PhD positions in Human Origins

We invite applications for the Leipzig School of Human Origins (www.leipzig-school.eva.mpg.de), an international PhD program of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Leipzig.

This program provides interdisciplinary training and research opportunities for university graduates who wish to work towards a PhD in anthropology, archaeology, biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, evolutionary genetics, paleoanthropology, primatology, psychology, and related fields. Candidates apply for one of the following disciplines of the program:

1) Comparative and Molecular Primatology – focusing on the evolution of social and cultural systems in the great apes, as well as other relevant mammals.

2) Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, Ancient DNA, Molecular Anthropology and Genome Bioinformatics

a. Evolutionary Genomics, Ancient DNA – focusing on the evolutionary and functional genomics of humans and the great apes, as well as the retrieval of DNA from palaeontological remains.

b. Molecular Anthropology – focusing on the origin, relationships, history, and migration patterns of human populations.

c. Genome Bioinformatics – focusing on computational approaches to the management and analysis of gene expression data.

3) Human Paleontology, Prehistoric Archaeology and Archaeological Science – focusing on the study of hominid fossils and archaeological sites. This includes comparative morphological as well as chemical (isotopic) analyses.

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 PhD program is open for international students and is designed as a 3-year-program.

We invite applications from all countries. Applicants hold a Masters degree, a Diploma or equivalent 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 2015.

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.

PhD students are supported by fellowships which are provided either by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology or the University of Leipzig; or have been obtained by the student.

Term of Appointment: Fall 2015
Application Deadline: December 1, 2014

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