The Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) investigates why and how people create, perform, experience, and evaluate art. While the Institute's primary focus is on music, it also conducts research on other time-based art forms, such as dance and film.

The Department of Music invites applications for the position of a Doctoral Candidate (f/m/d) within a research project investigating attentional processes during music listening and their relationship to aesthetic experience.

The Project: The doctoral project comprises a series of experimental studies using video recordings of concerts as stimulus material. The aim is to investigate auditory processing by systematically manipulating visual image excerpts. The project employs a broad range of methods from experimental psychology, including the development of experimental paradigms, behavioral measurements, eye-tracking, and memory experiments using synthetically generated auditory stimuli.

The position is based in the research group of Dr. Elke Lange. Scientific supervision will be provided by Dr. Elke Lange in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Daniel Oberfeld (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz). The project is situated within the field of basic research in music perception and empirical aesthetics.

The doctoral degree will be awarded in Psychology by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The place of employment is the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Our requirements:

Master’s degree (or equivalent) in General Psychology, Neuropsychology, Data Science, Cognitive Science, Audio Communication, or a related discipline
Initial research experience in experimental psychology, for example through a Master’s thesis, internships, or employment as a student or research assistant
Solid background in statistics and empirical research methods
Good programming skills in R, Python, and/or MATLAB
Basic knowledge of musicology or music theory is desirable
Knowledge of audio production or sound engineering is desirable
Excellent written and spoken German and English
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work effectively in a team

Our offer:

A stimulating and diverse research position at a leading research institute at the interface of the arts, humanities, and natural sciences
A highly interdisciplinary and international research environment
A modern workplace in Frankfurt’s attractive Westend district with excellent infrastructure and public transport connections
Access to laboratories for behavioral and physiological experiments

The position is available at the earliest possible date and is offered for a fixed term of three years. The regular working time is currently 39 hours per week.

Remuneration is based on the German public-sector collective agreement (TVöD Bund, salary level E13 (65%)) and includes an annual special payment. Further information is available at mpg.de/doctoral_students.

The Max Planck Society is committed to diversity, equal opportunities, and inclusion. One of its goals is to increase the employment of persons with severe disabilities – applications from severely disabled individuals are therefore explicitly encouraged. In addition, the Max Planck Society aims to achieve gender equality and increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore explicitly encouraged to apply.

Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics Grüneburgweg 14, 60322 Frankfurt am Main

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