Postdoctoral Researcher in Computational Modeling of Musical Synchrony in Multi-Agent Groups
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher for the SynchMuse research project (description below), a collaboration between researchers at McGill University in Québec, Canada, and at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium.
Main Research Topics:
- Applying computational models to temporal coordination and motion measures collected from musical ensembles
- Development of computational agents for the simulation of musical ensemble members in XR
- Conducting and analyzing experiments with performing musicians
Required experience:
- Programming knowledge of Python, Matlab, R or similar environments
- Experience with conducting experiments using scientific methods
- Organization skills (coordinating with expert commentators)
Start date: From September 2025 or until position is filled. The successful candidate will be based at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Salary contingent on Post-PhD experience in fields such as cognitive science, music technology, psychology, computer science, engineering or related fields.
Project duration: 18 months or dependent on start date
Applicants should provide:
- Statement of research interest
- CV with three representative publications
- Contact information for three potential references
Interested candidates should contact Prof. Marcelo Wanderley <marcelo.wanderley (at) mcgill.ca> and Prof. Caroline Palmer <caroline.palmer (at) mcgill.ca> for information and to submit their applications.
Description of SynchMuse: Computational models of musical synchrony in human-agent groups
Ensemble music-making requires intricate temporal coordination of movements to achieve synchrony as a group. Successful synchronization results in pleasing musical outcomes and fosters powerful socio-emotional effects. In the proposed project, we investigate the combined use of computational modelling and adaptive virtual agents to gain deeper insights into the control principles of human temporal synchronization. By employing mathematical tools and concepts from dynamical systems theory, we model ensembles of human drummers as a system of coupled oscillators to gain a deeper understanding of their temporal synchronization dynamics.