2.5 Year Post-Doc Department of Political Science, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University

The Department of Political Science, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, invites applications for a postdoctoral position offering applicants the opportunity to join the research project “Exemplar Democracy (EXDEM) – Psychological Biases and the Impact of Exemplars on Factual Perceptions and Attributions of Government Responsibility”. The project is led by Associate Professor Lene Aarøe and funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.

The postdoctoral position is a full-time fixed-term position for 2.5 years starting on 1 March 2022 or as soon as possible hereafter subject to mutual agreement.

The research project

When reporting about social problems, the media typically use exemplars, i.e., the narrative of a specific person who is personally affected by the issue. In different lines of research, this type of media reporting is also referred to as “human interest frames”, “case reports” and “episodic frames”. While these lines of research use different terminologies, they all emphasize that exposure to exemplars can create an extreme perspective that triggers (1) factual misperceptions in the mass public and (2) biases people’s democratic responsibility attributions of whether the government or the individual is to blame for the problem. The EXDEM project seeks to understand why some types of media exemplars are so powerful in shaping factual misperceptions and responsibility attributions in the mass public, while others are uninfluential. Second, the project seeks to advance knowledge about how the effects of powerful but unrepresentative exemplars can be corrected to combat misinformation in the mass public.

The EXDEM project is theoretically ambitious and will develop a new interdisciplinary theory integrating insights from psychology, communication, cognitive science, and political science to answer the research questions. In doing so the project advances scientific knowledge about the consequences of media exposure as well as the sources of misinformation and biased democratic responsibility attributions in the mass public and develops new best practice guidelines for how to mitigate them. Examples of relevant sources of theoretical inspiration include (but are certainly not limited to) research on cognitive biases and heuristics, emotions, interpersonal communication, and identity.

Methodologically, the project implements a unique cross-national research design combining different types of survey experiments with analyses of people’s real-world reactions to real-world media tweets. The project will develop and implement a series of parallel experiments in the United States, France, and Denmark to study the research questions. Data collection in an additional country can be added to the project depending on the applicant’s empirical interests and background knowledge. The full project description is available upon request.

Job description

The postdoctoral researcher will be employed as part of the EXDEM project team and is expected to engage in collaborative research with Associate Professor Lene Aarøe and other project team members (from Aarhus and beyond). We expect the postdoc to take a leading role in developing, designing, and coordinating studies in one or more countries within the project, to conduct high-quality research within the context of the EXDEM project, and to contribute to publications in top outlets.

Research will primarily be carried out in collaboration with other project members, but there will be some opportunities to pursue independent work within the overall focus of the project. The project offers significant funding for data collection, research assistants, travel, and workshops.

In addition to the outlined research tasks, the position implies modest teaching obligations equivalent to one course per year. If an applicant is interested, a one-year further extension in return for additional teaching might be negotiable, depending on the applicant’s prior teaching experience and the Department’s need for teaching capacity in the relevant years. The Head of Department will decide on any such extension no later than one year after employment. Interested applicants are thus encouraged to describe their potential contributions to teaching obligations in the Department’s BA or MA programs. Salary is according to the Danish pay schedule.

Your qualifications

Applicants are expected to hold – or be close to completing – a PhD in relevant areas in political science, political/social/evolutionary psychology, communication, or cognitive science. In addition to a keen interest in conducting collaborative research in the EXDEM project, the successful candidate must demonstrate ambition and ability to produce high-quality research.

We expect applicants to have strong quantitative skills and excellent command of statistical programming languages (e.g., STATA or R), experience with or a strong interest in experimental designs and a willingness to acquire new methodological skills. Some experience with social media research or automated content analyses is an additional asset but not required. Applicants are expected to have an excellent command of spoken and written English.

Interested applicants should submit an application letter motivating why they are interested in being part of the EXDEM project and how they can contribute to the success of the project, outlining potential ideas for research relevant to the focus of the project (2-3 pages). Selected candidates will be asked to come for an interview and present research ideas.

