Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NIH-funded postdoc, and Research assistant / Lab manager position available in the O-Lab at Duke


We are looking for highly motivated early-career researchers to join the O-Lab, led by Prof. Tobias Overath, in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University. Work in our lab investigates how sounds, from simple sinusoids to complex speech signals, are processed in the human brain, using a combination of behavioral (psychoacoustics) and neuroimaging methods (fMRI, EEG, ECoG) to track the underlying neural processes. Current projects investigate the transformation from acoustic to linguistic analysis of temporal speech structure, online measures of statistical learning, and optimization of cochlear implant coding strategies.

Postdoc applicants should have recently completed a graduate degree in auditory neuroscience (broadly construed) or a related field, ideally using neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, M/EEG, ECoG). Strong computational skills are essential (Matlab, Python), as are good interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a research team. Interested candidates should have established a track record of publications from their graduate studies and demonstrated the motivation to pursue a successful career in science and academia.

Applicants for the Research Assistant / Lab manager position should have received an undergraduate degree in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or a related field by summer 2018. A strong interest in how the brain processes sound is a plus, as is excellent knowledge of at least one programing language (preferably Matlab). Familiarity with fMRI, EEG, and/or a related experimental technique would also be beneficial.
The main emphasis of the position will be on being involved with, and taking the lead on research projects, thereby gaining valuable research experience in preparation for future graduate school applications. Bureaucratic aspects of the position (such as scheduling and reimbursement of participants, help with IRB reviews, etc.) are projected to be comparatively limited.

Duke University provides a vibrant, highly connected scientific environment, with many relevant departments and interdisciplinary initiatives (e.g. Departments of Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Brain Imaging and Analysis Center). In addition, the Research Triangle area (Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh) boasts a wealth of research initiatives.

Prospective start date is August or September, 2018. Applications will be reviewed until the end of April, or until the position is filled. Interested candidates should contact Tobias Overath via email: t.overath@duke.edu


Monday, April 9, 2018

Three full-time post-bacc positions: Univ or Maryland, Linguistics

The Department of Linguistics at the University of Maryland, is looking to fill up to 3 full-time positions for post-baccalaureate researchers. 

Starting date for all positions is Summer/Fall 2018. Salary is competitive, with benefits included. The positions would be ideal for individuals with a BA degree who are interested in gaining significant research experience in a very active research group as preparation for a research career. Applicants must already have permission to work in the US, or be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and should have completed a BA or BS degree by the time of appointment. The ability to interact comfortably with a wide variety of people (and machines) is a distinct advantage. Applicants may request to be considered for all four positions. 

The positions are open until filled. For best consideration, applications should be submitted by April 13th, 2018. However, review of applications will begin immediately.

Positions #1–#2: Baggett Research Fellowships 

Baggett Fellowships are full-time positions. Fellows can pursue research in linguistics, cognitive (neuro-)science of language, language acquisition, or computational modeling. 1–2 positions are available for 2018-2019, subject to confirmation of funds. Positions are for one year and are not renewable. Information on the program and faculty mentors is at http://ling.umd.edu/baggett 
Contact: Dr. Andrea Zukowski

Position #3: Research Assistant in Psycholinguistics/Cognitive Neuroscience 

This person will be involved in all aspects of studies of language comprehension using behavioral and neuroscientific techniques, including electrophysiological brain recordings (training provided). The person will also contribute to Maryland's Language Science program (http://languagescience.umd.edu/). Previous experience in (psycho)linguistics preferred. 1 year initial appointment, possibility of extension. 
Contact: Dr. Colin Phillips

Application Requirements
Applicants may request to be considered for all three positions, or any subset. Applicants for any of the positions should submit a cover letter outlining relevant background and interests, including potential faculty mentors (having multiple mentors is both possible and fruitful for the Baggett Fellowships), a current CV, and names and contact information for 3 potential referees. Reference letters are not needed as part of the initial application. Applicants should also send a writing sample. All application materials should be submitted electronically to the following recipients:

Positions #1–#2 - Andrea Zukowski; zukowski@umd.edu. Put 'Baggett Fellowship' in the subject line.
Position #3 - Colin Phillips; colin@umd.edu. Put 'Research Assistantship' in the subject line.

