Researcher in computational modelling of decision-making in the Computing Religious Devotion project

Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University announces an open competition for the position

Researcher in computational modelling of decision-making in the Computing Religious Devotion project

 

Department: Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion, Department for the Study of Religions, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University
Position: Researcher
Work time: 1,0
Number of open positions: 1
Expected start: 1 January 2024 (negotiable)
Deadline for applications: 13 December 2023 23:59 (CET – Prague)

 

We are seeking postdoctoral candidates with background in social psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, or computer science to join a highly interdisciplinary project on the computational model of religious decision-making. The Computing Religious Devotion project (CREDO) is funded by a Junior Star grant from the Czech National Foundation and is based at the Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion (LEVYNA) at Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic). This project aims to understand how religious devotion influences cognitive computations during decision-making.

Main duties:

The successful candidate will lead the development and testing of the computational model of religious decision-making in cooperation with the Principal Investigator, Dr. Martin Lang and another postdoctoral researcher with strong experimental skills in social cognition. Specifically, the successful candidate will develop the computational model of religious devotion, formalize the subprocesses of the model and their interactions, and simulate the model’s operations under various socio-ecological conditions. They will work in a fully equipped lab (EEG, fNIRS, BIOPAC) with access to fMRI where the model will be tested and specific model parameters recovered. The candidate will be given significant responsibility and autonomy while also benefiting from the mentorship of the PI, playing a crucial role in forming the CREDO project as well as future research areas for the whole lab.

Responsibilities:

• Developing and refining the computational model of religious decision-making.
• Collaborating with the project team to design laboratory and field studies.
• Writing research articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Presenting findings at conferences and research seminars.
• Contributing to the development of a comprehensive understanding of how religions shape the human mind.

Necessary qualifications:

• PhD (or approaching PhD) in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, Computer Science or a related field.
• Competence in computational modeling of cognitive processes.
• Fluent in statistical code in either R, Python, or Matlab.
• English language (C1 or higher).
• At least one first-author publication (pre-prints are eligible).
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a research team.

Other qualifications we look for (but are not necessary):

• Previous work on social cognition, decision-making, moral psychology and related topics.
• Competence in experimental testing of computational models.
• Experience with EEG, fNIRS or fMRI.
• Experience with open science practices (pre-registration, registered report, open code).

We offer:

• Salary with 10% yearly increase.
• Academic growth in a stimulating research environment.
• Travel money.
• Leading high-profile publications.
• Friendly and informal working environment.
• Possibility to mentor PhD students.

Working environment

• employment in a prestigious institution that received the international HR Excellence in Research Award
• working in a dynamic international and interdisciplinary environment
• convenient location of the faculty in the city centre: possibility of parking in the faculty garage

 

Employee benefits

• 6 weeks of paid vacation per year, flexible working hours with the possibility to work partly from home for better work life balance, meal allowance in the salary or for meals in canteens, pension insurance contribution, selected vaccinations free of charge, favourable mobile tariffs Vodafone, Multisport card, sports lessons organized by the Faculty of Sports Studies, the possibility to place your child in the nursery school Elánek near the faculty.

Training and Development

• Opportunities for training and personal development, e.g., language and other courses provided by MU, use of MU libraries, use of placements and mobilities abroad, participation in conferences, etc.

 

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your application via the electronic application link by 13. 12. 2023 (please use the link in the Electronic Application section below) and please attach all required documents.  

The following documents are required as a part of your application:

• Maximum one-page motivation letter documenting your fit for the position
• CV including a summary of work experience, publication activity, and involvement in research projects
• One representative published work (pre-prints are eligible)

Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation of acceptance to your e-mail address. After the e-application deadline, you will receive information about the next steps.

If you are unsure, please contact the FF MU Personnel Office: Mgr. Eva Brázdová Urbanová, e-mail: eva.urbanova@phil.muni.cz

 

SELECTION PROCESS

Selection criteria:

• submitting of all required documents in the e-application
• compliance of the candidate's profile with the requirements for the job as stated above

Suitable candidates will be invited to a personal interview, which may also take the form of a videoconference.

Selection procedures rules at the Faculty of Arts of MU can be found on our careers page here.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you!

 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY, THE FACULTY AND THE DEPARTMENT

Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, with 10 faculties and a number of other specialized units, more than 6,000 employees and 32,000 students. We are a university with a wide range of research areas in the humanities and natural sciences and a strong international position. Our mission is to provide education and research of the highest quality.

The Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University is one of the four founding faculties of Masaryk University and since its foundation in 1919 it has been not only an important centre of humanities and social science education, science, research and development, but also an institution that actively participates in shaping the cultural life of the city and the region.

Traditionally, it has been profiled as a research-oriented faculty generating approximately one fifth of MU's research volume. The faculty has more than 600 employees and by the student population of over 6,000 is the largest faculty at the university.

Since 2021, the faculty has been the proud holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission.

You can find out more information about the faculty on the website https://www.phil.muni.cz/en/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FacultyofArtsMasarykUniversity.

For information on HR work set according to European standards, visit the HR Award faculty website:

https://www.phil.muni.cz/en/about-us/hrs4r-hr-award/.

Department

The Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion (LEVYNA) is an interdisciplinary, collaborative team of experimentalists tackling the evolution and functioning of human cognitive mechanisms facilitating religious cognition, behaviour, and institutions. We value open science, collegiality, and cooperation.

Martin Lang is the director of LEVYNA and the PI of the CREDO project. His work lies at the intersection between the humanities and the cognitive and behavioural sciences, combining laboratory experiments with field studies to investigate how the human mind creates cultural niches and functions in them. He recently received a Vice-Rector at Masaryk University award for mentoring and excellent dissertation.
Website: https://www.levyna.cz/en

 

Contact person at the workplace for any questions applicants may have about the position:
Mgr. Martin Lang, Ph.D, martinlang@mail.muni.cz