Using a natural approach to elucidate the neural mechanisms of alarm calling behaviour in birds

PhD position in Behavioral Neurobiology

Are you fascinated by birds and passionate about neuroscience ? Interested in field ecology, behavior and international travel?

Join a newly-founded research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence in Germany and perform ground breaking work aimed at uncovering the neural mechanisms of alarm calling behavior in birds.

We are seeking an outstanding, highly motivated and talented PhD candidate to work on an international and multidisciplinary research project that was recently funded by the European Research Council. The aim of this novel and exciting project is to understand how the avian brain controls the production of alarm calls, processes alarm calls emitted by conspecifics and generates an adequate response to these important anti predator signals. Cutting-edge, wireless recording techniques will be used to simultaneously monitor the vocal behavior and the brain activity at the cellular level in groups of wild birds that encounter threats within their natural habitat (see https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10593-3 for reference). Your PhD work will include in vivo neurophysiology, behavioral observation, neuroanatomy, analysis of behavioral (audio & video) and neuronal data sets, as well as the dissemination of your research results. You will be based in Seewiesen (Southern Bavaria, Germany), but you will also perform extended periods of field work in South Africa and in Australia.

Who we are: The project team consists of three outstanding scientist affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence in Germany (Dr. Susanne Hoffmann, primary PhD supervisor, https://www.bi.mpg.de/2698363/hoffmann-page), with the University of Pretoria in South Africa (Dr. Cornelia Voigt, https://www.up.ac.za/zoology-entomology/article/2270343/dr-cornelia-voigt) and with the Deakin University in Australia (Prof. Kate Buchanan, https://experts.deakin.edu.au/56-Kate-Buchanan).

Who you are: The position would suit a student with strong interests in neuroscience and animal behavior. Essential requirements include: MSc. degree in Biology, Neuroscience, Cognition, Ecology and/or Evolution (or equivalent); high proficiency in the use of the English language; excellent written communication skills; high levels of enthusiasm and motivation; and an ability to work independently and as part of an international team. After training, you need to be able to perform invasive animal experiments, and to collect and analyze brain tissue. Willingness to travel internationally for extended time periods and to work in field-based settings is an absolute must. Experience in field work with birds and/or in bioacoustics and/or in neurophysiology are desirable.

What we offer:

• full time position as PhD student fully funded for 4 years in a stimulating and supportive international research environment with English as the main language
• attractive remuneration based on the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states of Germany (E 13 TV L, 65%)
• excellent training in academic, technical and career skills via the International Max Planck Research School Biological Intelligence https://imprs-bi.mpg.de/
• possibility to participate in international conferences
• access to state-of-the-art tools and exceptional research infrastructure

How to apply: Motivated candidates are asked to send their applications directly to Dr Susanne Hoffmann ([email protected]). Applications (in English) should contain a cover/motivation letter stating career goals, professional experience, and how these relate to the advertised position; a CV including a detailed description of study trajectory, grades and positioning; and contact information of at least 2 referees. Application deadline: 15^th September 2024.

PhD project: The student will join the Research Group “Neural Mechanisms of Natural Behavior” (https://www.bi.mpg.de/hoffmann) at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (MPI-BI, https://www.bi.mpg.de/en) and receive initial training in the methodology relevant to the project. This will involve training in handling of songbirds, training in surgical procedures to implant recording electrodes in the brain of songbirds, training in using radio-telemetric techniques to wirelessly record neural and vocal activity in freely behaving birds, training in histological processing of bird brains and training in analysis of neural and bioacoustic data. After the initial training period, the student will have the responsibility for recording neural and vocal activity in adult wild songbirds while they interact with their conspecifics and experience natural threats in their natural habitat, carrying out playback experiments, collecting neural tissue and imaging the birds’ brains. All experimental work will exclusively be done during extended periods of field work in the South African Kalahari and in the state of Victoria, Australia. The student will independently analyze the neural and behavioral data and produce high quality, scientific publications. The student will also be encouraged to present at national and international conferences. Financial support for conference attendance will be provided. Although the project involves clear aims to meet the ERC funded objectives, we seek a student who is keen to develop their own interests and consequently find their own individual niche within the project.

Research environment: The MPI BI emerged in January 2022 from two worldwide renowned research institutions, MPI for Ornithology, located in Seewiesen, and MPI for Neurobiology, located in Martinsried. Together, the two sites are now devoted to basic research on topics in behavioral ecology, evolutionary research and neuroscience. Around 500 employees from more than 50 nations study how animal organisms acquire, store, apply and pass on knowledge about their environment in order to find ever new solutions to problems and adapt to a constantly changing environment. At the Martinsried Campus in the southwest of Munich, neuroscientific research is currently the main focus. Here, laboratory experiments are usually combined with state of the art methods, such as optogenetics, connectomics or machine learning. At the nature-oriented Seewiesen Campus, which is located within a beautiful landscape close to the lakes Starnberger See and Ammersee and 30 minutes from Munich, field research is combined with modern methods of behavioral biology and neuroscience. On-campus accommodation as well as low-cost employee housing in Starnberg can be provided to employees of the MPI-BI. To date, the Seewiesen Campus houses more than 20,000 birds belonging to more than 20 different species. Animal facilities include several hundred square meters of indoor and outdoor aviaries. The new laboratory tract consists of rooms equipped for behavioral, molecular, genetic, neurophysiological or histological work.