University of Warwick UK: Chair + 3 Asst Professor posts

Assistant Professor

£36,862 to £40,280 pa

One fixed term contact for 4 years and two Permanent

You will contribute to the department’s research and teaching; the Professor/Head of Department will also demonstrate strong academic leadership.

As Assistant Professor you will have a doctorate in Psychology or a related subject, an excellent research and publication record for your career stage, and the potential to attract appropriate research funding. As Professor/Head of Department you will also have a record of attracting research funding and experience of academic leadership at a senior level.

An application form must be completed if you wish to be considered for this post.

Minicom users can call 024 7615 0554 if they require any further help.

Please quote job vacancy reference number 71093-041.

Closing date: 24 May 2011

Web link: https://secure.admin.warwick.ac.uk/webjobs/jobs/academic/job26492.html

University of Cambridge research assistant post

Research Assistant

Salary: £23,661-£26,629 pa

INSTRUCT Lab: Young Children's Reasoning about Everyday Chemistry

Applications are invited for a Research Assistant to work on a three-year project that is aimed specifically at exploring how young children reason about everyday chemistry, by integrating cognitive psychology paradigms with education and chemistry approaches, and aims to explore children's knowledge of how substances mix prior to systematic chemistry instruction. Children's chemistry understanding is usually studied in a qualitative manner, leading to an impression of fairly late emerging knowledge. Instead, this project will use quantitative and largely non-verbal, cognitive psychology methods because of their effectiveness at uncovering early understanding in other areas. The aim is to learn about children's natural approach to chemical phenomena before instruction.

Appointment to this post will be subject to an enhanced CRB disclosure.

Informal enquiries should be directed to the project supervisor Dr Michelle Ellefson (mre33@cam.ac.uk).

Further details and application procedure are available below.

Limit of tenure: Post available for up to 30 months

Quote Reference: JR08090

Closing Date: 23 May 2011

Further Particulars: http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/about/jobs/applications/INSTRUCTFP.pdf

More info: http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/about/jobs/#INSTRUCT

2 One-Year Positions at Ryerson

The Department of Psychology at Ryerson University (www.ryerson.ca/psychology) invites applications for 2 Limited Term (one-year) faculty appointments at the Assistant Professor rank effective August 1st, 2011. The core areas that we wish to address with these positions are in Adult Development and Child Development and thus teaching experience in either of these areas is essential. Additional courses will include Introduction to Psychology. Exceptional applicants with related interests are also encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate should provide evidence of high-quality teaching, an emerging research profile and capacity for collegial service. Applicants should submit a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, two sample research publications, results of teaching surveys (or equivalent evidence such as a teaching dossier), and the names of 3 individuals who could be contacted for reference letters. A PhD in Psychology is required. Only those candidates selected for the short-list of consideration will be contacted for letters.

The Psychology Department has undergone extraordinary growth and diversification over the past 5 years with 23 new tenured or tenure-track faculty hires, 3 new degrees, 2 new certificates, and a new research laboratory centre devoted to science, health, and discovery. In 2010 we partnered with St. Michael’s Hospital to establish a Clinical Psychology Training Clinic and in late 2011 we are opening the Research Institute for Stress, Health, and Intervention (over 1 Million dollars committed for research tools and infrastructure). We are housed in the Faculty of Arts, an integral and thriving contributor to the education of approximately 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Ryerson University is located in the cosmopolitan core of Canada’s largest city, which is noted for its ethnic diversity and multiculturalism.

