Job Opportunities

Asst Professor position at Vassar

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The Department of Cognitive Science at Vassar College is hiring an Assistant Professor to begin in Fall 2026. They are seeking someone with expertise in either (1) qualitative approaches focusing on the experience of agents in context, or (2) computational modeling and AI. This is not my department, but is my building — I would be delighted if another cognitive developmentalist joined Vassar’s faculty! See the job ad here.

Duolingo is hiring a language researcher!

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Duolingo is hiring a language researcher to join Duolingo’s Efficacy Research Lab, which focuses on measuring the effectiveness of Duolingo’s courses and informing improvements to the learning experience.

Requirements:
– Skilled in statistics, data analysis and visualization, Python/R/SQL or other tools for handling large datasets
– PhD in linguistics, applied linguistics, cognitive science, or a related field
– Ability to work from or relocate to Pittsburgh, PA, USA (no remote option)

To learn more and apply: https://careers.duolingo.com/jobs/7690922002

Industry Job Opening – Cognitive Data Scientist

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[COGDEVSOC] Research Coordinator Opportunities in Connecticut

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Research Coordinator, Connecticut Project

 

The TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health (TMW Center) develops science-based interventions, tools, and technologies to help parents and caregivers interact with young children in ways that maximize brain development. A rich language environment is critical to healthy brain development, however few tools exist to measure the quality or quantity of these environments. Access to this type of data allows caregivers to enhance interactions in real-time and gives policy-makers insight in how to best build policies that have a population-level impact.

Job Summary

The Research Coordinator will report to the Senior Project Manager and shall provide on-the-ground coordination, implementation, and research support. The Research Coordinator will work closely with Connecticut-based infant and toddler childcare providers and TMW Center research and curriculum staff. The Research Coordinator shall be responsible for recruiting and consenting study participants, providing regular implementation and technical support to study participants, data collection, and operational and logistical coordination of various study activities.

As a primary on-the-ground point of contact for study participants, the Research Coordinator shall build positive relationships with childcare centers, classroom teachers, families and OEC staff to ensure strong communication and a successful research partnership with the TMW Center.

Responsibilities

Participant Outreach, Recruitment & Data Collection:

  • Serves as a primary point of contact for current and future research study participants.
  • At the direction of TMW staff, conducts targeted outreach and recruitment to study participants (child care sites, early educators, parents, etc.). Organizes and coordinates recruitment activities, in collaboration with TMW staff.
  • Obtains and maintains consents for all program participants in accordance with IRB protocol and TMW research standards.
  • Ensures ongoing and new research subjects are on-boarded properly.
  • Regularly reports updates on participant recruitment, study progress, and study completion to relevant parties.
  • Partners with TMW Center staff members and other stakeholders to ensure current and upcoming studies have adequate amounts of participants.
  • Collaborates actively with TMW Center staff members and external stakeholders to strategize approaches for pursuing new participants and partners. 
  • Maintains regular contact with study participants, updating them on study progress and ensuring that their contact information is updated on a routine basis. Maintains records of all communication efforts with participants.
  • Implements data collection at the direction of TMW Center staff. Ensures quality of data collection and adherence to best practices. 
  • Supports TMW Center researchers with other aspects of outreach, recruitment, consent, data collection and support as requested.

Implementation & Participant Support:

  • Under the direction of TMW staff, implements the TMW Center’s ECE professional development strategy and novel technology within study sites (childcare and early education classroom settings) and provides ongoing support for implementing teachers and site leadership.
  • In coordination with and under the direction of TMW staff, provides implementation support, coaching, and training to study participants, ensuring that study activities are delivered with fidelity and that technical support is available promptly. This includes but is not limited to: regularly visiting study sites across Connecticut for routine in-person check-ins; providing technical assistance, troubleshooting and on-call technical and implementation support to study participants (including outside of business hours, as needed); ensuring proper implementation and delivery of TMW program in accordance with study protocol; tracking data related to these processes and other aspects of implementation; supporting TMW Manager of Training and other TMW staff by coordinating and/or facilitating training sessions and regular meetings for implementing staff.

