The new Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (https://www.ab.mpg.de/) in
Konstanz, Germany, has 5 open PhD, Postdoctoral and
Technician positions in collective animal behavior
in birds, fish and insects. The positions are open immediately and the
deadline for applications is July 15th. Candidates should contact Iain (icouzin@ab.mpg.de)
with “Position #” where # is the respective position number. Applicants
should include their CV and provide a statement of interest for the
respective position(s) to which an application is being made, and the
names and contact information for 3 people who
can provide references.
Candidates will work in a
dynamic research environment, and will be based in the Max Planck
Department of Collective Behaviour ( see http://collectivebehaviour.com/) and
the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/)
at the University of Konstanz in the historic city of Konstanz in Southern Germany.
The University of Konstanz
one of the nine “elite universities” in Germany. Konstanz is renewed for
its beauty and is well connected via Zurich International Airport which
is about 50 mins drive / 1hr5mins direct train
away.
The Max Planck Institutes and
the University of Konstanz focus on excellence in research and the
successful applicant will benefit from outstanding infrastructure,
opportunities for training and a highly collaborative
and international research environment.
Our working language is
English and consequently applicants must be fluent in this language; no
knowledge of German is required. This appointment is for one year
initially, with the possibility of renewal based on satisfactory
performance. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience,
and benefits are included.
Position 1:
Analysis of ultra-high resolution 3D tracking data to understand bird
social behavior (PhD / open-ended Postdoc position)
Advisers:
The candidate will be part of
an interdisciplinary, international team to study collective sensing
and decision-making in birds. The candidate will have access to a
newly-developed, fully automatic, 3D tracking technology
developed for birds and deployed in a large (15 x 7 x 4m) state-of-the
art indoor aviary at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in
Konstanz/Radolfzell. In addition to 3D tracking this aviary is
instrumented for automatic call localisation, allowing the
study of multimodal (visual and acoustic) communication. Research
questions of interest include innovation, cognition, social learning,
individual and collective sensing / decision-making.
Position 2. Development of computational tools to study collective animal behavior (PhD / open-ended Postdoc position)
Adviser:
We are particularly
interested in machine learning (e.g. deep-learning) methodology for
behavioral analysis, and especially the translation of sensory
cues/signals into behavioral decisions. A recent example of the
type of technology we have already developed, see: Graving et al., “Fast and robust animal pose estimation”.
Position 3.
Utilization of immersive Virtual Reality to understand individual and
collective decision-making (PhD / open-ended Postdoc position)
Adviser:
In this project the candidate will employ a new immersive Virtual Reality system for
freely moving animals to investigate the sensory basis of schooling in
fish in the Couzin Lab. This project will integrate VR and conventional
experimentation to map how properties such as rate, and timing, of
turning and/or acceleration/deceleration, as well
as the position on the retina prior to, or during, behavioral change
impacts movement decisions of focal real fish. Of particular interest
will be how individuals integrate information, such as changes in motion
of others (e.g. turning, startle behavior),
in space (different regions of the visual field) and time (the time
between the observed changes). These data will be used to determine the
algorithms employed by zebrafish when making movement decisions. We will
work with colleagues in the Computer Science
department to seek machine learning methodology that allows the
unsupervised identification of the visual features that are
maximally-informative regarding individual decisions in a collective
context.
Position 4. Connecting Individual Differences to the Functional Complexity of Animal Groups (open ended Postdoc position)
Adviser:
This project will explore how
inter-individual differences in behavior and physiology (such as
differences in individual sensitivity, uncertainty, influence of and by
others in the group, sensory capabilities, decision-making
algorithms etc.) impact the sensing, decision-making and search
dynamics of the groups. We will seek to understand how differences
affect whether a decision is made, which alternative or sequence of
alternatives is chosen, the speed and accuracy of the decision
or search, and the responsiveness of the decision and search to changes
in the environment. We are open to employing different experimental
systems in this study, including (but not exclusively) fish and birds.
