Stage facultatif (2 mois renouvelable) – see english version below

Thème : Prosocialité et cognition sociale chez les choucas

Encadrement : Agatha Liévin-Bazin, doctorante & Dr. Auguste von Bayern

Durée : 4 mois (janvier- avril 2016), date de début souhaitée : 25 janvier

Lieu : Avian Cognition Research Station, Max-Planck Institute for Ornithology (Bavière, près de Münich Allemagne,)

Description : Même si l’altruisme et la prosocialité ont été étudié de manière intensive chez les primates, très peu de recherches ont été menées chez les oiseaux.

Ce stage vise donc à étudier la prosocialité, c’est-à-dire la capacité à agir pour améliorer le bien-être d’autrui chez une espèce de corvidés, le choucas des tours (Corvus monedula). Une expérience similaire sera réalisée en parallèle au laboratoire de Nanterre, en France avec une espèce de psittacidés, les perruches calopsittes (Nymphicus hollandicus). Cette étude s’inscrit donc dans une démarche comparative entre les deux familles d’oiseaux possédant les capacités cognitives les plus développées à ce jour. Le but est de tester des choucas dans le cadre d’une tâche simple où un acteur peut, soit obtenir une récompense pour lui seul (choix égoïste), ou une récompense pour son partenaire et lui-même (choix prosocial), pour le même coût. Nous souhaitons voir quel sera l’impact du degré d’affinité et d’affiliation (partenaire de couple ou non) sur la tendance prosociale des oiseaux testés.

Qualifications : Niveau Bac+2 minimum en biologie, psychologie, agronomie ou éthologie. Être rigoureux, motivé, patient, et être à l'aise avec le travail en autonomie. Être capable de vivre en vase clos avec peu d’interactions sociales, également. Pratique de l'anglais nécessaire.

Inutile de postuler pour un stage de M1 ne débutant que le 1^er avril la période sera trop courte puisque les animaux ne pourront plus être testés à partir de mi-avril.

Autres informations : Il sera demandé au stagiaire d’être au laboratoire certains week-ends et de participer aux tâches de nourrissage des oiseaux et de nettoyage des volières. Aucune indemnité mensuelle n'est prévue, ni de défraiement pour le transport et le voyage. Possibilité de logement sur place pour  200€ par mois. Être véhiculé est un plus.

Contact : Merci d'envoyer un CV et une lettre de motivation  en français ou en anglais par mail à Agatha Liévin-Bazin (agatha.lievin@gmail.com) ET à Auguste von Bayern (avbayern@orn.mpg.de)

Research Internship (renewable 2 months period of time)

Title: Prosociality and social cognition in jackdaws

Supervisors: Agatha Liévin-Bazin, pHD student &  Dr. Auguste von Bayern

Duration: 4 months (renewable 2 months internship between january and april 2016) – starting date: 25^th  January

Place: Avian Cognition Research Station, Max-Planck Institute for Ornithology (Bavaria, Germany)

Description: Even if altruism and prosociality have been widely studied in primates, very few experiments have been done in birds.

This internship aims to study prosociality, the ability to improve the well-being of others in jackdaws(Corvus monedula). The same experiment will be set up at the same moment in Nanterre LECD laboratory in France with cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). So this is a comparative study between birds from the two families with the most developed cognitive abilities ever known (corvids ans pdittacids). Jackdaws will be tested in a simple task in which the actor can otherwise obtain a reward for himself (selfish choice) or for himself and also its partner (prosocial choice). The main question is whether the affinity or the affiliation between the two tested birds (mated partners or not) would influence the degree of prosociality between them.

Qualifications: At least 2nd year of bachelor in biology, psychology, ethology or any related field. The candidate must be rigorous, independent, motivated and patient. The candidate must be also able to live in a small group with little interactions outside of the station. Fluent in English (mandatory).  

No need to apply for an internship beginning around the 1^st of April 2016, it will be too late !

Additional information: The candidate will be asked to stay at the station over some week-ends. No salary can be provided. Onsite accommodation opportunity for 200€ per month. Having a car is an advantage.

