PhD- Position | Comparative cognition using cutting-edge
technologies (f/m/d)
(65-100 %, E 13 TV-L)
Reference number 2021/182. The position is to be filled by the end of March 2022 or later. The position
is securely funded for three years, with the possibility of extension. In principle this position can be
divided into two part-time positions.
The University of Konstanz is one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany. Since 2007 it has been successful in the German Excellence
Initiative and its follow-up programme, the Excellence Strategy.
The PhD position will be part of the
Cluster of Excellence “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour” (CASCB) at the University
of Konstanz, which investigates the collective behaviour and associated patterns in humans and animals in an unprecedented interdisciplinary
approach by developing an innovative range of quantitative methods and novel technologies (
https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collectivebehaviour/).
The position will be embedded into the newly starting project which aims to first establish tracking methods for head/eye and postural
movements of pigeons and/or humans using available technologies at the imaging facility (e.g. motion-tracking systems, wearable eye-trackers, and
multi-array cameras) in combination with mixed reality (stimulus presentation in synchronization with behavior). In the following, the project will
establish analytic methods to quantify social interaction from the obtained large amount of behavioural data in order to reveal cognitive skills and
coordination efficiencies during naturalistic social interaction of birds (e.g. grouping, foraging) and/or joint action of humans (e.g. social learning,
team sport, foraging).
Your responsibilities
- Designing and performing cognitive and
collective behaviour experiments with
birds and/or human
- Learning and developing automated
techniques to track movements of
humans/animals and analyse the acquired
large dataset to reveal the underlying
patterns related to cognition and
coordination
Your Competencies
- A master degree biology, psychology,
computer science, or a related fields
- Proven academic interest in cognition,
cooperation, and culture, while having
expertise/interest in the use of cuttingedge
motion-tracking, eye-tracking,
computer vision
- Experience in at least one of the
programming languages
- Strong written and oral communications
skills in English
We Offer
- Professional infrastructure and support
for conducting research
- An open, highly motivated,
interdisciplinary research group
- Ability to work with world-leading
scientists on a new and exciting research
field
- Integration into the interdisciplinary
Excellence Cluster research community
- Working and living in a fabulous and
diverse environment
- Classification according to the tariff
regulations of TV-L (depending on the
personal prerequisites up to pay group E
13 TV-L)
For further information please contact Dr. Fumihiro Kano via E-Mail:
fumihiro.kano@uni-konstanz.de.
We look forward to receiving your application (including a full CV, a copy of the Master thesis or equivalent, a brief research statement relating your interests to the
research program of our group, and names and e-mail addresses of two or more academic referees) by
August 31st, 2021 via our
Online
Application Portal.
The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity as well as a good
balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and
teaching. We also support working couples through our dual career programme. Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They
will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact + 49 7531 88–4016).