in space (e.g. bed rest studies, isolation studies)
- Interdisciplinary collaboration with national and international partner institutions (e.g. TU Dresden, ESA), and participation in scientific conferences
- Authoring and publication of scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals
Your qualifications
Essential:
- A completed university degree (Master’s or Diplom) in Psychology (preferably cognitive or experimental psychology), Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or comparable degrees
- Knowledge of the analysis of physiological and behavioural data (e.g. ECG, eye-tracking)
- Experience with statistics and statistical data analysis (e.g. in R, SPSS)
- Interest in experimental research, particularly in cognitive or sensorimotor tasks
- Very good written and spoken English
- High level of motivation and initiative, structured approach to work and ability to work in a team
Desirable:
- Experience with virtual reality (VR) systems or simulation technologies
- Programming skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB, C++ or VR development)
- Experience with haptic systems or tactile feedback
- Interest in space research or human factors in extreme environments
- Willingness to undertake research stays at DLR Oberpfaffenhofen (approx. 2 months)
- Experience with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS or GVS)
For futher information please contact Dr. Christian Mühl, Project Coordinator, christian.muehl@dlr.de; +49 2203 601 3121
We look forward to getting to know you!
If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy-ID 5418) please contact:
Prof. Dr. Daniel Aeschbach
Tel.: +49 2203 601 3058