Contact: Please send a CV and a cover letter preferably in French or english per e-mail to both Agatha Liévin-Bazin (agatha.lievin@gmail.com) and Auguste von Bayern (avbayern@orn.mpg.de)

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Job Title: Postdoctoral fellow in dairy calf welfare                                             

Department: Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences                    

Campus/Location: Palmerston North                    

Reference number: A464-15

Closing date:             January 13, 2016                             

Advertisement:                   

The Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences is offering a two-year full time postdoctoral fellowship to conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship on dairy calf welfare in the commercial New Zealand supply chain. The aim of the research is to identify factors that cause and/or contribute to calf morbidity and mortality across the complete supply chain. In addition, the research must identify scientifically rigorous and practical welfare indicators for use on-farm and at lairage.

As the successful candidate, you will have the opportunity to work with globally-renowned researchers from Massey University’s Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre (AWSBC) and AgResearch’s Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre. Ideally, you will have training and experience in areas relevant to scientific assessment of animal welfare. It is preferred that you have experience in statistical data analysis but at least strong numerical competence is essential. It would also be useful to have direct experience of the dairy cow industry, with particular emphasis on the farm management, transport and processing of calves. Proven ability to write scientific papers is essential.

The position will be based in Palmerston North but will involve extensive and extended travel to dairy farms and slaughter premises around New Zealand to evaluate the welfare of young dairy calves during on-farm management, transport and leading up to slaughter. As the successful applicant, you will be able to work with minimal supervision and communicate successfully with a range of people, including farmers, transport operators and other industry stakeholders.

Please direct enquiries to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil N.J.Beausoleil@massey.ac.nz

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Postdoctoral fellow in dairy calf welfare                                             

Department: Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences                    

Campus/Location: Palmerston North                    

Responsible to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil                                 

Purpose Statement:            

The need has been identified for research in a commercial New Zealand setting to understand the factors that cause and/or contribute to calf morbidity and mortality across the complete supply chain. On-farm management, transport and lairage at slaughter premises all impact on calf welfare but, currently, mortality rate is the only available indicator of poor welfare. Thus, the research must also identify scientifically rigorous and practical welfare indicators for use on-farm and at lairage. The purpose of this two-year full-time postdoctoral fellowship is to conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship on dairy calf welfare under the supervision and direction of a team of scientific investigators from the globally-renowned Massey University Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre (AWSBC) and AgResearch Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre.

Please direct enquiries to: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil N.J.Beausoleil@massey.ac.nz

Key Accountabilities:

1.       Accountability: Research study design

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Review the literature and existing data to identify potential risk factors for dairy calf welfare

·       Participate in discussions of study design with other team members

·       Be responsible for implementation of agreed experimental protocols

2.       Accountability: Data collection and statistical analysis

Duties and Responsibilities

·       Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders

·       Coordinate collection of field data, including both survey and quantitative approaches

·       Undertake surveys and animal-based measurements with minimal supervision (will require extensive and extended periods of travel to farms and slaughter premises throughout New Zealand)

·       Manage resulting datasets

·       Undertake statistical analysis and interpretation of data with guidance

3.       Accountability: Produce required outputs in collaboration with other team members

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Write stakeholder reports

·       Write papers for publication in scientific journals

·       Write and deliver presentations at scientific and stakeholder meetings

4.       Accountability: Engage in day-to-day activities of department

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by your supervisors, Institute, or the University

·       Engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of your research group or Institute

·       Take responsibility as requested for day-to-day advice and support of graduate research students associated with your research group

·       Mentor and assist, as appropriate and as directed, the research graduate students in your Institute.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications: PhD

Experience:

·       The preferred candidate will have training and experience in areas relevant to scientific assessment of animal welfare.

·       It is preferred that the candidate has experience in statistical data analysis but at least strong numerical competence is essential.

·       It would also be useful to have direct experience of the dairy cow industry, with particular emphasis on the farm management, transport and processing of calves.

·       Proven ability to write scientific papers is essential.