Research Assistant in anthropological digital data bases for a project funded by the European Research Council

The project —QUANTA: "Evolution of Cognitive Tools for Quantification"— is a multi- national multi-disciplinary project funded by the European Research Council (ERC- Synergy) that investigates when, why, and how humans developed number systems, and why those vary so massively across cultures. The project brings together researchers from multiple disciplines and several European institutions in the investigation of the emergence of human quantification, counting, and numerical skills.

As part of this project the research team is investigating specific material artefacts from the early 20th century (or earlier) housed in museums around the world that exhibit traces of quantification/counting behavior. The data the team intends to gather are digital images from items presenting specific properties and that are displayed/stored at various well-known museums. The team intends to process and analyse these data in order to understand the origins and diversity of quantificational methods and systems across cultures.

As a research assistant you will be working for the QUANTA team based at ETH Zürich and led by Principal Investigator (PI) Rafael Núñez. You will be primarily responsible for searching, finding, and classifying digital material from museum archives in accord with an organizing scheme developed by the research team. This will involve a brief training (approximately two days) involving basic research concepts in numerical cognition, anthropological material production, and other relevant notions, as well as digital file access and manipulation.

• The working language is English
• The position is for 15 hours a week (flexible; most work to be done independently)
• Starting date: Early November 2024

We are looking for two motivated and reliable undergraduate/master ETH Zurich students, or from a Swiss university. The following competences are desired but applicants who can only fulfil some of them are still encouraged to apply: 

• the ability to manipulate and manage the storage of audio-visual data files
• proficiency in archiving, basic data analysis, and elementary statistics
• a high level of attention to detail and accuracy
• good knowledge of English

The training and meetings will take place at The Chair of History and Philosophy in Mathematical Sciences, ETH Zurich, building RZ in Claussiusstrasse 59, but the work is to be done largely independently.

We offer

• Start date as soon as possible (late October or early November 2024), for approximately 1 month.
• The anticipated workload per week will be 15 hours, ETH Zurich hourly wage (30.70 CHF per hour).
• We will provide training in methods of analysing digital materials from museums, as well as research data storage ethics and policies.
• To collaborate in an international team operating in a flexible working environment.