The lab, led by Marcel Binz, is looking for Research Assistants (HiWis; 10–20 hours per week, €15.61 per hour for those with a bachelor's degree and €15.00 per hour for those without). The roles are targeted at Master's students (though advanced Bachelor's students will be considered) and can be combined with a thesis project. The start date is flexible (earliest: October 1st, 2026).

About the group
We work towards a unified theory of human cognition, taking the form of computational models that can simulate, predict, and explain human behavior across a wide range of situations. The group is part of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, a vibrant student town at the foot of the Swabian alps and one of Europe's leading hubs for cognitive science and machine learning research. More information on our lab webpage.

About the position
You will contribute to research in one of the lab's directions:

• Foundation models of human cognition
• Modeling human behavior in naturalistic environments (e.g. conversations, games, coding)
• Automated scientific discovery for the cognitive sciences
• AI alignment

What we are looking for

• Enrolled in a Master's program (or an advanced Bachelor's program) in cognitive science, computer science, machine learning, psychology, or a related field.
• Intellectual curiosity, initiative, and the ability to communicate clearly.
• Programming experience, ideally in Python.
• Prior research experience in machine learning, cognitive science, or a related area is a plus.
• Enrolled in a German university and willingness to work on-site in Tübingen.

What we offer

• The opportunity to work on frontier research at the intersection of machine learning and cognitive science.
• An international research environment with collaborators at DeepMind, Princeton, Harvard, and beyond.
• Proven track record of high-impact publications in venues such as Nature, PNAS, NeurIPS, ICLR, and ICML.
• Large-scale compute through the Max Planck ecosystem.
• Room to shape a young, ambitious, and growing research group.

How to apply
Please email the following as a single PDF to marcelbinz1@gmail.com, with "RA-CORE-2026" in the subject line:

• Cover letter describing your background and research interests (one page)
• Curriculum vitae (without a photo)
• Academic transcripts and certificates

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The Max Planck Society is committed to employing diverse individuals and strives for gender equity and diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and explicitly encourage members of underrepresented groups to apply.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to marcelbinz1@gmail.com.