45,000 students and 8,000 employees in teaching, research and administration, all working together to shape perspectives for the future – that is the University of Münster (WWU). Embedded in the vibrant atmosphere of Münster with its high standard of living, the University’s diverse research profile and attractive study programmes draw students and researchers throughout Germany and from around the world.
The Institute of Geoinformatics at the University of Münster (WWU), Germany, is seeking to fill the position of a
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Wissenschaftliche/r Mitarbeiter/in
(salary level TV-L E 13, 100%)
for the externally funded project “Individualization in Changing Environments" (InChangE) at the earliest possible date. We are offering a fixed-term position (100%) until 31 October 2024, provided that the budgetary authority confirms the budget allocations.
The InChangE Project
The position is part of the initiative "Individualization in a Changing Environments" (InChangE), a cooperation between interdisciplinary researchers from Bielefeld University and the University of Münster, funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW). InChangE aims to understand individualization in changing environments in a sustainable way and, to this end, is subdivided into six bridge projects that are each guided by a postdoctoral researcher who explicitly links the different disciplines. The vacant position is based at the Institute for Geoinformatics, more specifically at the Spatial Intelligence Lab (http://sil.uni-muenster.de). In order to live the interdisciplinary and cross-locational scientific exchange, the postdoc bridge projects are located both in Münster and Bielefeld, and all participating postdocs will have a workplace at both locations. In addition to the work on thematically focused interdisciplinary topics, the initiative "InChangE" also offers an attractive concept for scientific exchange and the promotion of young scholars (e.g., networking meetings, science lunches, annual retreats).
The InChangE project investigates the causes and mechanisms of individualization. How do personality and experiences lead to individual behaviour or even to a social niche of humans or animals? We analyse geospatial movement data as well as time series data on behaviour and personality to detect patterns, identify variations and explain heterogeneity.
Your tasks
- collaborate with the network of researchers in Bielefeld and Münster to lay the foundations of the interdisciplinary research direction “causes and mechanisms of individualization”
- apply geospatial methods to analyse trajectory and movement data to detect patterns and individual variations
- apply theories from the field of differential/personality psychology to address individual differences and changes in environments
- design and psychometrically validate methods for the evaluation of individualization, variations in patterns, and heterogeneity
- create statistical models to analyse semantically enriched movement data
Our expectations
- An academic degree (Master‘s of Science or German Diplom and PhD) in psychology or a field related to (spatial) data analytics are required.
- Excellent command of written and spoken English is necessary in this international project. German language skills would be advantageous.
- Substantial research experience in at least one of the following fields is required: differential/personality psychology (and psychological assessment), quantitative psychology, geo-spatial data analysis, or spatial time series analysis.
- Experience in interdisciplinary research demonstrated by publications is desirable.
- Team management skills and the ability to independently supervise student assistants is an advantage.
The University of Münster is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the proportion of women academics. Consequently, we actively encourage applications by women. Female candidates with equivalent qualifications and academic achievements will be preferentially considered within the framework of the legal possibilities.
The University of Münster is committed to employing more staff with disabilities. Candidates with recognised severe disabilities who have equivalent qualifications are given preference in hiring decisions.
Positions can generally be filled as part-time positions if there are no compelling work-related reasons against doing so.
Are you interested? Then we look forward to receiving your application (subject: InChangE), in PDF format, addressed to Prof Angela Schwering at schwering@uni-muenster.de by 18 February 2022.
Candidates should submit a short statement of their research experience and interests, a CV including a list of publications, and the names and contact information of three potential referees. Please note that we cannot consider other file formats.