 

See the full advert here.

Oklahoma State University seeking Assistant Professor of Cognitive Psychology

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY is seeking an outstanding scientist to fill a one full-time, Assistant Professor, tenure track position in Psychology beginning August, 2022, with an area of specialization in Cognitive Psychology. Candidates must have a strong background and research expertise in human cognition, broadly defined (e.g., decision-making, computational modeling, applied cognitive, cognitive development, memory, and cognitive neuroscience). Candidates are expected to have a strong background in and dedication to scholarly activity, and to interact well with colleagues and students. They must also demonstrate the capacity to maintain a high-quality research program leading to scholarly productivity in the form of professional publications, presentations, and grantsmanship. Competitive salary and start-up funds are available.

Candidates will be expected to serve as a research mentor for doctoral students, to supervise undergraduate research, and to provide quality classroom instruction for both graduate and undergraduate courses. Typical teaching load is two courses per semester. The successful candidate will be expected to teach courses in cognitive psychology, decision-making, memory, and research methods at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The Department has a shared laboratory space with facilities and equipment to support current scientists exploring genetic and endocrine contributions to behavior that would be available to new faculty. Candidates would also have access to the OSU brain initiative https://tulsa.okstate.edu/braininitiative, and growing interdisciplinary neuroscience program at OSU.

The Department has 25 full-time faculty and offers Ph.D.s in experimental psychology and clinical psychology. The clinical program, continuously APA-accredited since 1971, is based on the Clinical Science model of training and is a member of the Academy of Clinical Sciences and both APA and PCSAS accredited. The Department offers training to a diverse graduate and undergraduate student body (30% minority enrollment) of approximately 60 doctoral students and 900 undergraduate majors. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Department website at http://psychology.okstate.edu.

OSU is located in Stillwater, OK, an environmentally clean, safe, pleasant city of 45,000 located in north central Oklahoma, approximately 70 miles from both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Stillwater public schools are frequently rated among the best in Oklahoma, and the city has excellent affordable housing.

For full consideration, application materials must be received by October 15, 2021. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. It is anticipated that interviewing will begin in late November or early December. Applications should include a cover letter indicating research and teaching interests, vita, reprints/preprints, research statement, summary of course evaluations/evidence of teaching excellence, and three letters of recommendation. The application portfolio, compiled as a single PDF file, should be uploaded to the application portal at [INSERT INTERFOLIO LINK].  Please direct questions to Shelia Kennison, Chair, Human Cognition Search Committee, Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Psychology Building, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064; (405) 744-7335; shelia.kennison@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University, as an equal opportunity employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action.  Oklahoma State University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate based on race, religion, age, sex, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or veteran status with regard to employment, educational programs and activities, and/or admissions. Position is contingent upon available funding. For more information, visit https:///eeo.okstate.edu.

 

Qualifications

Candidates must have a strong background and research expertise in human cognition, broadly defined (e.g., decision-making, computational modeling, applied cognitive, cognitive development, memory, and cognitive neuroscience). Candidates are expected to have a strong background in and dedication to scholarly activity, and to interact well with colleagues and students. They must also demonstrate the capacity to maintain a high-quality research program leading to scholarly productivity in the form of professional publications, presentations, and grantsmanship.

Application Instructions

For full consideration, application materials must be received by October 15, 2021. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. It is anticipated that interviewing will begin in late November or early December. Applications should include a cover letter indicating research and teaching interests, vita, reprints/preprints, research statement, summary of course evaluations/evidence of teaching excellence, and three letters of recommendation. The application portfolio, compiled as a single PDF file, should be uploaded to the application portal at [INSERT INTERFOLIO LINK].  Please direct questions to Shelia Kennison, Chair, Human Cognition Search Committee, Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Psychology Building, Stillwater, OK 74078-3064; (405) 744-7335; shelia.kennison@okstate.edu

See full advert here

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs seeking Assistant Professor of Developmental or Social Psychology

The Psychology Department at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) is seeking applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor with background in Developmental or Social Psychology beginning August 2022. Area of specialization is open, but candidates with expertise in diversity, prejudice, cultural psychology, psychology and law, or researchers with an applied focus are especially encouraged to apply. The department has existing strengths covering comprehensive sub-disciplines of psychology. We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Candidates must have a PhD in developmental or social psychology, or a related field, and demonstrated potential for excellence in research and teaching.