Research Support:

  • With other TMW teams, helps coordinate and implement formative testing, early pilots and research studies in partner sites.
  • With other TMW teams, engages with study participants and other partners to collect data and gather user feedback to inform device optimization, program refinement, professional development model and implementation model.
  • Supports implementing staff within study sites (childcare and early education classroom settings).
  • Facilitates and coordinates video recording, data collection and other classroom-based research activities, as needed, under the direction of TMW’s Research team.
  • Issues payments and other incentives to study participants.  Ensures all payments are issued correctly and tracked with fidelity. Ensures full compliance with all University and funder obligations related to human subject payments and recordkeeping.
  • Distributes technology and assists with inventory management, coordination and delivery logistics for technological devices and other materials provided to study sites.

Partnership Building:

  • Builds and nurtures relationships with child care centers, classroom teachers, families, OEC staff and other stakeholders to ensure strong communication and ultimate success between the TMW Center and these individuals and groups.
  • Helps identify additional childcare providers or organizations that could serve as future research partners. 
  • Serves as an ambassador of the TMW Center’s mission and resources to partners, families/caregivers, and the public.

Project Support:

  • Provides technical, administrative and logistical support to the Connecticut early childhood research project team.
  • Participates in meetings and planning sessions with TMW staff to share implementation observations and provide updates to inform program and process improvement. 

Other Responsibilities:

  • Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project.
  • Installs, sets up and performs experiments; interacting with students and other laboratory staff under the direction of the principal investigator.
  • Maintains recruiting and scheduling research subjects; assisting with developing or amending study protocols; assisting with developing data collection tools; assisting with building databases; and providing general administrative support. Has general awareness in research techniques or methods, regulatory policies and procedures, and relevant scientific field.
  • Performs other related work as needed

Postdoc and Research Coordinator Positions at UConn

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Dr. Ido Davidesco at UConn’s Learning Sciences Program is recruiting a postdoc and a research coordinator for a recently funded NSF project on the role of internal attention in STEM learning. The project involves EEG and eye-tracking in both laboratory and classroom settings. 

For more information:
Please share this opportunity with colleagues and students in your network.
Contact Dr. Davidesco (ido.davidesco@uconn.edu) for additional information. 

Harvard University Postdoctoral Position in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience/Educational Neuroscience

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Harvard University Graduate School of Education
Postdoctoral Position in
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience/Educational Neuroscience
The Harvard University Graduate School of Education seeks to fill a NICHD funded postdoctoral fellowship in The GaabLab (gaablab.com) in the areas of developmental cognitive neuroscience/pediatric (f)MRI and Educational Neuroscience. The NICHD funded project aims to examine the neurocognitive links between reading and arithmetic ability as well as high co-occurrence rates of reading and arithmetical learning difficulties. Using a longitudinal design, we will compare typical and atypical developmental trajectories of reading and arithmetic from kindergarten to third grade, and identify a set of predictors in kindergarten of arithmetic and reading outcomes after four years of formal instruction.
Candidates must have earned a doctoral degree in a field related to developmental cognitive neuroscience (e.g., cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience, psychology, developmental psychology, medicine) or have a background in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering or computer science. The responsibilities of the position include overseeing the design and execution of pediatric and infant (f)MRI experiments, analyze behavioral and (f)MRI data, develop new analysis tools, prepare manuscripts for publication, and participate in conferences.
The successful applicant must possess excellent English verbal and written communication skills. Applicants are expected to have a very strong research background in the design and analysis of functional brain-imaging experiments. Experience with (f)MRI analysis programs (e.g., SPM, FSL, Freesurfer, BrainVoyager, AFNI) is required. Programming skills (MATLAB, C++; Python) are desirable and experience with MVPA or connectivity analyses is a plus. Experience with the analysis of pediatric neuroimaging data sets and language and reading research are useful.
This appointment is anticipated to begin in fall/winter 2021. Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Prospective applicants should submit a CV, statement of interest, and a list of three potential refers via email to:
Nadine Gaab, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor of Education
For information about the Harvard Graduate School of Education, please visit our web site: www.gse.harvard.edu. 
 
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

9/2/21: IBACS Large Seed Grant Application Now Open!

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The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS) is pleased to announce a new call for applications to its seed grant fund. 