Please note that applications by fax or e-mail will not be accepted. Confidential inquiries can be directed to the Chair (chair@psych.ryerson.ca). Review of applications will begin May 2, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled. Applications should be sent to:

Chair, Department Appointments Committee

Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 2K3

Ryerson University is strongly committed to fostering diversity within our community. We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our faculty and its scholarship including, but not limited to, women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply but applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Ryerson Faculty Association (RFA). The RFA collective agreement can be viewed at: http://www.ryerson.ca/teaching/employment_resources/rfa.html. The RFA’s website can be found at: http://www.ryerson.ca/~rfa/. A summary of RFA benefits can be found at: http://www.ryerson.ca/hr/working/etoolkit/benefits/rfa/

Full Time Lab Manager/Research Assistant – Woodward Laboratory at the University of Chicago

Full Time Lab Manager/Research Assistant – Woodward Laboratory at the University of Chicago

The University of Chicago Infant Learning and Development Laboratory seeks a full time laboratory manager/research assistant beginning as early as July 1, 2011. Working both independently and with doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, the laboratory manager/research assistant will be responsible for conducting infant experimental procedures using eye-tracking methods and controlled behavioral paradigms, coding behavioral data using a digital coding interface, and managing and analyzing data. He or she will be responsible for interacting with families and infants who visit the lab, conducting informed consent and debriefing procedures, and following the laboratory's established human subjects procedures. He or she will also recruit, train and manage a small group of part time undergraduate research assistants.

This position is especially appropriate for candidates who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in developmental psychology. We seek candidates who are able to commit to spending at least 12 months in this position.

For more information about our lab, see http://woodwardlab.uchicago.edu/Home.html

Please apply on-line via the University of Chicago human resources website https://jobopportunities.uchicago.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/search/SearchResults_css.jsp -- Search for requisition number 086945.

Inquiries can be directed to Amanda Woodward (woodward@uchicago.edu) or Molly Clear (mclear@uchicago.edu).

BUCLD 36

THE 36th ANNUAL BOSTON UNIVERSITY
CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract submissions are now open

NOVEMBER 4-6, 2011

Keynote Speaker:
Sandra Waxman, Northwestern University
"What's in a word? Links between linguistic and conceptual organization in infants and
young children"

Plenary Speaker:
Cornelia Hamann, University of Oldenburg
"Bilingual development and language assessment"

Lunch Symposium: "Morphology in second language acquisition and processing"
Harald Clahsen, University of Essex/University of Potsdam
Holger Hopp, University of Mannheim
Donna Lardiere, Georgetown University
Silvina Montrul (organizer), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Submissions that present research on any topic in the fields of first and second language acquisition from any theoretical perspective will be fully considered. Eligible topics include: Bilingualism, Cognition and Language, Creoles and Pidgins,Dialects, Discourse and Narrative, Gesture, Hearing Impairment and Deafness, Input and Interaction, Language Disorders, Linguistic Theory, Neurolinguistics, Pragmatics,Pre-linguistic Development, Reading and Literacy, Signed Languages, Sociolinguistics, and Speech Perception and Production.

A suggested format and style for abstracts is available at:
http://www.bu.edu/bucld/abstracts/abstract-format/

We have begun accepting abstract submissions.
Please check http://www.bu.edu/bucld/ for a link to the submission form and any important updates.

DEADLINE: All submissions must be received by 8:00 PM EDT, May 15, 2011.

FURTHER INFORMATION
General conference information is available at:
http://www.bu.edu/bucld/
Boston University Conference on Language Development
96 Cummington Street, Room 244
Boston, MA 02215
U.S.A.
Questions about abstracts should be sent to abstract@bu.edu

Research Project Coordinator Position for Longitudinal Evaluation of an Early Childhood Intervention in Dublin, Ireland

College/Management Unit UCD College of Human Sciences

School/Unit UCD Geary Institute

Post Title & Subject Area (if relevant) Research Project Coordinator

Project Evaluation of the Preparing for Life early childhood intervention

Post Duration 2.5 years

Reports to Dr. Orla Doyle

Closing Date 15th May 2011

Apply Through UCD Website http://www.ucd.ie/hr/jobvacancies/

HR Reference No. 004514

HR Administrator Mark Leonard

Position Summary

Preparing for Life is a 5-year school readiness intervention operating in several designated disadvantaged areas of North Dublin. The Geary team is conducting an impact and process evaluation to assess the overall effectiveness of this programme which works with parents from the beginning of pregnancy until their children start school. The impact evaluation is being conducted using a longitudinal experimental design and collects data on parents, the home environment, and child development outcomes from birth through age 5. The process evaluation uses a multi-sequenced design which integrates focus group methods, qualitative analytical techniques and semi-structured interviews with programme staff and participating families. The evaluation began in 2008 and will continue through 2013.

