(Full-time, E 13 TV-L)
Reference No.: 2024/263. The start date is February 2025 or by agreement. The position is limited to 2 years and the place of work is Kenya.
The University of Konstanz is one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany. Since 2007 it has been successful in the German Excellence Initiative and its follow-up programme, the Excellence Strategy.
We are searching for a highly motivated postdoc to join an ERC project (CO-SLEEP) centered around studying the collective dynamics of sleep in baboons. The position is based at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany and field work will take place in Kenya. The researcher will collect and analyze data on sleep in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis). The project will involve field work which will be done at Mpala Research Center, Laikipia, Kenya. The researcher will collaborate with an international team of researchers to develop their own research project. The position is open to researchers of any nationality.
Your Responsibilities
- Conducting interdisciplinary field research on collective dynamics of sleep in wild baboons in Kenya
- The researcher is expected to spend a substantial period of time in the field, leading and coordinating field data collection efforts and overseeing and mentoring students and be involved the monitoring and tracking activities
- Analyzing location (GPS, proximity tags), camera trap and behavior datasets (video data, accelerometer)
- Writing high-quality research papers and present research outputs at conferences
Your Competencies
- Doctoral degree in biology, ecology, anthropology, or a related field
- Strong programming skills (R, Python) and enthusiasm for tackling challenging analytical problems, such as sleep state, behavior data and network data
- Advanced experience in field research and working with wild baboons and GPS tags
- Interpersonal and intercultural skills
- Experience leading field-based research projects in sub-Saharan Africa required
- Our working language is English & Swahili and consequently, applicants must be fluent in both these languages; no knowledge of German is required
We Offer
- Integration into a diverse and thriving research community
- A work environment that values and promotes diversity and equal opportunities
- The position is initially limited to two years, with an option to extend for two years
- Opportunities for individual training and development
**Are you interested?** Then we are looking forward to receiving your application until **January 1st, 2025** through our **[Online Application Portal](https://stellen.uni-konstanz.de/en/jobposting/ab51ba0b18970ede615d6449d1e5e361d9f5fd370/apply)**.
Please include the following documents:
- Letter of motivation / research statement (up to 2 pages) addressing the following points:
- Describe your main scientific interests, how they developed, and how they relate to the proposed research project
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Academic transcripts for your degrees (official records will be required before acceptance)
- Contact information for 2-3 personal references (we will contact them if you are short-listed)
- A chosen sample of your scientific writing (e.g. publication or manuscript in prep, thesis, term paper, etc.)
If you have any questions, please contact to Roi Harel ([rharel@ab.mpg.de](https://mailto:rharel@ab.mpg.de))) or Meg Crofoot ([mcrofoot@ab.mpg.de](https://mailto:mcrofoot@ab.mpg.de)).
The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity, as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in research and teaching. We also support working couples through our [dual career programme](https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/equalopportunities/family/dual-career/). Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (contact [sbv@uni-konstanz.de](https://mailto:sbv@uni-konstanz.de), + 49 7531 88-4016).
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Microsoft Edge