Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community
Overview:
At LaLa Lab (Learning to Adapt, Learning with Agency Lab) in the Department of Computer Science at Saarland University, we are looking for a Postdoctoral Scholar who will conduct independent research within the research areas of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the Learning Sciences, and Educational Psychology. This position is supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (through the Henriette Herz Scouting Program), which will offer the candidate the prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowship (the candidate will be automatically granted the fellowship without the formal competitive application process). Therefore, it is targeted to recruit international talents who live outside of Germany (German citizens are not eligible).
The postdoc will not only benefit from the opportunity/possibility of conducting fully-independent research within the areas of interest in the lab (so you may propose your own research idea) but will also gain the experience of becoming a lab PI by managing research money of your own (provided by the Foundation) and supervising junior scientists. In addition, the Fellow will receive additional support from the Foundation, including a variety of networking events in Germany, a research grant of approximately ~20,000 Euro, free language courses, family allowance, initial financial support for moving to Germany, and subsidy toward the cost of medical insurance (see more below).
At the LaLa Lab, chaired by Prof. Dr. Tomohiro Nagashima, we conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of the learning sciences, HCI, and educational psychology to 1) better understand how humans learn and 2) to better support human learning processes using AI-based technologies. We engage with community stakeholders to co-design advanced technologies (e.g., AI-based tutoring systems), and address meaningful learning activities within and outside of formal education. Among others, core directions of our research include:
- designing effective learner-AI interactions in STEM using fallible AI,
- supporting children’s and students’ adaptive expertise and self-regulated learning (choice making/decision making) using multimodal learning analytics
- promoting student’ decision-making agency/control in learning with AI
- implementing trustworthy AI in a broader space of human learning in the society
- co-designing tech with and for kids and parents, and
- supporting cognitive, metacognitive, affective, and motivational learning experiences using AI-based learning technology.
In addition to the work in the lab, Saarland Informatics Campus offers a vibrant and international community of researchers in computer science and relevant areas, making it one of the major hubs of CS research in Europe Fellows are encouraged to make connections with researchers in this community and to find collaboration opportunities (and we support your networking in Europe).
Work duration:
24 months. Once you are selected, the official review by the Foundation takes about 3-4 weeks (e.g., you could imagine starting around March-April 2026 at the earliest). However, the start date can be flexibly arranged, depending on the candidate’s preference.
Workplace/Department:
Department of Computer Science, Saarland University, Saarland Informatics Campus, Germany
Eligibility and your qualifications:
- A doctoral degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, the Learning Sciences, Educational Psychology, Cognitive Science, or in a related field (ideally completed within the last 1-5 years, not earlier)
- At least one peer-reviewed full-paper publication at top conferences or high-ranked journal within their field as a first author
- Availability (no remote work from other countries is possible – it is important that you are available to move to Germany in 2026 for up to 24 months, but the start date will be flexible anytime roughly between March 2026 and October 2026)
- No German citizenship
- No postdoctoral research stays nor completed degrees in Germany
- No previous applications nor sponsorship in any of the Alexander von Foundation’s programs
- Proficiency in one or more of the following skills: software development, prototype design, design research, advanced statistical analyses (and use of common stats software, e.g., R/RStudio), and experimental design
- Excellent command of spoken and written English (work language is English)
Your responsibilities:
- Leading 1-2 research projects within LaLa Lab (at least one of them will be the candidate’s own project idea)
- Conducting empirical research (design research or experimental research) with community stakeholders, such as school teachers/students and parents
- Mentoring PhD, master’s and undergrad students in Computer Science, HCI, Psychology, or Education (PhD students, research assistants, and/or thesis-writing students)
- Developing technology for their own project (if relevant and if they have the skills)
- Leading conference and journal publications, conference presentations, and grant proposal writings
- Contributing to the lab-wide activities, such as strategic planning, social activities, lab meetings
(if desired, optional) Teaching a small class with other members of the lab
What we can offer you:
All of the benefits offered under the Humboldt Research Fellowship, which includes:
- Non-taxable fellowship (the amount is very similar to standard postdoc salary (take-home amount) in Germany)
- Family allowance for partners (276 EUR per month)
- Subsidy towards the cost of medical insurance (70 EUR/month and per person)
- Lump-sum child allowance for single parents
- Free German language courses (if desired)
- Initial mobility allowance (that is enough to cover flight tickets)
- ~20,000EUR research money to cover research costs (that fellows can freely use for research activities and traveling)
- Many networking and social/travel opportunities offered by the Foundation (e.g., annual conference, study trips)
- In addition, we also offer:
- A shared office with other postdocs/PhD researchers
- A working environment and schedule allowing you to balance work, coursework, and other responsibilities that you may have
- Necessary equipment
- An inclusive, interdisciplinary, and diverse lab environment that respects each others’ ideas, needs, and preferences
- Remote work (work from home) is possible
Application instruction:
To apply, please fill in this application form and upload your CV, up to two own publications that are relevant or you are proud of, and a cover letter that describes your relevant skills/experiences, why you are interested in this position, and a potential research project idea with us. You are also asked to give names/emails of two references (contact information only). The review of applications will start on January 14th, 2026, and applications are open until the position is filled. Interviews for a few selected candidates will be scheduled in mid January to early-mid February. For any questions, please contact Prof. Nagashima at nagashima[at]cs.uni-saarland.de
More: https://tomonag.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Humboldt-Fellow-2.pdf