Thursday, February 19, 2009

Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Assistant Positions - Georgetown University

THE BRAIN AND LANGUAGE LAB
The Brain and Language Lab at Georgetown University, directed by Michael Ullman, investigates the biological and psychological bases of first and second language in normal and disordered children and adults, and the relations between language and other cognitive domains, primarily memory, music and motor function. The lab's members test their hypotheses using a set of complementary behavioral, neurological, neuroimaging (ERP, MEG, fMRI) and other biological (genetic, endocrine, pharmacological) approaches. They are interested in the normal acquisition and processing of language and non-language functions, and their neurocognitive variability as a function of factors such as genotype, hormone levels, sex, handedness, age and learning environment; and in the breakdown, recovery and rehabilitation of language and non-language functions in a variety of disorders, including Specific Language Impairment, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette syndrome, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and aphasia. For a fuller description of the Brain and Language Lab, please see http://brainlang.georgetown.edu.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION
We are seeking a full-time Research Assistant. The successful candidate, who will work with other RAs in the lab, will have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of projects, using a range of methodological approaches (see above). S/he will have responsibility for various aspects of research and laboratory management, including a number of the following, depending on aptitude and experience: creating experimental stimuli; designing experiments; running experiments on a variety of subject groups; performing statistical analyses; helping manage the lab's computers; managing undergraduate assistants; and working with the laboratory director and other lab members in preparing and managing grants and IRB protocols.

Minimum requirements for the position include a Bachelor's degree (a Master's degree is a plus), with a significant amount of course-work or research experience in at least two and ideally three of the following: cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, computer science, and statistics. Familiarity with Windows (and ideally Linux) is highly desirable, as is experience in programming or statistics and/or a strong math aptitude. The candidate must be extremely responsible, reliable, energetic, hard-working, organized, and efficient, and be able to work with a diverse group of people.

To allow for sufficient time to learn new skills and to be productive, candidates must be available to work for at least two years, and ideally for three. The successful candidate will be trained in a variety of the methods and approaches used in the lab, including (depending on the focus of his/her work) statistics, experimental design, subject testing, and neuroimaging methods. S/he will work closely with lab members as well as collaborators (see http://brainlang.georgetown.edu). The ideal start date would be early summer 2009. Interested candidates should email Ann McMahon (brainlangadmin@georgetown.edu) their CV and one or two publications or other writing samples, and have 3 recommenders email her their recommendations directly. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position, which includes health benefits, is contingent upon funding. Georgetown University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW POSITION
The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to be involved in a number of different projects, using a variety of methodological approaches (see above), and to carry out her/his own studies related to lab interests. The candidate must have completed all PhD degree requirements prior to starting the position. S/he must have significant experience in at least one and ideally two or more of the following areas: cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology, linguistics, computer science, statistics. Research experience in the neurocognition of language is desirable but not necessary, although the candidate must have a strong interest in this area of research. S/he must also have expertise in two or more of the following: ERPs, fMRI, MEG, adult-onset disorders, developmental disorders, psycholinguistic behavioral techniques, statistics, molecular techniques. Excellent skills at experimental design, statistics and writing, a strong publication record, and previous success at obtaining funding, will all be considered advantageous.

To allow for sufficient time to learn new skills and to publish, candidates must be available to work for at least two years, and ideally for three. The successful candidate will be trained in a variety of the methods and approaches used in the lab, including (depending on the focus of his/her work) aspects of experimental design, statistics, and neuroimaging methods. S/he will work closely with lab members as well as collaborators (see http://brainlang.georgetown.edu). The ideal start date would be summer 2009. Interested candidates should email Ann McMahon (brainlangadmin@georgetown.edu) their CV and two or three publications, and have 3 recommenders email her their recommendations directly. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position, which includes health benefits, is contingent upon funding. Georgetown University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer.

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