Research Assistant (m/f/d) – Behavioral Genetics Unit

The Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) investigates why and how people create art and how they perform, experience, and evaluate it. The Institute’s focus is on music, but we also engage with other performing arts such as dance and film.

The MPIEA explores the genetic, biological, and psychological processes that underlie the production and perception of art, as well as their interaction with the cultural, social, and historical factors and functions of aesthetic practices and discourses.

We are seeking a

Graduate Research Assistant (m/f/d)

to start as soon as possible, with a workload of at least 40 hours per month,

to join the Cognitive Neuropsychology Department and contribute to research within the Behavioral Genetics Unit.

In the Behavioral Genetics Unit, we investigate how environmental influences and genetic factors interact to shape individual differences and observable patterns in everyday life.

• Supporting ongoing research activities
• Assisting with data collection, data preparation, and data analysis
• Organizing and documenting research projects
• Maintaining project records and research databases
• Assisting in the preparation and submission of ethics applications
• Tracking approval processes (e.g., ethics committee reviews)
• Managing research data and supporting quality assurance procedures

• Enrollment at a German university in one of the following or a related Master's program: Psychology, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, Biosciences
• Completed Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biosciences, or a related discipline
• Excellent written and spoken English skills; German language skills are an advantage
• Good computer and IT skills
• Careful, structured, and reliable working style
• Knowledge of statistics and experience with data analysis and data cleaning are desirable
• Enthusiasm for high-quality scientific research and collaborative teamwork

• The opportunity to work in an enthusiastic, international, and interdisciplinary research team
• Exciting and varied responsibilities within a leading research institute at the intersection of the arts, humanities, and natural sciences
• An international working environment in Frankfurt’s Westend district with a family-friendly atmosphere and modern technical infrastructure
• Possibility of remote work by arrangement
• The position is initially limited to one semester, with the possibility of semester-by-semester extension

The Max Planck Society is committed to diversity, equal opportunities, and inclusion. One of its goals is to increase the employment of persons with severe disabilities – applications from severely disabled individuals are therefore explicitly encouraged. In addition, the Max Planck Society aims to achieve gender equality and increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore explicitly encouraged to apply.

Please submit your complete application, including a cover letter, CV, current proof of enrollment, and relevant certificates, via our online application portal by July 5, 2026 (see the application buttons at the bottom of this page).