Responsibilities include teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate-level courses in the candidate’s area of specialization; teaching core psychology survey courses and seminar courses; supervising student research activities, theses and dissertations; and maintaining an active and productive program of empirical research.

The psychology faculty are committed to excellence in teaching and research, with the expectation that faculty maintain a productive program of research with a commitment to obtain external funding. The Psychology Department currently offers a BA in Psychology, MA programs in Psychological Science (with subplans in Cognition, Geropsychology, Trauma, and Developmental) and Clinical Psychology (with subplans in Trauma and Geropsychology), and a PhD in Clinical Psychology (with tracks in Geropsychology and in Trauma Psychology). More info can be found at https://psychology.uccs.edu/.

This position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What We Offer:

Salary Range: Generally starting at $71,500 to $75,000

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, and a tuition benefit. Information on university benefits programs, including eligibility, is located at http://www.cu.edu/employee-services. Total compensation goes beyond the value on the paycheck.  Please consider reviewing the Total Compensation page at Total Compensation Calculators | University of Colorado.

Tentative Search Timeline:

  • The priority date for applications is October 3, 2021.
  • The potential dates for interviews will begin in October/November 2021.
  • The potential employee start date is August 2022.

See full advert here

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs seeks Assistant Professor of Quantitative Psychology

The Psychology Department at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) is seeking applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor with expertise in Quantitative Psychology beginning August 2022. The department has existing strengths covering comprehensive sub-disciplines of psychology.

Candidates must have a PhD in quantitative psychology or a different sub-field of psychology with advanced quantitative expertise and demonstrated potential for excellence in research and teaching. The specific area of research specialization is open, whether their PhD is in quantitative psychology, a different sub-field of psychology, or allied field with knowledge of methodology used in the discipline of psychology.

Responsibilities include teaching a variety of undergraduate and graduate-level courses in research methodology and statistics including contemporary advanced methodologies (e.g., longitudinal methods and analysis, methods for understanding cultural group differences, SEM, nonlinear modeling, etc.); teaching core psychology survey courses and seminar courses; supervising student research activities, theses and dissertations; consulting with students and faculty on statistics and methodology and maintaining an active and productive program of empirical research.

This position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Who We Are: 

The psychology faculty are committed to excellence in teaching and research, with the expectation that faculty maintain a productive program of research with a commitment to obtain external funding. The Psychology Department currently offers a BA in Psychology, MA programs in Psychological Science (with specialty tracks in Cognition and Developmental) and Clinical Psychology (with specialty tracks in Trauma and Geropsychology), and a PhD in Clinical Psychology (with tracks in Geropsychology and in Trauma Psychology). More info can be found at https://psychology.uccs.edu/. We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. Therefore, the department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching, and/or service.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system and is home to over 9,500 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students.

Colorado Springs (pop. 450K+) is situated at the base of Pikes Peak, offers many recreational and cultural activities and was recently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top Best Places to Live in the U.S.

What We Offer: 

Salary Range: Generally starting at $72,000 – $75,000 per academic year

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, and a tuition benefit. Information on university benefits programs, including eligibility, is located at http://www.cu.edu/employee-services. Total compensation goes beyond the value on the paycheck.  Please consider reviewing the Total Compensation page at Total Compensation Calculators | University of Colorado.

Tentative Search Timeline:  

  • The priority deadline is September 16, 2021.
  • The potential dates for interviews will begin in September/October 2021.
  • The potential employee start date is August 2022.