 

The seed fund is intended to fund activities in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (broadly construed) that are likely to lead to applications for external funding, or which otherwise contribute to the mission of the Institute. Note that funding is primarily intended to cover direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, or per diems, as well as student support. The review criteria promote innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences that require expertise across laboratories and traditional disciplinary boundaries. Postdocs can also apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. We have further expanded this year’s seed grant solicitation to include COVID recovery. This addition in scope is intended to provide funds to recover or restart relevant projects that were interrupted due to COVID-19. Full details on the seed grant program, including applications (letter of intent and full seed app), allowable costs, please check our website.

Applications for small grants (less than $10,000) can be submitted at any time; applications in excess of $10,000 (but no more than $25,000) should be submitted by October 1st.  

Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 9/17/21), to allow time for review and feedback. 

The Institute also invites applications for affiliate memberships. 

Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937.

9/2/21: IBACS Undergrad Award Application Now Open!

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IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research grant program!

The application period for the Fall 2021/Spring 2022 research grant program opens today, September 1st, 2021, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on Monday, February 21st, 2022. Note that the academic year applications will now be reviewed on a rolling basis and awards will be made until funds are exhausted, or up until the application deadline. In other words, apply early! 

It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

THIS PROGRAM IS NOT MEANT TO PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, minor equipment, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.

 Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on February 21st, 2022, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 14th, 2022. 

 

The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
  • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
  • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
  • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
  • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
  • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
  • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.

       

      IBACS Fall 2021/Spring 2022 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2021spring_2022

       

      Please visit our website for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions. 

      Postdoc at University of Maryland Child Development Lab

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      POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
      Child Development Lab
      University of Maryland

      The Child Development Laboratory at the University of Maryland, College Park, (http://www.cdl.umd.edu) is searching for a postdoctoral fellow to work on ongoing fMRI research related to the neural correlates of temperament risk for anxiety. The position could begin immediately. This position is for up to two years, with the possibility of an extension depending on grant funding.

      The postdoc will work on an existing longitudinal infant fMRI study investigating brain networks associated with temperamental risk for anxiety. This study draws on multiple methods of inquiry including direct-observation, questionnaires, electrophysiology, and fMRI. The successful candidate will primarily be responsible for developing fMRI protocols/tasks for assessing infant brain networks as well as analyzing fMRI data, writing scientific papers, and participating in the intellectual life of the lab. Other duties will include working with research assistants and graduate and undergraduate students.

      Position qualifications include a PhD in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a related field; experience with fMRI acquisition and analysis; strong programming, experimental and statistical skills; ability to work independently and in a team environment on multiple tasks and projects and to share one’s expertise with and train others. Experience with Linux, software programs (AFNI, FSL, MATLAB or other relevant programs), programming tasks (e.g., E-prime), and statistical analysis (R, MPlus, SPSS) is highly desired. Excellent scientific writing skills and experience working with children in an research setting are also desired.

      Please address questions or send a letter of research interests, a CV, and contact information for three references to Nathan Fox (fox@umd.edu). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

      Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of South Carolina

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      Postdoctoral Research Fellow

      The Early Social Development and Intervention (ESDI) Lab at the University of South Carolina is seeking a postdoctoral research fellow to assist with several NIH-funded research studies related to infant development and early identification of autism spectrum disorder. Our longitudinal research focuses on quantifying the emergence of, and interrelations between, social behavior, visual attention, and motor skills in neonates, infants, and toddlers at elevated likelihood of ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders (learn more at https://www.esdilab.com). The postdoctoral fellow will contribute to ongoing data collection and processing efforts, possibly including clinical characterization, as well as publication of manuscripts. The applicant should have a PhD in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Human Development, Communication Sciences and Disorders, or related field. Applied clinical and/or research experience focused on infants is required. Knowledge of developmental research methods, such as eye tracking, physiology (e.g., heart rate), and behavioral coding is highly desired.

      Qualifications

      • PhD in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Human Development, Communication Sciences and Disorders, or related field
      • Applied experience with infants in clinical or research settings
      • Knowledge of developmental research methods
      • Interest in developmental science and neurodevelopmental disorders
      • Excellent interpersonal communication skills

      Additional Preferred Skills

      • Training and experience in infant developmental assessment measures (language, cognitive, motor)
      • Excellent computational, statistical, and technical skills
      • Experience with eye tracking, physiology, and/or behavioral coding

      To apply, please send a resume or CV and Cover Letter to jbradshaw@sc.edu