We are seeking applications from motivated individuals with an interest in child development and developmental psychology to become the PFL Project Coordinator for two and a half years, starting as soon as possible. We are specifically seeking individuals who have previous experience working within and/or managing a research team and evidence of academic output. As a researcher on this project, you will engage with an international and interdisciplinary research team including Nobel laureate Professor James Heckman and world leading developmental psychologist, Professor Richard Tremblay, to conduct one of the first studies of this nature in Ireland.

Salary: €33,000-€37,000p.a

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Managing, with the PI, all aspects of this experimental evaluation, including an impact evaluation, process evaluation, an annual school readiness survey, and a service integration evaluation.
• Managing the day-to-day activities, fieldwork, and data management of the project, including organising project activities, producing output, database management and realising deadlines.
• Supervising, leading, and providing feedback to a team of three full-time research assistants and several research volunteers. Including training new research staff and planning, distributing, and supervising the workload of team members.
• Participating in survey design and programming.
• Performing data analysis and producing research reports, peer-reviewed publications and policy briefings.
• Contributing to research proposals and funding applications.
• Synthesizing research and presenting findings locally, nationally, and internationally to community members, funding bodies, and scientific communities.
• Engaging with an international and interdisciplinary research team.
• Engaging with communities and liaising with schools to manage an annual assessment of children’s skills.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory

• Candidates must have completed, or are close to completing, a Ph.D. in Psychology, Education, or a related field and/or have a postgraduate qualification with equivalent research experience (min 4 years).
• Candidates must have a strong and demonstrable knowledge of quantitative skills and/or qualitative research methods
• Experience of writing and publishing academic papers and reports
• Experience of presenting at national and/or international conference
• Demonstrable organisational skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Desirable

• Experience and/or training in conducting psychological assessments with young children
• Experience of managing a research team
• Experience of fieldwork and survey processes
• Experience of conducting structured and semi-structured interviews

Further Information for Candidates

Supplementary Information

The University: http://ww.ucd.ie/aboutucd.htm

The College/Management Unit: UCD College of Human Sciences http://www.ucd.ie/humansciences/index.html

The School/Programme Office/Unit: UCD Geary Institute http://geary.ucd.ie/

Other (Please specify): Preparing for Life website http://www.preparingforlife.ie

Evaluation of Preparing for Life website http://geary.ucd.ie/preparingforlife

Relocation Expenses: Will not apply

Informal Enquiries ONLY to:

Name: Dr. Orla Doyle

Title: Principal Investigator of the Evaluation of Preparing for Life

Email address: orla.doyle@ucd.ie

Telephone: +353 (01) 716 4637

Lab Manager @ Penn State

Human Research Technologist 1 (Lab Manager)

The Penn State CSD lab (PSU, University Park, PA), directed by Lynn Liben http://psych.la.psu.edu/LibenCSDlab/ seeks a full-time Lab Manager to start in late Spring or Summer 2011. This is a fixed-term appointment funded for one year with the possibility of reappointment on an annual basis.

The lab manager will coordinate and contribute to research activities of the CSD lab which involves research on cognitive and social development and on educational interventions (e.g., studies of children’s spatial concepts and map use; gender differences in skills and interests underlying STEM careers; effects of teaching children spatial or mapping skills). Studies may involve video observation of interactions, classroom tests, or interviews at the lab or off site (e.g., at schools or museums).

Responsibilities include activities related to data collection, coding, management, and analysis; preparation of research materials; scheduling and supervision of undergraduate students and participants; preparation and organization of material for human subjects review; participant recruitment via schools, families, or other settings; preparation of graphics and other reports; and, ideally, website management.