See full advert here

Duke Kunshan University (DKU) Invites Applications for Faculty Position in Evolutionary Anthropology

Duke Kunshan University (DKU) invites applications to a faculty position in evolutionary anthropology, beginning in the academic year 2022-2023. We seek a candidate working at the intersection of psychology and biology, who is eager to contribute to our new interdisciplinary major in Behavioral Science. We encourage especially candidates capable of teaching classes in the comparative analysis of behavior, evolution, evolutionary and population genetics, or physiology. We are open with regard to a candidate’s research focus. Our interest includes but is not limited to scholars studying cultural evolution, evolutionary psychology, human evolutionary genetics, cognitive development and evolution, evolutionary neuroscience, primatology and human behavioral ecology. This position is open with regard to rank, including tenured, tenure track and non-tenure track. Mid-career and senior faculty are especially encouraged to apply.

As an international intellectual community that encourages diversity, openness and creative learning, DKU welcomes outstanding faculty from around the world who contribute diverse perspectives and experiences to a global learning and research environment. DKU particularly welcomes applications from underrepresented groups and minorities.

In order to meet Chinese visa requirements, prior to the position start date international (non-Chinese) candidates must have worked full-time (work experience obtained while studying full-time is not considered as full-time work experience) for at least two years in a relevant area (including post-doctoral work) after receiving their Bachelor’s degree, or begin their appointment at DKU within 12 months of obtaining their master’s degree/Ph.D. and without having work experience between graduation date on master’s degree diploma/Ph.D. diploma and position start date.

DKU is a collaborative partnership of Duke University, Wuhan University and the Municipality of Kunshan, China (https://dukekunshan.edu.cn/). Our campus provides an innovative and robustly interdisciplinary undergraduate liberal arts experience to a student body that will number 2000 students and 150+ faculty, with an acceptance rate of <8% and a student body represented by over 60 countries. We also offer a discrete number of Master’s level graduate programs. The DKU pedagogical model draws on the best of Duke’s educational experience and resources to reimagine undergraduate instruction on an intimate campus setting.

Similar to the best liberal arts colleges in the United States, DKU values dedication to teaching excellence in a liberal arts environment, as well as a strong commitment to successful scholarly engagement and research. This includes research with undergraduate students. As a whole, the Duke Kunshan faculty will have strong commitments to teaching and research, and outstanding quality in both areas will be highly valued.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree or equivalent in a relevant field. Research experience at a postdoctoral level (or greater) and teaching experience are desirable, as is experience working in an interdisciplinary setting. Applicants should provide a cover letter including a clear statement of the candidate’s specific interest in DKU, a curriculum vitae, a research statement, a teaching statement, and three reference letters. All materials should be submitted through Academic Jobs Online: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/19343. The search committee also invites and encourages letters of nomination for potential candidates. Nominations and questions about the positions may be sent to integrated-science-search@dukekunshan.edu.cn using “Evolutionary Anthropology” as the subject line. Priority will be given to applications received by October 15, 2021; we will accept applications until the positions are filled.

The DKU campus is 37 miles west of Shanghai in Kunshan, and is connected to Shanghai via an 18-minute high-speed train and a subway-light rail train system. DKU provides internationally competitive compensation, housing allowance, child education benefits (for applicable faculty positions), and a discretionary fund or start-up package.

Postdoc Fellow for the Geography of Philosophy Project at UCLA

The Geography of Philosophy Project (https://www.geographyofphilosophy.com/) is seeking a postdoctoral research fellow to work with Professor Clark Barrett in the UCLA Department of Anthropology, for a period of one year. The start date for the position is October 1, 2021 or as soon as the position is filled.

