PhD position in Behavioral Biology (all genders welcome)

The German Primate Center (DPZ) - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research - conducts basic biological and biomedical research in all fields in which non-human primates play essential roles: in particular in infection research, the neurosciences and organismic primate biology (www.dpz.eu/en/about-us/profile/mission.html ). In addition to research infrastructure in Göttingen, the DPZ maintains five field stations abroad - in Peru, Northern Guinea, Senegal, Madagascar and Thailand.

As part of a newly formed Research Training Group (RTG 2906 Curiosity) we advertise here a

This is a 65% position (payment E13 TV-L) for an initial period of 3 years, with a very strong possibility of extension for a further year. The project is expected to commence on August 1st , 2024.

Across thirteen projects, scientists in RTG 2906 will investigate the neuropsychological, biological and computational underpinnings of curiosity. The network comprises a highly interdisciplinary consortium of psychologists, biologists as well as systems and computational neuroscientists who will work together to answer three broad research questions: (A) When are we curious? (B) Whyare we curious? and (C) How are we curious? The PhD position advertised here will examine how early-life experience and environmental factors impact curiosity in a nonhuman primate, the Guinea baboon. The PhD researcher will design studies to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of wild Guinea baboons living near the DPZ field site Simenti in Senegal. The project will combine behavioural observations and field experimentation.

Your profile:

• A good M.Sc. degree in Behavioral Biology or a related field, e.g., Cognitive or Comparative Biology
• Experience conducting observational or experimental studies with animals
• Advanced statistical and analytical abilities (experience using R is a plus)
• Excellent command of the English language; French language skills desirable
• Excellent critical thinking and communication skills
• Team-player qualities
• Happy to live and work under harsh conditions
• Good intercultural communication skills
• Clean Driver’s License

What we offer:

• A highly interdisciplinary and collaborative, team-oriented research environment
• Close supervision by an interdisciplinary Thesis Advisory Committee
• Enrolment in a training programme comprising compulsory and elective courses suited to individual needs and careers goals, as well as regular retreats and summer schools
• Ample funding for conferences and external laboratory visits

TG 2906 is based in Göttingen, a university town with 28,000 students across all disciplines. The Göttingen Campus has its overarching research foci in living networks, sustainability, and dynamics of change, and includes four Max-Planck Institutes, the German Primate Center, the Campus Institute for Data Science, and the Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks. The thirteen doctoral projects are spread across these Göttingen Campus institutes.

We welcome diversity and therefore welcome applications from qualified people, regardless of their ethnic, cultural and social background, gender, religion, ideology, disability, age or sexual identity. Registered disabled applicants with equal aptitude and qualifications will be given preferential consideration. We kindly ask you to indicate a disability in your application.

Employment at the DPZ is based on the civil service rules and regulations. The salary scale is in accordance with TV-L, with VBL pension scheme.

How to apply:

Detailed information on the application process, the research project and the training programme are available on the RTG webpage (https://www.uni-goettingen.de/rtg2906 ). Applications are due on 15.01.2024. We ask you to submit your written application as a single PDF file with the usual documents (motivation letter, CV, and certified copies of your degree and language certificates) via email (bewerbung(at)dpz.eu ) or via post: Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH – Leibniz Institut für Primatenforschung – Personnel Office – Kellnerweg 4 – 37077 Göttingen. Please take care to include the keyword “RTG2906_ProjectA3” in your submission. Note that there are 13 open PhD positions in RTG 2906; in case you are applying for more than one position, please indicate this in your cover letter (applying for more than one position is in no way detrimental to your application).

For questions about the position, please contact Prof. Julia Fischer ([email protected] )

For further information please contact phone: +49 (0)551-3851-105 or see http://www.dpz.eu .