Research Assistants in video analysis/coding

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 linguistic diversity in Amazonian languages, specifically in methods and systems of quantification, and has collected a rich audio- visual dataset. This data consists of both linguistic and gestural production, across multiple indigenous languages, and in multiple tasks and settings. The team process and analyse these data in order to understand the diversity of quantificational methods and systems across these languages.

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 analysing specific features of the collected audio-visual files, in accord with a coding scheme developed by the research team. This will involve a brief training (approximately two days) in linguistic and gestural coding, manipulating audio-visual files, watching and analysing the files, as well as participating in reliability analysis.

• 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 bachelor/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 and analysed data files
• proficiency in data analysis, and elementary statistics and coding
• a high level of attention to detail and accuracy
• good knowledge of English
• good skills for working independently

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 linguistic and gestural production, as well as research data storage ethics and policies.
• To collaborate in an international team operating in a flexible working environment.