Submit applications here: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF06748

The Geography of Philosophy project seeks to understand diversity and universality in philosophical concepts around the world—particularly in the concepts of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. We are studying these concepts empirically using a mixed-methods, comparative approach spanning ten countries and multiple languages. Our methods are diverse and include focus groups, structured interviews, surveys, and experimental techniques. The structure of the project is collaborative, involving local research teams in ten countries, and experts from across the social sciences and humanities. The PIs on the project are Clark Barrett (Anthropology, UCLA), Edouard Machery (History and Philosophy of Science, Pitt), and Stephen Stich (Philosophy and Cognitive Science, Rutgers). The project is funded by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/).

The project is entering its final year of funding, and we are beginning our final wave of data collection. The postdoc position at UCLA will involve analyzing results from these studies, collaborating in designing and running follow-up studies, co-authoring papers and edited volumes, and helping to administer the grant at UCLA. The postdoc will be housed in UCLA’s Department of Anthropology, a large, four-field department with a thriving community of diverse academic interests, including the Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture (http://www.bec.ucla.edu/), the Center for Language, Interaction and Culture (https://clic.ss.ucla.edu/), the Mind, Medicine and Culture group (http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/mmac/index.html), and connections to many other departments and units across campus.

Our project is explicitly interdisciplinary and experimental, and as such candidates from diverse fields are eligible, including Anthropology, Psychology, Philosophy, Linguistics, and Cognitive Science. Candidates with strengths in statistical analysis, design and interpretation of cross-cultural studies, and familiarity with literatures in cross-cultural cognitive science are particularly encouraged.

Informal inquiries from potential applicants are welcome at hclarkbarrett@gmail.com. Feel free to get in touch if you’re curious about the position and have questions about your fit for the position, responsibilities, etc. Formal application materials should include a CV, cover letter with statement of research interests and experience, contact information for three references, and up to three publications. Applications will be considered on a rotating basis until the position is filled. Full advert here.

All qualified applicants will receive full consideration without regard to race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. Women and underrepresented minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please circulate this announcement widely. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Variant Bio is seeking full-time researcher/scientist

Variant Bio is seeking a researcher/scientist to fill a full time position on our global partnerships team.

Company Description

Variant Bio is a Seattle-based startup that is developing therapies to improve global health by studying the genes of people who are outliers for medically relevant traits. Variant Bio was started because we believe that human genetics has the power to transform drug development. To facilitate this, we have built proprietary genomics and phenotyping platforms that allow us to dramatically reduce the cost of genomic studies and identify genetically-validated targets for therapeutic development.

All of our studies are co-designed with local partners: community groups, academics, and hospitals around the world. We built Variant Bio from the ground up with ethics at its foundation. We recognize the contribution of our partners through an industry leading benefit-sharing program that dedicates 4% of our revenue and equity value to support local healthcare, sustainable development, education, research, and capacity-building initiatives.

Variant Bio is an equal opportunity employer that guarantees a work environment that respects and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Job Description

We are looking for a scientist with international field experience who will support expanding the scope and scale of our research collaborations around the world. We are looking for creative thinkers who can contribute to an early startup in project identification, design, execution, and data interpretation. The ideal candidate is a scientist (we will consider applicants spanning a broad range of backgrounds, e.g. anthropologist, biologist, human geographer) who is willing to learn how to manage a research project partnership from the ground up, and can step into the role of managing projects themselves. This position will report to the Head of Partnership Development.

Alignment with our ethical principles and effective communication in different cultural settings is a must. The candidate is passionate about human adaptation and variation, health, and genetics and is not intimidated by constant research and learning. The candidate will advise on, design, and support projects covering South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Our current projects cover areas of positive adaptation to various environmental conditions and their health implications, as well as disease-focused research on kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Responsibilities

Identify populations with unique genetic architectures or phenotypes in areas of unmet medical need.
Create scientific hypotheses and design population or cohort-based genomics studies.
Identify and set up collaborations around the world for human subjects studies, partnering with academic researchers, hospitals, biobanks, and local communities.
Work closely with ethicists and cultural anthropologists to co-design the studies together with partner communities.
Establish and cultivate relationships with partners and partner communities.
Design and negotiate contracts with partners and service providers, apply for human subjects ethical approval, and coordinate international logistics for project execution.
Develop and supervise local genotyping and phenotyping campaigns, often “in the field.”
Effectively communicate scientific results to local researchers, community members, and at scientific conferences.
Contribute to scientific publications.

