Meta-science postdoc position (3yrs, 100%): Agent-based modeling of academia

Das ist der Job

The project is committed to generating actionable insights for reforming academic practices.

Darum lohnt es sich

Prepare publications and present findings at international conferences. Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers and contribute to the broader goals of the META-REP project.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the second funding phase of the META-REP project: " From ‘Academic works’ to ‘Working in academia’: Analyzing reform proposals in an agent-based modelling approach " (DFG SCHO1334/6-2; Felix Schönbrodt & Richard McElreath).

This project leverages Agent-Based Models (ABMs) to simulate and analyze the complex dynamics of academia, with the goal of understanding how reforms can improve research quality and working conditions for researchers.

In this phase, we focus on the people behind the research —their demographics, life histories, and strategic choices—while examining the interplay between researchers, institutions, funders, and research assessment practices. Key Responsibilities Develop and refine ABMs to simulate academic environments.

Conduct work in meta-scientific theory development, e.g., by providing precise definitions. Search the literature and optionally conduct online surveys or experiments to calibrate the ABMs with real-world empirical data.

Conduct computational (simulation) experiments to address key research questions related to the structural and institutional aspects of academia. Qualifications PhD in a relevant field, such as Psy