Postdoctoral Scholar – Behavioral and Neural Development of Social Interaction – University of Washington, United States

Position Description

Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences

University of Washington: Academic Personnel: College of Arts and Sciences: NATURAL SCIENCES DIVISION: Speech & Hearing Sciences

Location

Seattle, WA (primary)

Riverside, CA (secondary)

Start Date

June 1, 2024

Description

The University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) has an opening for a post-doctoral researcher experienced with EEG and interested in behavioral and neural development with an emphasis on social interaction during early childhood in both typical and atypical (i.e. autism spectrum disorders) populations.

Our collaborative team is focusing on face-to-face interaction between children and their parents employing various methods to measure neural and behavioral responses during live social interaction and their relation to developmental language and social outcomes. The project includes studies across two different locations. The primary location for this position is in Seattle, with occasional travel and a requirement to spend a few months a year at our secondary location, Riverside, California.

We are seeking a postdoctoral candidate with experience in EEG data acquisition and analysis. The ideal candidate should have strong programming skills in Python and previous experience working with infants or pre-teens.

For this donor-funded research, the primary responsibilities of the post-doctoral researcher will be engaging in the design of the study, conducting the experiments and analyzing both EEG and behavioral data.

The overarching mission of I-LABS is to understand the mechanisms of human learning, especially in early development. More information about I-LABS can be found at: (http://ilabs.washington.edu). This I-LABS research is led by Dr. Patricia Kuhl (Speech and Hearing Sciences). The overarching goal of UC Riverside’s SCDN (Social Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience) Laboratory is to uncover the neural basis of social motivation in typically developing children and children with autism spectrum disorder. More information about SCDN can be found at: (https://scdnlab.ucr.edu/our-research-team). This SCDN research is led by Dr. Katherine Meltzoff (School of Education).

Candidates from underrepresented groups, including candidates with disabilities, are encouraged to apply. UC Riverside is a Hispanic Serving Institution and in 2022 was among 20 of the national top research universities that have formed the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities. You will be working closely with a team of multidisciplinary scientists across both campuses throughout the research project.

The position is full-time (12-month service period), with an initial appointment for one year, and renewal is possible pending satisfactory performance.

The base salary range for this position will be $5,667.00 – $6,250.00 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. depending on experience.

Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who have a passion for multidisciplinary research and

(i) expertise in EEG acquisition, signal processing and data analysis

(ii) experience coding, preferably with Python

(iii) experience in child development research, particularly early language acquisition, social interaction, and social motivation

(iv) willingness to travel and spend time at both locations

Applicants should have a PhD or foreign equivalent in a field such as developmental psychology, speech and hearing, or neuroscience. Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to work as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team are critical for the success of this research.

Instructions

Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations Website.

Applicants should provide (1) a cover letter clearly describing your interest and relevant background for this project, (2) a CV, (3) copies of two representative publications, (4) contact information for three references, and (5) statement describing past and/or potential contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Application materials must be submitted via Interfolio. For any project questions, please email Patricia Kuhl at pkkuhl@uw.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

Benefits Information

A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.

Commitment to Diversity

The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).

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Disability Services

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.