2-year postdoctoral position
We are inviting applications for one postdoctoral position (funding available until 01/2026, start date flexible; contract renewal may be possible afterwards) of a computer scientist, cognitive scientist, computational linguist or psycholinguist, who has experience with or interest in experimental research and/or cognitive modelling for language processing (e.g., Bayesian models, and/or models using cognitive architectures like ACT-R; the use of LLMs and their combination with cognitive architectures will also be explored).
The position will be funded as part of the ERC Starting Grant "Individualized Interaction in Discourse" of Prof. Vera Demberg, at Saarland University. The goal of the position is to develop models that capture individual differences in discourse and pragmatic processing.
The candidate will conduct research on the design and implementation of psycholinguistic experiments and/or cognitive models of language processing at the level of discourse and/or pragmatic processing. These models should capture individual differences in cognition such as working memory, language experience, background knowledge, theory-of-mind abilities etc. The successful applicant must have excellent spoken and written proficiency in English, and have a background in natural language processing or cognitive modelling.
This is a position on the German TV-L E13 scale (100% position at the postdoc level). The starting salary of a 100% TV-L E13 position is a bit over 50,000 Euros per year and increases with experience. The initial appointment will be for three years; the position can be extended up to the limits of the German law for academic contracts (WissZeitVG). The starting date is January 2024 or later; we would be willing to adapt to the time requirements of an ideal candidate.
About the research environment
Saarland University is one of the leading centers for computational linguistics and computer science in Europe, and offers a dynamic and stimulating research environment. The Department of Language Science and Technology consists of about 100 research staff in nine research groups in the fields of computational linguistics, psycholinguistics, speech processing, and corpus linguistics. Saarland University is one of the leading centres for computer science and computational linguistics in Europe, and offers a dynamic and stimulating research environment. The group is affiliated with both the Department of Computer Science, with the Department of Language Science and Technology and with the MPI for Informatics.
The department is a core member of the new Research Training Group "Neuroexplicit Models of Language, Vision, and Action", which is on track to grow into one of the largest centers for research on neurosymbolic models in NLP and other fields of AI in the world. It is also the centerpiece of the Collaborative Research Center 1102 "Information Density and Linguistic Encoding" and part of the Saarland Informatics Campus, which brings together computer science research at the university with world-class research institutions on campus, such as the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). The Saarland Informatics Campus brings together 900 researchers and 2100 students from 81 countries; SIC faculty have won 36 ERC grants.
Saarland University is located in Saarbrücken, a mid-sized city in the tri-border area of Germany, France, and Luxembourg. Saarbrücken combines a lively culture scene with a relaxed atmosphere, and is quite an affordable place to live in. Our department maintains an international and diverse work environment. The primary working language is English; learning German while you are here will make it easier to connect with the local culture, but is not necessary for your work.
How to apply
Please submit your application by email to applications-vd@lst.uni-saarland.de. Preference will be given to applications received by *6 December 2023*.
Please quote opening number W2403 in your application materials.
Include a single PDF file with the following information: • a statement of research interests that motivates why you are applying for this position and outlines your research agenda; • a full CV including your list of publications; • scans of transcripts and academic degree certificates; • the names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses of two people who can provide letters of reference for you.
Saarland University especially welcomes applications from women and people with disabilities.
If you have further questions, please email Vera Demberg demberg@lst.uni-saarland.de.