Qualifications

Ability to leave your ego at the door and wear multiple hats in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
Post-secondary degree in biological anthropology, genetics, evolutionary biology, public health, epidemiology, or equivalent. Ph.D. a plus, but not a requirement.
Conceptual understanding of the principles of adaptation by natural selection.
Experience creating and executing field-based human subjects research projects, preferably outside of North America and Europe.
Well-connected and active in the public health or evolutionary/genetic anthropology field.
Strong people skills and ability to manage multiple, international partner relationships.
Understanding and appreciation for differences in global business norms and practices.
Independent, creative, detail-orientated, and a critical thinker.
Strong writing skills are a must.
Disease area, public health, genetics or human adaptation expertise is an advantage.
Compelled by the company’s mission of great science, a strong ethical stance, and benefit sharing.

Perks

Opportunity to be part of an early-stage startup entering a rapid growth phase.
Competitive, industry leading salary, and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability and life insurance.
401(k) plan that includes an automatic 3% employer contribution.
Centrally located Eastlake, Seattle location in a new Alexandria building with modern facilities, including a gym.

Please email your resume and a cover letter highlighting your background and relevant skills to hiring@variantbio.com with the subject line “RE: Scientist – Genetic Research Partnerships.”

Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies Opening at University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies

The University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies (JSLS) invites applications for a full-time tenure-track social scientist position at the rank of Assistant Professor for the 2022-23 academic year. Although ABDs will be considered, the successful candidate must have completed a Ph.D. in social psychology (or other related subfield of psychology), anthropology, sociology, or a related field, by August 16, 2022.

JSLS is a collaborative, inclusive community of scholars in anthropology, economics, history, literature, philosophy, politics, social psychology and religion. We seek applicants who study, or have the potential and desire to study, leadership by drawing on their disciplinary expertise to inform their work. We are particularly interested in candidates whose demonstrated teaching and/or scholarly interests focus on the theoretical and empirical analysis of group and intergroup processes.

Applicants should have the potential and desire to teach in an interdisciplinary undergraduate liberal arts environment. The successful candidate will be expected to teach elective courses related to their disciplinary training and to contribute to the curriculum by teaching such required courses as Leadership and the Social Sciences, Quantitative Social Science, and Theories and Models of Leadership. In their cover letter, candidates should demonstrate how their scholarly and teaching interests connect, or have the potential to connect, to leadership, broadly construed. (See http://jepson.richmond.edu/ for more information.)

The University of Richmond is a private university located just a short drive from downtown Richmond, Virginia. Through its five schools and wide array of campus programming, the University combines the best qualities of a small liberal arts college and a large university. With nearly 4,000 students, an 8:1 student-faculty ratio, and 90% of undergraduate students living on campus, the University is student-centered, focused on preparing students “to live lives of purpose, thoughtful inquiry, and responsible leadership in a global and pluralistic society.”

The University of Richmond is committed to developing a diverse workforce and student body, and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of difference in ways that promote excellence in teaching, learning, personal development, and institutional success. Our academic community strongly encourages applications that are in keeping with this commitment.

Applicants should apply online at http://jobs.richmond.edu and submit a curriculum vitae, cover letter, and three statements with regard to (1) potential for contributions to inclusivity, equity, and diversity at the University and in the field; (2) teaching and mentoring; and (3) research and scholarship. See the following descriptions:

Statement #1: Describe potential contributions to the goals of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Richmond (see Making Excellence Inclusive at UR) and in the field, including relevant knowledge and understanding, track record, and future plans. Statement may address contributions via research, teaching and mentoring, and/or service.

