We
are looking for a doctoral student to carry out research on how non-human
primates perceive, represent and communicate reality with the larger goal of
testing whether human cognition is qualitatively different from other primates.
To
this end, the successful candidate will design field experiments and collect
observational data from sooty mangabeys, a species that lives in large
multi-male, multi-female groups and forages terrestrially near our research
station in Tai National Park, Ivory Coast. The overall aim is to advance
theories of cognitive evolution, including the origins of human language.
The position will in
collaboration with the National
Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Evolving Language www.evolvinglanguage.ch, a Swiss consortium with the ambitious goal of creating a new
discipline, Evolutionary Language Science, that targets the past and future of
language. The consortium consists of leading scientists from traditionally
separated academic domains, which allows us to harvest the diverse expertise
from the humanities, social sciences, computational sciences, natural sciences
and medicine towards a broadscale interdisciplinary collaboration.
The
successful candidate is expected to
-
Design
and implement field studies relevant to the above topic
-
Collect
data in the Tai National Park for a period of 24 months
- Carry
out administrative duties for the Tai Monkey Project
-
Provide teaching
assistance at the University of Neuchatel
The
ideal candidate will have
- Master
degree (required)
- Strong
interest in animal cognition
- Training
in statistics and data processing
- Fluency
in English (oral, written) and basic French (oral)
- Field
experience
The
position is available from 1 April 2024 (negotiable) for a maximum
duration of 4 years. Salary is according to the pay scale of the
University of Neuchatel. The position is available until filled; we will start
reviewing applications from 15 February 2024.
To
apply, please compile the following documents into a single PDF labelled
‘YourSurname.pdf’ and send it to Klaus Zuberbühler, klaus.zuberbuehler@unine.ch
- Cover
letter
- Curriculum
vitae
- Contact
details of two referees
We take gender balance and diversity
seriously in hiring decisions.