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Postdoctoral Scholar Employee - The Computational Cognitive Science Laboratory - Psychology

Position overview
Salary range: Salary range
The UC postdoc salary scales set the minimum pay determined by experience level at appointment. See the following table for the current salary scale for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/oct-2024-scales/t23.pdf. The current minimum salary range for this position is $66,737-$74,425. Salaries above the minimum may be offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: January 6, 2025

Position duration: 2 years with a possibility of renewal

Application Window
Open date: October 22, 2024

Next review date: Tuesday, Nov 5, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Nov 29, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Computational Cognitive Science Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Dr. Bill Thompson, seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar in computational models of social reasoning. The Postdoctoral Scholar will be expected to contribute to the development of new models of social reasoning and to conduct large-scale online behavioral experiments that examine the predictions of these models. The broader project investigates how groups of people discover solutions to complex problems. The successful candidate will work with the principal investigator as well as collaborators at the computational cognitive science lab to help achieve the laboratory's goals.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing software infrastructure to conduct online experiments


• Conducting large-scale online behavioral experiments with human participants


• Developing formal cognitive models of reasoning about and learning from social interactions


• Analyzing and visualizing experimental data


• Plan and write scientific publications

The position also includes scope to pursue the postdoctoral scholar's own research interests within this subject areas:

• Project management: Working on research protocol design, grant writing, and reporting progress to funding organizations. Coordinating work of research assistants.


• Mentoring: Receiving mentoring from Dr. Thompson and providing mentoring to graduate and undergraduate students (e.g., suggesting readings, leading a journal club, providing career advice). 

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
PhD or equivalent international degree or enrolled in a PhD program or equivalent international degree program at the time of application

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

• Ph.D. or equivalent international degree


• No more than 3 years of post PhD research experience

Preferred qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent international degree in psychology, computer science, or a related field


• Strong technical skills relevant to designing and conducting online behavioral experiments and performing modeling and data analysis.


• Proficiency in Python or another general purpose programming language and applications to statistical and computational modeling or machine learning


• Proficiency in javascript and related software infrastructure relevant to developing custom online behavioral experiments.


• Experience developing interactive online experiments with frameworks such as Dallinger or Empirica or analagous software infrastructure


• Experience using language models to induce programs from text data


• Experience with computational cognitive modeling


• Experience with neural networks or other machine learning methods


• Strong initiative and organizational and interpersonal skills

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.


• Cover Letter - Addressed to Dr. Bill Thompson

Reference requirements

• 3-6 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04639

Help contact: dreamartinez@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location
Berkeley, CA


To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04639