Through their teaching, mentoring, research, and/or service activities, excellent applicants will demonstrate personal and professional awareness of, experience with, and support for actions and initiatives that promote the success and well-being of students from marginalized and/or underrepresented social, ethnic, and identity groups.

Statement #2: Describe teaching and mentoring philosophy, practices, experience, and future plans.

Excellent applicants will demonstrate potential to effectively teach elective courses related to their disciplinary training and to contribute to the Jepson curriculum (e.g., Leadership and the Social Sciences, Quantitative Social Science, and Theories and Models of Leadership), using demonstrably effective and inclusive teaching practices. Excellent applicants will demonstrate potential for mentoring undergraduates in their research program and for advising and mentoring students.

Statement #3: Describe research program, outcomes, feasibility of research involving undergraduates at UR, and future plans.

Excellent applicants will demonstrate potential for sustaining a high-quality program of research in their research field and contributing to the study of leadership.

Candidates for this position may be asked, at a later date, to provide the names and contact information for three references who will be asked to submit letters of recommendation. Review of applications will commence August 16, 2021. Phone or Zoom interviews will be conducted in September. Campus visits are anticipated for finalists in October-November.

Prof Bridget Waller Seeking 3-yr Funded PhD Student on Facial Expressivity Project

We are seeking applications for a 3-year full-time PhD student to work on human facial expressivity and social relationships.

The PhD will be supervised by Professor Bridget Waller as part of ERC Consolidator Project FACEDIFF ‘Individual differences in facial expressivity: Social function, facial anatomy and evolutionary origins’. FACEDIFF is a five-year project examining individual differences in facial expressivity and how this is related to social network size and success at social interaction in humans and macaques.
Communicating with others via the face is crucial for navigating our social world. Deficits in facial expression production can have debilitating effects on social interaction. Despite this, we know surprisingly little about individual differences in facial expressivity in the typical population, what causes these differences and whether such differences impact on individual lives. In part, this could be due to an historical focus on the universal nature of facial expression, assigning individual difference to random ‘noise’, rather than an evolutionarily relevant characteristic. The FACEDIFF project will diverge from this classic approach and test the novel hypothesis that individual differences in facial expressivity equip individuals’ differentially to engage with their social environment:expressivity has a benefit (social engagement) but also a cost (over-exposure and thus risk of being cheated by others) and is related to the size and quality of an individual’s social network. FACEDIFF will combine psychological, anatomical and cross-species methods to provide the first thorough interdisciplinary investigation of individual differences.

The advertised position will be situated within the FACEDIFF project with the strand of research focussed on human facial expression, social interaction and social networks. The PhD student will work within a larger interdisciplinary team with an overarching plan to investigate the relationship between variation in facial muscles and the quality of social bonds with others. The successful PhD candidate will conduct laboratory based behavioural experiments at Nottingham Trent University in which pairs of participants (friends or strangers) take part in dyadic and individual tasks (e.g. cold pressor test: emerge their hands in water of varying temperatures to induce mild pain and stress). Behavioural and physiological measures will be recorded. The goal is to monitor how variation in facial muscle-use affects facial communication and emotional recognition during these tasks, and how this affects social dynamics during social interaction.

Candidates with prior experience conducting experimental research in humans, and those with a strong interest in social, behavioural or comparative/evolutionary psychology are preferred. Training and support in some specific research skills such as social network analysis and FACS (Facial Action Coding System) will be provided, but the successful candidate will need to have a demonstrable interest in standard quantitative approaches to experimental data.

Enquiries
Please contact Professor Bridget Waller via email (bridget.waller@ntu.ac.uk) for informal discussions in advance of applying. Also, please see www.FACEDIFF.co.uk for more information about the overarching project. Any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Qualifications
Entrants must have an excellent academic record, with an undergraduate degree in psychology, behavioural science or related field. A master’s degree in a relevant field (or equivalent research experience) would be preferred, and experience of experimental social research with humans is essential.

