The College wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on a multi-site international longitudinal project evaluating the impact of youth educator programs within informal science learning sites (museums and science centres) on children’s and adolescents’ psychological engagement with and attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The project is funded by the Wellcome Trust & ESRC and was awarded to Professor Adam Rutland at Department of Psychology, University of Exeter.

The post is available from February 2021 until the end of August 2022, with the possibility of a six-month extension to the position. This study involves collaborating with colleagues at North Carolina State University, University of South Carolina, University of Cambridge and Queen Mary, University of London. The post-holder will be responsible for liaising with the informal science learning sites, data collection, data entry/coding, mentoring students, data analysis, grant writing, publications, dissemination and the overall day-to-day running of the project.  

About you

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in Psychology or a related field of study. The successful applicant will have experience of conducting research with children and adolescents, publishing journal papers, presenting research at conferences, advanced quantitative data analyses together with an interest in social developmental psychology and/or informal science education. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a new Fertility Treatment Policy
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon

Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity at Exeter

With over 22,000 students and 5,500 staff from 180 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment in which to work. We are an equal opportunity employer, a Disability Confident employer and an Athena Swan accredited institution. Since 2019, the university has also signed an Armed Forces Covenant, demonstrating the University’s commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in the workforce.

For further information please contact Professor Adam Rutland, e-mail a.rutland@exeter.ac.uk and an online meeting can be arranged if desired.

The closing date for completed applications is the 20^th December 2020. Interviews are expected to take place in early January 2021.

Apply here: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CCU615/postdoctoral-research-fellow-ref-no-p69296

The Infant Neuromotor Control Laboratory (INCLab) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), in the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California (USC), led by Dr. Beth Smith, is currently seeking a postdoctoral fellow. The postdoctoral fellow will primarily lead the analysis of longitudinal electroencephalography and wearable sensor data collected while infants learn to reach. The ideal candidate will have expertise analyzing biological signal data (MATLAB preferred); experience organizing and working with large data sets; and proficiency with writing manuscripts. The postdoc will collaborate with a team of research assistants, graduate students, and undergraduate students to collect and analyze data, deliver presentations, write papers and grants, and develop new studies. The postdoctoral fellow is also expected to pursue his or her own research question in complement to ongoing studies or using existing electroencephalography and wearable sensor data. Numerous current projects in the INCLab are funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Qualifications include: 1) a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Psychology, Kinesiology, Neuroscience, Rehabilitation Sciences, or a related field, 2) experience programming, particularly in MATLAB, 3) experience with collecting, processing, and analyzing biological signal data, particularly electroencephalography and wearable sensor data,  4) strong publication record, (5) strong communication skills, (6) an ability to work effectively both independently and in a team-oriented environment, (7) experience working with children and their families.

The INCLab actively works to provide a diverse, positive and collaborative environment; the postdoc will be an active member of the lab and contribute to this culture. Our lab is a part of the Saban Research Institute and collaborates with other labs, researchers, and clinicians as part of the Best Starts to Life theme at CHLA. We have an engaging intellectual environment with regular internal and external speakers, journal clubs, and many collaborations and training opportunities across CHLA and USC. The INCLab has active, ongoing collaborations with researchers at University of California Los Angeles Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California San Diego Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, USC Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Additional information on these projects can be found at: https://sites.usc.edu/inclab/

To learn more about this position, please email Dr. Smith (bsmith@chla.usc.edu). Interested applicants should apply at https://jobs.chla.org/job/los-angeles/fellow-post-doc-research/277/17976415.

Post-Doctoral Research Positions in Clinical Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Maryland College Park and San Diego State University

Drs. Lea Dougherty (University of Maryland College Park) and Jillian Wiggins (San Diego State University) are seeking to hire several post-doctoral research associates for NIMH-funded research projects examining neural mechanisms of youth irritability. The projects include new data collection in young children as well use of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data. We use functional and structural MRI methods.

Post-doctoral research associates: Candidates must have completed or be in the process of completing a PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, or other related discipline. Training in MRI and fMRI data analysis, programming experience and knowledge of advanced statistical methods (e.g., machine learning, multilevel modeling), clinical diagnostic assessments, mastery of English speaking and writing, and experience working with human subjects, particularly children, are preferred. Successful candidates should have keen attention to detail; and strong organization, problem solving, and analytic skills. Prior background in developmental or clinical neuroscience is also a plus but not required. The position will provide opportunities for training in big data management and analysis, advanced computational methods and longitudinal data analysis.

The position start date is flexible (from immediate to Summer 2021). Review of applications will continue until the positions are filled. Renewal of contract is contingent on performance and funding. Interested individuals should email a cover letter, CV, and names and contact information of 3 references to Lea Dougherty at ldougher@umd.edu.  Please include all documents in a single pdf file and include your last name in the file (i.e., “LASTNAME.pdf”).

