Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Cognitive Science

Joining TSE means becoming part of an institution of excellence recognized on the international stage. As a leading research and education center in economics, mathematics, and quantitative social sciences, TSE ranks among the world’s top institutions and holds 16th place in the Shanghai Ranking for Economics research.

Since 2023, the Toulouse School of Economics and Quantitative Social Sciences-TSE has held the status of “Grand Établissement,” reflecting an ambitious academic model and strengthening its international appeal. Supported by cutting-edge research, its academic programs - led by internationally renowned faculty and researchers—provide students with a rigorous and innovative education addressing major contemporary challenges.

Located in the heart of Toulouse, TSE brings together 2,500 students, 170 faculty members and researchers, and approximately 100 administrative and technical staff. For more than twenty years, the School has worked alongside public and private sector partners to analyze and address major economic and societal challenges.

As an integral part of Université Toulouse Capitole, TSE offers a dynamic, international and stimulating working environment focused on research excellence, innovation and collaboration.

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences foster groundbreaking interdisciplinary research between economics, evolutionary anthropology and biology, political science, psychology, and sociology. It has close ties with the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, founded in 2011 by Nobel Prize laureate Jean Tirole to promote interdisciplinary research at TSE.
Cognitive scientists and psychologists at SBS value interdisciplinary perspectives, diverse methods (e.g., behavioral experiments, formal and computational modeling, and cross-cultural studies), and open science. We aim to advance theory on the psychological foundations of social life and to apply it to questions such as how people learn and transmit cultural knowledge, how they cooperate at large scales and make moral decisions, and how they judge, trust, and delegate to artificial intelligence. Current research strengths include social learning and cultural evolution; human cooperation, trust, and moral emotions; and decision-making in a world transformed by AI.

We seek candidates with a research program focusing on any of the following areas: learning, decision-making, social cognition, collective behavior. Specific topics within these areas may include but are not limited to: the cognitive processes underlying decision-making under uncertainty, interactions between cognition and emotion, and the impact of technological transformations on human cognition.

Ideal candidates will have a strong research background in their own discipline while being open to engaging in interdisciplinary scientific activities; specialize in quantitative methods (e.g., empirical analysis of observational or other data; behavioral lab and field experiments; mathematical and computational modeling of behavior); and be able to teach psychology courses (French fluency is not required).

Candidates must have completed or plan to complete a PhD in Psychology (including social, cognitive, cross-cultural, developmental, and evolutionary subfields), Cognitive Sciences, or a related field no later than August 2027.

Candidates with postdoctoral experiences will be given priority.

Favorable working conditions :
·           Reduced teaching load Central location in Toulouse

·       Research budget

·       Competitive salary

·       Public transport nearby

·       University restaurant for staff

·       Sports activities and social events and networking events

·       Welcoming and international working environment

·       Opportunities to meet colleagues and discover Toulouse and the surrounding region

·       Free parking for staff

Key benefits : 
·       Partial reimbursement of public transport costs and sustainable mobility allowance, subject to conditions

·       Personalized support with relocation and administrative procedures

·       French language courses for researchers and their partners

·       Dedicated newcomers’ integration program

·       Support with French tax declaration

We seek candidates with a research program focusing on any of the following areas: learning, decision-making, social cognition, collective behavior. Specific topics within these areas may include but are not limited to: the cognitive processes underlying decision-making under uncertainty, interactions between cognition and emotion, and the impact of technological transformations on human cognition.

Ideal candidates will have a strong research background in their own discipline while being open to engaging in interdisciplinary scientific activities; specialize in quantitative methods (e.g., empirical analysis of observational or other data; behavioral lab and field experiments; mathematical and computational modeling of behavior); and be able to teach psychology courses (French fluency is not required).

Candidates must have completed or plan to complete a PhD in Psychology (including social, cognitive, cross-cultural, developmental, and evolutionary subfields), Cognitive Sciences, or a related field no later than August 2027.

Candidates with postdoctoral experiences will be given priority.

How do I apply?

To apply for this position, please send your application (before December 15, 2026) by clicking on the link below: 

https://www.tse-fr.eu/tenure-track-assistant-professor-cognitive-science

Each application should include (only in English):

• A CV
• A cover letter
• A research statement 
• Three letters of reference (upon receiving the invitation, referees will have 15 days to submit their letters of recommendation)