The Department of Linguistics has shared facilities for testing of infants, children and adults, eye-tracking labs, an ERP lab and a whole-head MEG facility, as part of the Maryland Neuroimaging Center. The department is part of a vibrant language science community under the umbrella of the Maryland Language Science Center (http://languagescience.umd.edu) that numbers 200 faculty, researchers, and graduate students across 17 academic units. The Language Science Center coordinates many interdisciplinary projects, including a research field station in Guatemala, and partnerships with school districts and various (inter)national organizations.

Postdoctoral position at Center for Language Science, Pennsylvania State University

The Center for Language Science (CLS) at The Pennsylvania State University (http://cls.psu.edu) invites applications for a postdoctoral position. The CLS is home to a cross-disciplinary research program that includes the NSF training program, ‘Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE): Translating cognitive and brain science in the laboratory and field to language learning environments’ that was awarded to The Pennsylvania State University and the University of California, Riverside. The program provides training in translational research on language learning and bilingualism that includes an international perspective and that exploits opportunities for collaborative research conducted with one of our international partner sites in the UK (Edinburgh), Spain (Granada), Poland (Kraków), The Netherlands (Nijmegen and Groningen), Germany (Braunschweig), Colombia (Medellín), Brazil (Campinas), Mexico (Mexico City), and China (Hong Kong and Beijing) and in conjunction with our domestic partner sites at Gallaudet University, Haskins Laboratories, the University of South Carolina, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Puerto Rico. This research focuses primarily on the themes of language learning across the lifespan, the role of instructional approaches for successful language learning, and the role of diverse social environments for language learning.

We welcome applications from candidates with preparation in any of the disciplines that contribute to our program and with experience in translational research (e.g., outreach activities in schools and other learning contexts where the research conducted by PIRE faculty is relevant). The successful candidate will benefit from a highly interactive group of faculty whose interests include bilingual language processing, language acquisition in children and adults, language contact, and aging, among other topics. Applicants with interests in these topics and with an interest in extending their expertise within experimental psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience are particularly welcome to apply. There is no expectation that applicants will have had prior experience in research on bilingualism but we expect candidates to make a commitment to gain expertise in research on bilingualism using research methods from among the techniques represented by our groups. Questions about faculty research interests may be directed to relevant core training faculty: Psychology: Michele Diaz, Ping Li, Janet van Hell, and Dan Weiss; Spanish: Rena Torres Cacoullos, Matt Carlson, Giuli Dussias, John Lipski, and Karen Miller; Communication Sciences and Disorders: Carol Miller and Chaleece Sandberg; German: Carrie Jackson, Mike Putnam, Richard Page, and Katharina Schuhmann; French: Lisa Reed. Administrative questions can be directed to the Chair of the search committee, pdussias@psu.edu. More information about the Center for Language Science (CLS), the PIRE program, and faculty research programs can be found at http://cls.psu.edu or http://pire.la.psu.edu

The appointment will be for one year, with a start date of August 1, 2018. Salary will follow NSF/NIH guidelines. The PIRE funding requires that we restrict the search to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. Applicants should upload a CV, several reprints or preprints, and a statement of research interests. This statement should indicate two or more core faculty members as likely primary and secondary mentors, and should describe the candidate’s goals for research and translational training during a postdoctoral position, including previous experience and directions in which the candidate would like to develop his/her expertise in the language science of bilingualism. Additionally, applicants should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent separately to Maryam Sinawa at sinawa@psu.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. by the time of appointment.  Apply online at https://psu.jobs/job/78125  

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