We aim to examine individual
differences for the following kinds of dynamics, which are fundamental
to collective animal behavior:
- Spreading dynamics describe how easily a response by an individual to a stimulus, such as a threat, target, or source of data, spreads through a networked group of individuals. Spreading dynamics underlie the dynamics of collective decision-making and search.
- Decision-making and search dynamics describe how individuals and the group as a whole make choices among alternatives: for example, choosing which alternative is true, which action to take, which direction or motion pattern to follow, or when something in the environment or in the state of the system has changed. Decision-making under limited information and uncertainty is fundamental to search tasks in which individuals must choose among options in order to find a target or peak in an uncertain distributed field.
- Multiple task management describes how tasks such as search and threat avoidance are carried out simultaneously given costs, benefits, and limited resources that derive from complex, real-world environments. Spreading and decision-making dynamics are fundamental to multiple task management.
We know little about the
relationship between social network structure and contagion, and have no
information at all about multiple layers of communication (such as
mediated by different sensory modalities) and how
individuals integrate these layers of sensory input when making
decisions. We will address these issues using methodologies in which we
can quantify inter-individual differences in sensing and response to
stimuli as well as by physically and pharmacologically
manipulating sensory modalities allowing us to precisely test specific
hypotheses regarding social contagion in natural animal groups. This
will allow us to reveal how the structure of communication networks
impacts collective sensing, search, foraging and
avoidance of risk. The successful candidates will, have access to
world-class research facilities including considerable in-house
expertise in machine learning, automated tracking, sensory
reconstruction, virtual reality and and behavioural analysis
technologies.
Position 5. Skilled Research Technician
(full-time, up to E 13 TV-L) Job code: 2019/128 - for details, including how to apply, see
https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/engagement/open-positions/
The “Centre for the Advanced
Study of Collective Behaviour” at the University of Konstanz, together
with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, is seeking a highly
skilled research technician for a temporary position
until end of December 2025 (with a possibility of a further 7 years if
the cluster is successful in the second round of funding). The start
date is as soon as possible. In principle, this position can be divided
into two half-time positions.
The role involves working
closely with the scientists at the “Centre” to support outstanding
research in our unique “Imaging Barn”: a 15 x 7 x 4m tracking
environment in which we have developed a globally-unique capacity
to track animals (insects, birds and mammals) in 3D with extremely high
temporal and spatial resolution. Specifically, the role will be to
learn, run, and organize the 3D tracking technology (VICON motion
capture system (Nexus and Tracker software) and 3D
acoustic tracking software) in the “Imaging Barn” facility at the Max
Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. The position will be based in the
"Imaging Barn" facility, which is in the nearby Radolfzell location
(approximately 30 mins drive from Konstanz). However,
there is a plan to extend this to the larger “Imaging Hangar” facility,
which will be running from early 2021 as part of a major infrastructure
project (the 30 Million Euro “Visual Computing of Collectives (VCC)”
building focused on collective behaviour research
on the University campus).
Your Responsibilities
- Implementing python code into the VICON software to address researchers’ need
- Organising and managing the experiment timetable coordinating with researchers who are using the facilities
- Calibrating the camera system prior to experiments
- Maintaining the VICON; microphone array, and associated systems
- Consulting with researchers’ experimental design in regard to the VICON system’s strengths and limitations
- Assisting with extracting, processing and storing experimental data and assistance with setting up experiments with a diverse range of organisms
Your Competencies
- University degree in biology, physics, computer science, or a related scientific field
- Interest in collective animal behaviour
- Good English in word and writing
- Organisational and management skills
- Some knowledge, or interest in learning, programming languages (python, C++, MatLab, etc.)
- Willingness to work with and handle a variety of animal species including insects, birds and bats (no previous experience required)
- Willingness to work with your hands (i.e. building experimental equipment, etc.)
- Willingness to work with a diverse and international community of people
- Flexibility and problem-solving skills
- Enthusiastic and positive outlook
We Offer
- Good development opportunities, extensive training and an attractive remuneration package.