A postdoctoral researcher for a multi-year, multi-site research project investigating human strategic behavior in economic games using large language models (LLMs).

Özyeğin University (Istanbul): Working primarily with Dirk Wulff (Max Planck Institute for Human Development) and Pınar Uğurlar (Özyeğin University).

Start ~Sep 2026
Apply by May 8, 2026 (continue on a rolling basis)

Postdoctoral Researcher Position
AI, Behavioral Science, and Economic Games

The Position

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher for a multi-year, multi-site research project investigating human strategic behavior in economic games using large language models (LLMs).

The project brings together behavioral science, cognitive science, and AI to develop new computational approaches to modeling, predicting, and understanding how people make decisions in strategic interactions such as trust games, public goods games, and bargaining games.

The work spans building large-scale behavioral datasets through a community-based data collection effort, developing and evaluating computational models of human decision-making, and contributing to shared research infrastructure.

The day-to-day responsibilities will be shaped by the candidate’s strengths: the role can emphasize data coordination, curation, and project management; take on a more technical focus involving model development and evaluation; or combine both.

In all cases, the postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in a collaborative, international research team and will have the opportunity to co-author publications in leading journals.

Appointment

The position is based at Özyeğin University (Istanbul), working primarily with Dirk Wulff (Max Planck Institute for Human Development) and Pınar Uğurlar (Özyeğin University).

The initial appointment is for one year, with the possibility of extension for up to two additional years.

The preferred start date is around September 2026, though this is flexible.

Compensation will be determined based on experience and institutional guidelines.

Your Profile

We are looking for a careful, organized, and motivated researcher with a doctoral degree (completed or near completion) in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Economics, or a closely related field.

Candidates should have excellent written and spoken English, experience with quantitative research methods, and the ability to work independently in an international and interdisciplinary setting.

The following additional qualifications are valued, though we do not expect any single candidate to meet all of them:

• Proficiency in Python and/or R
• Experience with large language models, machine learning, or computational modeling
• Background in behavioral science, decision-making research, or game theory
• Experience managing, cleaning, or harmonizing large-scale research datasets
• A track record of interdisciplinary collaboration

What We Offer

The position offers a leading role in a high-profile interdisciplinary research project with strong publication potential.

You will work with an international team spanning multiple institutions and disciplines, with opportunities for research visits to the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

The project provides access to state-of-the-art computational resources and a supportive environment for early-career development, including mentorship from senior researchers across behavioral science and AI.

Your Application

Please submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter describing your research interests and motivation for the position, up to two representative publications or working papers, links to relevant code or data repositories (if available), and the names and contact information for two academic references.

Applications should be sent as a single PDF to
pinar.ugurlar@ozyegin.edu.tr

Review of applications will begin on May 8th, 2026, and continue on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews, which may be conducted online or in person. For informal inquiries, please contact
pinar.ugurlar@ozyegin.edu.tr

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups in computational and behavioral science.