PhD Position in Behavioral Biology

Georg-August University Göttingen Institute for Zoology and Anthropology

The Department of Behavioral Ecology, Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, at the Georg-August University Göttingen seeks to fill a

PhD position in Behavioral Biology [A2] (all genders welcome)

Pay Grade 13 TV-L/65%

Salary pay grade is 13 TV-L with 65 % of the regular working hours (currently 25,87/39,80 hours) for up to three years. The position is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and should be filled by August 1, 2026.

We seek a highly motivated candidate who is excited to investigate the role of emotions and emotional contagion in the social life of Barbary macaques at Affenberg Salem, Germany, combining detailed behavioral observation with infrared thermography.

Your profile:

• A good M.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in Behavioral Ecology or related field
• Advanced statistical and analytical abilities (experience using R is a plus)
• Excellent command of English and good command of German
• Excellent critical thinking and a solid background in behavioral ecology and/or cognitive science
• Experience in observational behavioral data collection on vertebrates
• Willingness to live and work in challenging conditions
• Leadership skills
• Team-oriented attitude
• Excellent communication skills
• Driver’s license

What we offer:

• A highly interdisciplinary and collaborative, team-oriented research environment
• Close supervision by an interdisciplinary Thesis Advisory Committee
• Enrolment in a PhD program comprising compulsory and elective courses suited to individual needs and careers goals
• Funding for conferences

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. The university has committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities will be given preference. A disability or equality is to be included in the application in order to protect the interests of the applicant.

How to apply:

Please send your application including a motivation letter and certified copies of your degree and language certificates as well as the names and contact details of 2 referees in electronic form (as a single pdf) by December 20th 2025 to Prof. Julia Ostner, Dept. Behavioral Ecology, University of Göttingen, email: clicht@gwddg.de.

Please note:

With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the https://uni-goettingen.de/GDPR