Postdoctoral Position on the Origins of Precise Quantification (M/F)

Job Description

Missions

The ERC Synergy project QUANTA (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/951388) aims to trace the evolution of cognitive tools enabling precise quantification, to assess their potential co-evolution with other cultural dimensions, and to understand how their emergence responded to increasingly complex social needs.
It is proposed that such tools already existed in the Paleolithic in the form of objects made of animal hard materials or stone bearing series of marks. The postdoctoral researcher will conduct an in-depth study of these objects using innovative analytical methodologies.
In collaboration with other members of the project, the postdoctoral researcher will also draw on the eHRAF World Cultures databases to carry out systematic cross-cultural analyses of material devices used for the exosomatic storage and transmission of information (counting, memorization, notation). The integration of archaeological, experimental, and ethnographic data will strengthen the robustness of functional interpretations and contribute to refining theoretical models on the emergence and evolution of cognitive tools for quantification.

Activity

• Conduct technological, use-wear, and morphometric analyses of archaeological and experimental objects made of animal hard materials and minerals
• Develop and apply innovative analytical protocols to European and African Paleolithic assemblages
• Carry out cross-cultural investigations of ethnographic objects associated with counting and memory practices
• Build comparative databases integrating archaeological, ethnographic, and experimental data
• Contribute to the development of theoretical frameworks linking cognitive tools, cultural practices, and systems of notation
• Write scientific articles in English under the supervision of the project's Principal Investigators
• Contribute to the scientific and institutional dissemination of the project (website, databases, outreach)

Your Profil

Skills

• PhD in Prehistory, Archaeology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, or related disciplines
• Strong expertise in statistical analyses (particularly geometric morphometrics and surface analysis) using R and Python
• Solid skills in macrophotography, imaging, confocal microscopy (Mountains software), and image analysis (ImageJ, Illustrator, Photoshop)
• Experience in the study of objects made of hard materials (bone, ivory, stone) and/or ethnographic devices related to information storage
• Ability to design and conduct comparative research on heterogeneous datasets
• Strong interest in cognitive evolution, epistemology, interdisciplinarity, and cross-cultural approaches
• Experience working in an international and collaborative research environment
• Excellent written and spoken English (Level B2 in ECRL); knowledge of French is an asset

Your Work Environment

The position is based in Bordeaux, within the research unit UMR5199-PACEA (University of Bordeaux/CNRS/Ministry of Culture/INRAP), under the supervision of Francesco d'Errico, one of the four Principal Investigators of the ERC Synergy project QUANTA.
PACEA is internationally recognized for its interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, geosciences, and cognitive science. The laboratory and the project benefit from advanced analytical facilities (SEM-EDS, fixed and portable confocal microscopes, multifocus microscopes, pXRF, Raman).
The researcher will join a dynamic international team and collaborate closely with project partners based in Bergen and Leipzig. He/she will participate in training activities, research stays, and international conferences.

Constraints and risks

• Availability for regular travel within Europe and, depending on project needs, to Africa.
• Work in museum environments or with sensitive collections, requiring strict adherence to conservation protocols.
• Ability to work in multicultural and interdisciplinary environments.
• Extensive use of specialized computer and optical equipment (visual and postural strain).

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

between €3,040 and €4,200 gross salary per month, depending on experience

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions