1 Postdoc and 1 PhD position: ERC-project QUANTA 1448 views

The Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution (DLCE) at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) invites applications for a three-year Postdoc and a three-year PhD position, associated with the project “Evolution of Cognitive Tools for Quantification (QUANTA)”, funded by the European Research Council with a Synergy Grant to Andrea Bender (UiB), Francesco d’Errico (CNRS Bordeaux), Russell Gray (MPI for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig), and Rafael Núñez (UCSD).

About the project:

• QUANTA aims at reconstructing the origin and evolution of numeral systems: when and why they were invented, and how and why they diversified.
• The 6-years project with a starting date of September 1st, 2021 is an international collaborative one located at four institutions: MPI EVA Leipzig (Germany), UiB (Norway), CNRS Bordeaux (France), and UCSD (USA).
• These will engage in frequent and close collaboration and exchange, including internships for all researchers at the other institutions.
• The selected candidate will have the chance to explore human prehistory, to actively assist the development of new methods for quantitative historical linguistics and typology, and to shed light on general processes in the development of numeral systems worldwide.

Requirements:

• Applicant must hold MA (for PhD applicants) or PhD (for Postdoc applicants) in Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Evolutionary Biology, Computer Science, Statistics, Anthropology, or related field with an outstanding academic record.
• Good computational skills with knowledge of R, Python or other programming language.
• Strong proficiency in both spoken and written English.
• Strong analytical skills and proven self-motivation to complete independent work.
• Strong team player qualities (you will work in an interdisciplinary and international team where communication is crucial for the success of the project).
• Research experience in the field of numeral systems is beneficial.

Applications:

Submit application online (in English), including the following:

• Cover letter, explaining research experience and reason for interest in this project, along with a proposed research project (max. two pages).
• CV and copies of degree certificates (Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD diplomas or transcripts).
• Names and contact information (including e-mail and phone) for 2-3 referees.