UMD and SDSU are equal opportunity affirmative action employers with a commitment to racial, cultural, and gender diversity.  Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Postdoctoral Scholar Position Available

The Project on Language and Spatial Development (https://plsd.fiu.edu,  PI: Dr. Shannon Pruden) and the Brain and Behavioral Development Lab (https://bbdl.fiu.edu,  PI: Dr. Bethany Reeb-Sutherland) in Florida International University’s Center for Children and Families (CCF) and Department of Psychologyare seeking to hire one (1) talented post-doctoral scholar with excellent writing and analytic skills, interested in gaining training and publishing skills while collaborating on an exciting new NICHD-funded study examining the neuroscience of spatial development. Located within an international, multicultural urban setting, the Center for Children and Families, a Preeminent Program at FIU and the Department of Psychology, ranked 5^th in the country for research funding, offers a stimulating research environment full of collaborative and networking opportunities.

The current project involves evaluating individual differences in the development of neural changes related to typically-developing children’s spatial abilities between the ages of 4 to 6 years. The position involves the collection and analysis of spatial navigation, eyeblink conditioning, and structural MRI data, managing data collection, and preparing manuscripts. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at FIU’s Center for Imaging Science (https://cismri.fiu.edu), where a new 3T Siemens Magnetom Prisma MRI scanner is housed. Candidates with experience in working with child populations and having experience with, and/or interest in learning, MRI data collection and analysis are especially encouraged to apply. 

The candidate will be mentored in leading independent research projects including grant applications and publishing with a highly productive research team. The close partnership and collaboration with experts in Developmental Science (Dr. Shannon Pruden, Dr. Bethany Reeb-Sutherland, Dr. Anthony Dick), Cognitive Neuroscience (Dr. Aaron Mattfeld, Dr. Anthony Dick, Dr. Bethany Reeb-Sutherland) and Quantitative Psychology (Dr. Timothy Hayes) allows for unique opportunities for professional development and interdisciplinary training. The breadth of training experiences will be useful for a variety of academic career paths. 

Desired Qualifications:

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in psychology, neuroscience, or a related field at the start of their appointment.  

The position is currently open and the initial position duration is for at least 1 year with possibility of renewal (based upon performance and funding availability). Salary will be determined according to NIH pay scale. To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received by December 10, 2020 but the position will remain open until filled.

Interested applications should send a cover letter, CV, research statement, two representative publications and contact information for three references, with postdoc application in subject line, to Dr. Shannon Pruden, sdick@fiu.edu. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 522394 at facultycareers.fiu.edu and upload all requested materials.

FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Dr. Shannon Pruden, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Developmental Science

Director, Project on Language and Spatial Development

Department of Psychology

College of Arts, Sciences and Education

MindCORE, Penn’s hub for the integrative study of the mind, is accepting applications for our MindCORE Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Scholars at the University of Pennsylvania for FY21. The description is below and attached, along with an FAQ; both of which are also available on our website (https://web.sas.upenn.edu/mindcore/post-doctoral-research-fellowship/). You can learn about current MindCORE Fellows here.

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MindCORE Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Scholars

MindCORE (Mind Center for Outreach, Research, and Education) seeks to recruit outstanding postdoctoral researchers for our Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Scholars. Housed within the School of Arts & Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania, MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort to understand human intelligence and behavior.

Designed for individuals who have recently obtained a PhD degree in psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy or other cognitive science discipline, the MindCORE Fellowship is a springboard for young researchers as they establish their own research program. Fellows are also encouraged to pursue collaborative research with faculty working across disciplines at Penn.

Benefits

Fellows receive a competitive salary, relocation allowance, health insurance plus a modest research budget. Fellows also benefit from access to the greater community of academics including visiting scholars plus leading research facilities equipped with cutting-edge instrumentation all on an urban campus in a vibrant city. Fellows are invited to join regular working group meetings within their field plus career development workshops aimed at young researchers, and will be provided with a mentoring committee. Funding is provided in one year terms renewable for up to three years.

Eligibility & Application

–          Applicants must have formally completed all requirements of the PhD degree and provide a copy of their diploma at the time of appointment. Candidates must submit 1-2 page research statement that identifies at least three MindCORE faculty at Penn (https://mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/people/faculty-and-associates/) with whom the applicant would be interested in collaborating, along with a CV and contact information for two referees.

–          Submitted documents should be saved with candidate’s Lastname_Firstname.PDF in one PDF file in this order: research statement, CV, referees (name, affiliation, email address). Complete applications should be submitted through the form on our website: https://web.sas.upenn.edu/mindcore/post-doctoral-research-fellowship/. Questions can be emailed to pennmindcore@sas.upenn.edu

–          Applications due January 14, 2021.