Funding
The PhD will be funded by European Research Council Consolidator Grant FACEDIFF ‘Individual differences in facial expressivity: Social function, facial anatomy and evolutionary origins’ awarded to Bridget Waller. Funding will be provided for tuition fees, stipend for three years andresearch/conference expenses. Ideal start date October 2021, but this is negotiable.

How to apply
Please apply via the following link* (application deadline – 09/07/2021, expiry time 11:59 pm):
*Please include a short proposal for the PhD outlining how you would tackle theresearch questions posed in the brief. Your proposal should focus on the goals and general methodology rather than precise details. The word limit stated in the application page is 1500 words which should include your reference list and timeline.

Interview details
Interviews will take place from w/c 19th July 2021

ECR Funded 2-yr Post-Doc at Peace Research Institute Oslo

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) invites applications for a two-year, full-time Postdoc position in human coalitional aggression within the project Adapted to War (AWAR), funded by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant).

The position provides an opportunity to work in a leading international research institute, located in Norway’s capital city, as part of an interdisciplinary project on human aggression.

Summary of AWAR

Have humans evolved psychological adaptations to coalitional aggression or small-scale war? This question has generated major scientific debate involving anthropologists, archaeologists, economists, primatologists, psychologists, and political scientists. If humans are adapted to war, then human psychology must be equipped with specialized adaptations designed for the effective navigation of war: planning, executing, and defending against coalitional attacks. AWAR probes the existence of such adaptations. It focuses, specifically, on coalitional formidability assessment mechanisms, which likely helped ancestral humans to avoid costly fights. AWAR also explores contemporary implications of coalitional formidability assessment mechanisms: if they indeed exist, do they shape our attitudes and behavior today, particularly in the context of modern political violence (e.g., violent protests or civil conflicts)?

The Postdoc’s role in the team

The project’s core team will consist of Postdoc 1 (psychologist/cognitive scientist; expected expertise: evolutionary psychology and information-processing/computational models), Postdoc 2 (psychologist/cognitive scientist; expected expertise: cognitive experiments), and Principal Investigator (PI), Henrikas Bartusevičius (political scientist; expertise: the psychology of political violence).

This vacancy concerns Postdoc 1, whose responsibilities will be as follows:

  • Collaborating with PI in theorizing an information-processing/computational model of a psychological mechanisms regulating coalitional aggression (i.e., the coalitional formidability assessment mechanism);
  • Collaborating with Postdoc 2 and PI in designing experiments to probe the existence and design features of the theorized coalitional formidability assessment mechanism;
  • Contributing to conducting and analyzing cognitive lab experiments;
  • Writing journal articles in collaboration with Postdoc 2 and PI.

The application must be submitted in English via online application system no later than 1 June 2021. The application must include:

  1. An application letter (1–2 pages) addressing the required and desired qualifications as listed above. Please briefly describe your relevant experience and qualifications for each of the 9 qualifications listed above (if you do not have experience/qualifications pertaining to one or more of the qualifications listed above, just say so).
  2. A statement (1–2 pages) on how your qualifications will contribute to implementing WP1 (in particular) and WP2 of the project.
  3. One or two papers that you consider as your best work. This work, preferably but not mandatorily, should demonstrate the qualifications as listed above. Single- or first-authored work carries greater weight. You are welcome to submit unpublished manuscripts, as long as you consider them as demonstrating the highest quality of your research and the qualifications listed above.
  4. A CV in English, which must include a list of publications.
  5. Scanned copies of original transcripts/certificates from higher education, in one PDF file.

The project offers a degree of flexibility with respect to candidates’ research during the project. Therefore, the applicants are welcome, but are not required, to suggest (in Attachment 2) research ideas that could be integrated into WP1 and WP2 of AWAR.

Read the full advert here.