We invite applications for the International Max Planck Research School “The Leipzig School of Human Origins” (IMPRS LSHO), an international Ph.D. program of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Leipzig.

Your profile

We provide interdisciplinary training and research opportunities for excellent young scientists who wish to work towards a Ph.D. in anthropology, biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, evolutionary genetics, human behavioral ecology, psychology, and related fields. Candidates may apply with selected research groups from the following disciplines:

• Discipline 1: Molecular Anthropology
• Discipline 2: Human History, Evolution and Ecology
• Discipline 3: Language, Culture and Cognition

Graduate students will be accepted to only one of these areas but will have the opportunity to take part in courses and seminars in all of them. Our Ph.D. program is open for international students and is designed as a 3-year-program.

The PhD positions are open for international students, and it normally takes three to four years to finish one’s PhD. We expect applicants to hold a Master’s degree in one of the above, or related, fields.

It is not necessary to hold the degree at the point of application. However, you must have been awarded your degree prior to the start of the program in September 2024.

Candidates have to be fluent in written and spoken English. German is not required but international students will be offered opportunities to take German language courses.

Ph.D. students are supported by Max Planck support contracts (65 percent of Pay Group 13 of the Collective Wage Agreement for the Civil Service, TVöD) which are provided by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, by Ph.D. contracts provided by the University of Leipzig; or by third-party funding.

Application

Candidates are invited to apply with:

• Motivation letter, explaining your research experience and interest in the department or research group you are applying with (~2 pages)
• Your CV, including your publications (if applicable)
• Undergraduate transcript and proof of most recent degree
• Names and contact information (including e-mail and phone) for 2-3 referees

Term of Appointment: September 2024

Application Deadline: 31 December 2023

The Max Planck Society is committed to employing individuals with disabilities and especially encourages them to apply. Additionally, we seek to increase diversity of our workforce in areas where it is underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourage women and members of underrepresented groups to apply.

Location

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology spear-heads research in the evolution of modern humans and our close relatives. The institute currently encompasses multiple departments working towards this goal by studying genetics, language, psychology, anthropology, and primate behavior. It is located in Leipzig, Germany, one of the most livable cities in the world.

For queries, please contact: leipzig-school@eva.mpg.de

Only complete submissions via the career portal of the IMPRS LSHO will be considered.

We look forward to receiving your completed online application.