Research Assistant (m/f/d) with expected full time, salary grade E 13 TV-L HU (third-party funding limited for 3 years, intended to be hired as of 01.10.2022)
Reference number: SClol-C4-42B
The Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute for Biology, invites applications for a Postdoc position for the Cluster of Excellence “Science of Intelligence”.
What are the principles of intelligence, shared by all forms of intelligence, no matter whether artificial or biological, whether robot, computer program, human, or animal? And how can we apply these principles to create intelligent technology? Answering these questions - in an ethically responsible way - is the central scientific objective of the new Cluster of Excellence Science of Intelligence (https://www.scioi.de), where researchers from a large number of analytic and synthetic disciplines - artificial intelligence, machine learning, control, robotics, computer vision, behavioral biology, psychology, educational science, neuroscience, and philosophy - join forces to create a multi-disciplinary research program across universities and research institutes in Berlin. Interdisciplinary research projects have been defined (https://www.scienceofintelligence.de/research/projects), which combine analytic and synthetic research and which address key aspects of individual, social, and collective intelligence.
Working field
Project: Behavioral contagion in human and artificial multi-agent systems - integrating the cognitive and collective behavior perspective using VR
Postdoctoral project: Adaptive contagion processes on dynamical spatial networks
The postdoctoral researcher will develop bio-inspired, agent-based models for adaptive contagion processes on spatial networks. The starting point will be a generic contagion model of individual agents interacting with their local network neighborhood, whereby individual behavior will be based on drift-diffusion-type models. The basic model setup shall be adapted, expanded and parameterized using experimental results on behavioral contagion obtained in state-of-the-art experiments with human participants in VR environments. One aim of the project is to investigate in what type of contagion processes the experimentally parameterized model corresponds to: a so-called simple contagion process or a so-called complex contagion process. Furthermore, it shall be investigated how the fundamental properties of the contagion process on the macro level, can be adaptively tuned in a fully decentralized manner via self-organized adaptation of individual agents, with the aim of proposing new adaptive algorithms for artificial multi-agent systems (e.g. robotic swarms).
Responsibilities include scientific research within the project and academic services in the Cluster. All positions require participation in research colloquia, lecture series and workshops, as well as an active engagement in the Cluster's research activities.
Requirements:
- Completed university degree and PhD in computer science, theoretical physics,
theoretical or computational biology, engineering or a related field
- Proven background in Modelling of multi-agent systems and applied mathematics
- Publishing experience in international peer-reviewed journals
- Strong Programming skills (e.g. Python, C/C++, Julia or similar)
- Interdisciplinary collaboration with behavioral sciences (biology, neuroscience, psychology, etc.) and/or working with experimental data from behavioral sciences
- Experience with VR-programming are strong additional assets
Please include a link to your GitHub profile in the application!
Application procedure:
Candidates should upload their application preferably via the portal http://jobs.scienceofintelligence.de in order to receive full consideration.
Applications should include: motivation letter, curriculum vitae, transcripts of records (for both BSc and MSc), copies of degree certificates (BSc, MSc, PhD), proof of English skills, abstracts of Bachelor-, Master- and PhD-thesis, list of publications and one selected manuscript (if applicable), two names of qualified persons who are willing to provide references, and any documents candidates feel may help us assess their competence.
Please send your application until 25.11.2021 quoting the reference number
SClol-C4-42B to Technische Universität Berlin - The President – Cluster SClol, Sekr. SClol, Marchstr. 23, 10587 Berlin
HU is seeking to increase the proportion of women in research and teaching, and specifically encourages qualified female scholars to apply. Researchers from abroad are welcome to apply. Severely disabled applicants with equivalent qualifications will be given preferential consideration. People with an immigration background are specifically encouraged to apply.
Please visit our website www.hu-berlin.de/stellenangebote, which gives you access to the legally binding German version.
