Open Positions

We have vacancies for summer internships, and Bachelor's and Master's theses in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, data science, or related fields. Enrolled students in the university and research institutes in Goettingen are prioritized. email your CV to nshahidi AT dpz DOT eu.

Thesis Offer: Hidden States and Embodied Decision-Making in Primate Foraging.

How do primates balance vigilance and foraging in natural environments? We hypothesize that environmental uncertainty shifts an animal’s attention from the task at hand to vigilance for its surroundings. This thesis project explores how internal (hidden) cognitive or physiological states can be inferred from observable embodied behaviors such as gaze, posture, and movement. Using multi-camera video recordings and machine learning models, the project aims to connect body dynamics with decision-making processes in macaques.

The student will be responsible for reviewing literature on vigilance behavior and internal states, processing and analyzing multi-camera video recordings using dedicated software, analyzing and interpreting behavior using custom-written codes (Matlab or Python), writing a thesis or a final report, and presenting it to the department. Enrolled students in the university and research institutes in Goettingen are prioritized.

The project will be conducted in Göttingen and is anticipated to start by the end of spring/early summer 2026. Please email your CV to Sara Ahmadi Majd at sara DOT admadimajd AT uni-goettingen DOT de and CC Neda Shahidi at nshahidi AT dpz DOT eu.