POST DOC position with the Tai Chimpanzee Project for early career scientists

[Tai Chimpanzee Project]

Researcher CDD (post doc position): Assessment of social cognition and tool use in chimpanzees under natural conditions
Reference : UMR5229-ANNBUS-022
Number of position : 1
Workplace : BRON
Date of publication : 24 March 2023
Type of Contract : FTC Scientist
Contract Period : 24 months
Expected date of employment : 1 September 2023
Proportion of work : Full time
Remuneration : 2833 à 4003 gross per month depending on experience
Desired level of education : PhD
Experience required : 1 to 4 years
Section(s) CN : Brain, cognition and behaviour

Missions

We are offering a project funded post-doc position for 24 months working on specific aspects of a larger project that examines brain connectomics in hominoids (cooperation between CNRS, France, and the Max Planck Society, Germany).
The post-doc will assess social relationships, tool use and cognitive capacities in wild chimpanzees of the Taï National Park, Ivory Coast.

Activities

The successful candidate is expected to use long-term data from 25 years of data collection on 5 neighbouring communities, video footage of tool use and food sharing events, GPS track logs of focal animals to investigate decision making, planning and collective action problems. Under the condition that we receive a project extension, extensive stays in Africa are expected to collect data on wild chimpanzees of the Taï Chimpanzee Project, Taï NP (Côte d'Ivoire) including the potential for a field experiment in the tool use and social cognition domain. Close collaborations with other post-docs and PhD students assessing similar capacities of chimpanzees in other populations is desirable.

Skills

Qualifications and Requirements
PhD, or comparable degree, in Biology, Psychology, Evolutionary Anthropology or Cognitive Sciences and good knowledge of animal behaviour and animal cognition. We are looking for applicants with experience in the following areas:
1. Proficiency in field observations and collecting behavioural data on social primates.
2. Very good theoretical background on social behaviour / relationships, tool use and social cognition.
3. Excellent statistical and analytical skills with experience in handling large data sets using R.
4. Expertise in conducting field experiments such as playbacks or similar controlled behavioral tests, preferably with primates, will be of advantage.
5. Experience in working and living under harsh conditions in remote areas will be of advantage for a prolongation.
6. Experience in working in a team as well as leading a small working unit and supervision of Master and PhD students.
The successful applicant speaks fluent English, with sufficient French being an additional advantage, be resistant to physical and psychological stress, have strong social skills, enjoy collaborative work and be able to work and live in an intercultural environment.
The successful candidate is proficient to run statistics in R and can work interdisciplinary with neurobiologists, psychologists and behavioural ecologists.

Work Context

The successful candidate will be part of the Ape Social Mind Lab at the ISC, UMR 5229 and will report directly to the research directors Roman Wittig and Catherine Crockford.

Constraints and risks

This work may include research missions to a remote field site.

Additional Information

Applications should be sent by email and should include a cover letter stating research experience and interest, detailed curriculum vitae, a 1-2 page proposal/outline for a 24 month research program, and the names and e-mail addresses of three referees.

For further information please contact: rwi...@isc.cnrs.fr

PLEASE APPLY HERE:

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR5229-ANNBUS-022/Default.aspx?lang=EN