A Global Developmental Psychology

Two Research Assistant positions in Turkey

We are looking for two research assistants to work on a cross-cultural research project for 3 years. This is a great opportunity for recent graduates or graduate students to gain research experience.

Project Description

The project investigates the longitudinal development of socio-communicative abilities in children between three and five years of age in three cultural settings: Germany, Turkey, Kenya (PI: Prof. Dr. Manuel Bohn). The project is hosted by Leuphana University Lüneburg in Germany and is generously funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. The project follows a large sample of children from each setting (~100 per setting) for two years. At age 3, 4, and 5, children complete a battery of tasks assessing social-cognitive, pragmatic, and language abilities. In addition, we record children’s everyday experiences using wearable cameras. The goal is to better understand the similarities and differences in socio-communicative development between different cultural settings and how they relate to children’s everyday experiences.

The RA will be based in Turkey (the post does not require residing in Germany. Travelling will only involve short trips to Germany and Kenya to meet with the research team).

Tasks

• Recruit participants in Turkey
• Collect longitudinal data
• Manage data transfer to partner institutions
• Manage equipment

Opportunities

• Gain research experience
• Collaborate with leading experts in the field
• Build an international network
• Participate in international workshops (all expenses covered)

Requirements

• Degree in Psychology or a related field
• Experience working with children
• Strong independence and reliability
• Good management skills
• Fluency in English is desired but not necessary

Salary

• The salary is very generous, about 1100 EUR per month
• RA will receive freelance work contracts; they will not be employed at Leuphana University in Germany
• Payments are made in regular intervals (e.g., every 3 months), not on a monthly basis

The ideal start date is September 1st, 2025, but it can be moved by a few months and will end in 3 or 3.5 years.

Application Process

Please send the following materials to Dr. Bahar Koymen at bahar.koymen@manchester.ac.uk with a subject line “The VW-RA position” until April 1st, 2025. Applications will be considered until the positions are filled:

• A short cover letter outlining your motivation and qualification for the project
• Official transcripts
• Names and email addresses of two people who may provide a letter of recommendation. Letters will later be requested for the shortlisted candidates.