Selection

All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated by the Selection Committee and are judged on the following criteria:

–          Scientific excellence

–          Scientific match and interdisciplinarity

–          Career potential

MindCORE awards ~2 post-doctoral Fellowships per year. Positions may start as early as July 1, 2021.

Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class. Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

****************

Anna Papafragou

Professor, Department of Linguistics

Director, Graduate Program in Language and Communication Sciences

University of Pennsylvania

https://www.langcoglab.com/

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

The Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago seeks a postdoctoral researcher to work on a new project focused on the relation between parents’ and children’s attitudes about mathematics.  The postdoctoral researcher will work directly with the institutional principal investigators on research that is aimed at understanding intergenerational relationships in attitudes toward math, and how these attitudes are conveyed. It is expected that the research associated with this position will lead to the development and study of parent and preschool interventions to improve young children’s math attitudes and math learning.

The postdoctoral researcher will participate in all aspects of research management, development and implementation.  He/she will supervise several full-time employees as well as part-time student employees working on a number of separate projects.

A doctoral degree is required in psychology, cognitive science, or education with research interests in child development, preferably mathematical development.  Experience supervising and coordinating the work of others and strong project management skills are preferred.  Must be able to represent the project to diverse audiences. Bi-lingual Spanish is a plus, but not required.

Start date is flexible; preferred date is October 1.  Interested candidates should send a CV, a research statement, preprints/reprints of papers, and two letters of recommendation to:

Susan Levine

Department of Psychology

University of Chicago

5848 S. University Ave.

Chicago, IL  60637

s-levine@uchicago.edu

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Postdoctoral position in Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University 

Dr. Sara Schmitt is seeking to hire a postdoctoral researcher to collaborate on a study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that is focused on identifying mechanisms (e.g., executive function, spatial skills) underlying causal associations between block play in preschool and mathematics outcomes. The position is for one year initially with the potential for an additional year depending on performance.

Responsibilities may include: project management, data management, manuscript preparation, mentorship of research assistants, presentation of findings, and administration of coding schemes for video recordings.

Required Qualifications
•    PhD in Education, Psychology, Human Development, or related field completed by the start of the employment
•    Background expertise in early childhood development, early mathematics, executive function, and school readiness
•    Strong research and analytic skills

Additional Desired Qualifications
•    Experience developing or implementing interventions with schools or families

•    Ability to work collaboratively with a research team

Start date is negotiable, but preferred start is no later than August 16th, 2021.

Review of applications will begin January 15, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled. Please submit a cover letter that describes your interests and fit with the position, CV, a scholarly writing sample, and names and contact information of three references. Questions can be directed to Dr. Sara Schmitt (saraschmitt@purdue.edu).

Internal candidates apply here: https://performancemanager8.successfactors.com/sf/jobreq?jobId=11946&company=purdueuniv

External candidates apply here: https://career8.successfactors.com/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=11946&company=purdueuniv

Purdue University is an EOE/AA employer. All individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. A background check will be required for employment in this position.  

UVA’s Educational Neuroscience Lab, located in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, is seeking to identify a Postdoctoral Fellow. We seek candidates with strong research backgrounds to work on an NIH-funded project using fMRI to characterize the involvement of memory systems in math learning. The successful candidate will develop a rigorous research program that contributes to, and complements, ongoing research studies of typical and atypical neurocognitive development. The position will report directly to the PI, Tanya Evans, and will be expected to work in tandem with the other researchers in the lab while collaborating on research projects. This is a one-year appointment; however, the appointment may be renewed contingent upon available funding and satisfactory performance.

The Educational Neuroscience Lab is a multidisciplinary, developmental cognitive neuroscience lab dedicated to understanding the cognitive, emotional and neural processes that shape school readiness skills. In our lab, we study how the Mind/Brain engages in math, reading and social cognition. We use concepts and tools from psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience to understand how children acquire school readiness skills. Our work covers a wide range of topics, but there are a few cross-cutting themes.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D.
• Psychology, Neuroscience background.
• Coding: R, Matlab or Python experience.
• Suitable writing skills.
• Neuroimaging data acquisition and analysis skills.

Application Process:

Review of applications will begin on November 6, 2020, but this position will remain open until filled.

Please apply through Workday, and search for ‘‘Post Doctoral Research Associate, UVA’s Educational Neuroscience Lab, CASTL”. Complete an application online and attach the following:

• Cover letter
• CV/resume
• Statement of research interest
• Contact information for three references (name, title, relationship, email address, and telephone number)

Attach all documents into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching ‘Find Jobs’.

For questions about the position, please contact Tanya Evans, Research Assistant Professor, and for questions about the application process please contact Bethany Case, Recruiter. For more information on the benefits available to postdoctoral associates at UVA, visit postdoc.virginia.edu and hr.virginia.edu/benefits.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.

NIH call for candidates