Predoctoral researcher (E 13 TV-G-U, 75% part-time) Lifespan Developmental Psychology

Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

The Goethe University Frankfurt am Main invites applications for a predoc researcher (m/f/d) at the Chair of Developmental Psychology, starting 01.01.2027 for four years under TV-G-U, E 13, at 75% part-time. You will be part of the Collaborative Research Center on episodic memory and contribute to interdisciplinary work.

As a member of the Lifespan Cognitive and Brain Development (LISCO) lab, you will lead experimental setups, collect and analyze data, and help produce manuscripts, while also

Qualifications

• Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related disciplines.
• Good knowledge of neuroimaging techniques is desirable.
• Excellent organizational and teamwork skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English (including writing).

Responsibilities

• Lead on setting up the experimental paradigm.
• Collect and analyze data.
• Write up scientific manuscripts for publication.
• Possibility to supervise Bachelor/Master thesis work and contribute to further research.

Skills

Organizational skills

Teamwork

English writing ability

Motivation for research

Education

Master's degree in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related disciplines

Tools

Matlab

Unix

Python

R

Job description

The Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main is one of the largest universities in Germany with around 41,000 students and with about 7,000 employees. Founded in 1914 by Frankfurt citizens and since 2008 once again proud of its foundation status Goethe University possesses a high degree of autonomy, modernity and professional diversity. As a comprehensive university, the Goethe University offers a total of 16 departments on five campuses and 159 degree programs along with an outstanding research reputation. Furthermore, the Goethe University is part of the Group of Rhine-Main-Universities (RMU).

The Faculty of Psychology and Sports Sciences of Goethe University, at the Chair of Developmental Psychology (led by Prof. Dr. Yee Lee Shing) is offering a position of

Predoctoral researcher (m/f/d) (E 13 TV-G-U, 75% part-time)

starting 01.01.2027 for a duration of four years (pending on approval of grant application). The salary grade is based on the job characteristics of the collective agreement applicable to Goethe University (TV-G-U).

The position is part of the Collaborative Research Center "Episodic Memory" (CRC 1844), an interdisciplinary consortium consisting of researchers from psychology, computational neuroscience, philosophy, and neuroscience. The basis for our research is the Scenario Construction Framework which conceptualizes episodic memory as mental simulations of past episodes, constructed from episodic memory traces and semantic information. As a part of this team, you will be trained in interdisciplinary research and have access to a broad spectrum of initiatives to support you in your academic journey.

In this specific subproject "Scenario construction across the lifespan", we aim to examine age-related lifespan differences as well as longitudinal aging changes in the interplay between episodic memory traces and semantic information, both at the behavioral (with eye tracking and virtual reality) and neural levels using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The successful candidate will take lead on setting up the experimental paradigm, collecting and analyzing data, as well as writing up scientific manuscripts for publication. In addition to these core tasks, she/he will have the opportunity to contribute to supervising thesis work (Bachelor/Master) and further research within the department. The successful candidate will be a member of the Lifespan Cognitive and Brain Development (LISCO) lab that has an international team (see http://www.psychologie.uni-frankfurt.de/50042944/50_entwicklung) with the shared mission of advancing knowledge about the development of cognitive and brain functioning across the human lifespan, with an emphasis on learning and episodic memory.

Applicants must have a master in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, or related disciplines, with good knowledge (ideally also experience) for neuroimaging techniques. Programming skills (e.g., Matlab, Unix, Python, R) are highly desirable. Applicants should have excellent organizational and teamwork skills, be highly motivated for research, and be able to communicate effectively in English (including writing ability).

Goethe University is committed to equal opportunity, family friendliness, and diversity. To strengthen the diversity of perspectives and lived experiences within the university, applications from individuals with a migration background and from members of other groups that have so far been underrepresented are particularly welcome. Applicants with a severe disability, or those legally equivalent, will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal suitability. If women are underrepresented in a faculty or administrative unit, they will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal qualifications.