[ACT-R-users] Doctoral student position on heuristic decision making, with a potential focus on swarm and other group behavior -- University of Lausanne, Switzerland

[Julian Marewski]

Apologies for cross-postings.



Doctoral student position on heuristic decision making, with a potential focus on swarm and other group behavior -- University of Lausanne, Switzerland

The focus of our interdisciplinary research program is on studying how people make decisions under uncertainty based on a repertoire of simple rules of thumb, so called fast-and-frugal heuristics. We investigate how such heuristics can exploit both the structure of environments and the workings of basic cognitive capacities, such as memory. In doing so, we model the cognitive processes underlying bounded rationality in a wide range of social and non-social environments. For instance, we have been interested in how social environments can induce people to commit both unethical and laudable acts, be it in (e.g., historical) military or (e.g., current-day) industry contexts. To offer another example, we have studied how the human memory system exploits statistical regularities in social and non-social environments and how that interplay between memory and the environment, in turn, influences how people make decisions with the so-called recognition and fluency heuristics. In conducting such research, we reach out to different disciplines, including psychology, computer science, biology, and history, to name but a few. In terms of research methodology, the work carried out in our group draws on experimental methods, mathematical and computational cognitive models, and agent-based models. The theoretical background is the fast-and-frugal heuristic research program to decision making, developed originally at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Germany (www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/en/research/adaptive-behavior-and-cognition).  Much of our cognitive modeling work (e.g., of memory) makes use of the ACT-R architecture (http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/).



Applicants should be interested in the computational or mathematical modeling of heuristic decision making processes. Prior exposure to research on heuristics is not required. Knowledge of experimental methods, prior exposure to quantitative research methods (e.g., cognitive modeling, agent-based modeling), and programming skills (e.g., MATLAB, R, LISP) are helpful but not required. A university degree in psychology, mathematics, computer science, physics, biology, business, economics, history or another discipline is required. Excellent English skills are required. Applicants should be interested in pursuing a career in academia.

We explicitly encourage applications from candidates who would be interested in investigating how individuals make decisions in groups (e.g., modeling human swarm behavior); but also proposals for any other interesting research project will be considered.

The doctoral student position (60%) can begin as early as Nov 1st in 2017, or on a date mutually agreed upon. The maximum funding period is 5 years, with the first contract being 1 year and then renewable 2X2 years. Successful candidates will obtain a Ph.D. The doctoral student will be mentored by Julian Marewski. The work location is Lausanne Dorigny.

Please submit applications by September 10th, but the job offer will remain open until the position is filled.

Applications include a cover letter describing past research experience and a detailed outline of 3 research projects the candidate would be interested in pursuing as part of his/her doctoral work. A curriculum vitae, university transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and -- if existing -- publications should be included, too. The preferred method of submission is PDF files e-mailed to julian.marewski[at]unil.ch. Letters of recommendation can be submitted at a later point in time, to be agreed upon with Julian Marewski.

The Department of Organizational Behavior of the Faculty for Business and Economics at the University of Lausanne provides a stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment. At the department, professorial faculty are Ulrich Hoffrage, Joerg Dietz, John Antonakis, Franciska Krings, Marianne Schmid Mast, Christian Zehnder, and Julian Marewski. We value the diversity of the expertise of the members of our department (department members come from diverse fields, ranging from the cognitive and decision sciences to behavioral economics, mathematics, and physics; we have Ph.D.s in psychology, business, management, and economics). We publish in top-tier journals in different disciplines, including Science, Psychological Review, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and the American Economic Review. The working language of our department is English.

Located near Lake Geneva and surrounded by the Jura Mountains and the French Alps, Lausanne is a beautiful and cosmopolitan spot to live.



More information about the position can be inquired directly from Julian.marewski[at]unil.ch.




This is not an official job announcement or job description from the University of Lausanne.
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