Candidates required to have: (1) associate’s degree or higher, a bachelor’s degree in psychology is preferred; (2) one or more years of research experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience; (3) experience working with children, parents, and schools; (4) the ability to work independently; (5) keen attention to detail; (6) excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Skills in SPSS, Word, and Excel are essential; programming or familiarity with one or more other packages (e.g., Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Survey Monkey, GIS) is advantageous.

Please email inquiries or applications to Dr. Lynn S. Liben, liben@psu.edu. Applicants should include a cover letter describing research experiences, career goals, and perceived fit with the CSD lab; a current resume/CV; an unofficial college transcript; and names and contact information of two or three people (faculty/research supervisors) who can comment on the applicant`s academic and research experience and skills.

We will begin reviewing applications on April 29, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled.

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce.

Jean Piaget Society

Please join us! Early registration ends on April 15th.

41st Annual Meeting of the Jean Piaget Society
Society for the Study of Knowledge & Development

In association with the Institute of Human Development, University of California, Berkeley

June 2–4, 2011, Berkeley, California, USA (Doubletree Marina Hotel)

The program theme for this year is: Cultural Supports for Developing Mathematical & Scientific Reasoning

Organizers: Rich Lehrer & Leona Schauble (Vanderbilt University)

As always, our general program for 2011 includes a wide variety of topics on knowledge and development.

You can register on-line at: www.piaget.org/Symposium/2011/register.html

See you in Berkeley!

PhD Student Position @ MPI

Minerva Research Group
Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Leipzig, Germany
Start date: October 2011

A PhD stipend is available in the Minerva research group of the Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, beginning in Fall, 2011. The successful candidate will work with Malinda Carpenter and Harriet Over conducting studies investigating young children’s connections with their social groups. We are currently investigating such topics as children’s identification and affiliation with their in-group members, children’s differential treatment of in- vs. out- group members, and children’s use of imitation in order to learn from and affiliate with others. In most of our work, we test young children (from 1-5 years of age) using active, behavioral measures such as imitation, helping, and communication but there will also be the opportunity to conduct studies using the research group’s eye-tracker. More information< about our research can be found online at http://www.eva.mpg.de/psycho/staff/carpenter.

The Minerva research group is contained within the lab of Michael Tomasello (see http://www.eva.mpg.de/psycho/index.php), and the successful candidate will also participate in the lab meetings and other activities of this lab.

Candidates will be expected to have (or soon obtain) a good degree in psychology or a closely related discipline. Candidates with experience with eye-tracking research are particularly welcome to apply. Preference will be given to applicants with excellent German and English language skills.

To apply, please send a vita, a statement of research interests (in English), and the names and email addresses of at least two potential referees to Malinda Carpenter at carpenter@eva.mpg.de. Informal inquiries regarding the position can be directed to Malinda Carpenter (carpenter@eva.mpg.de) or Harriet Over (harriet_over@eva.mpg.de).

The deadline for applications is June 1st.

Research Assistant Position @ Notre Dame

The Cognition Learning and Development Lab at the University of Notre Dame is seeking a Research Assistant to begin as soon as possible. Members of the lab study various aspects of cognitive development, with a primary focus on how children think, learn, and solve problems in the domain of mathematics. You can find out more about the lab by visiting our website: http://www.nd.edu/~nmcneil.

The position involves helping our team with all aspects of cognitive development research. Some duties include: recruiting research participants; interacting with children, families, and schools; helping to design mathematics lessons and activities for children; assisting with data collection in the lab and in schools; entering and coding data; maintaining databases; purchasing and upkeep of equipment.

We are especially interested in someone who is sociable, organized, detail-oriented, and resourceful. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team is a must. Preferred qualifications include: Degree in psychology, education, or mathematics; experience working with children; a commitment of 2-4 years; and strong technical and computer skills.

Salary is competitive, and benefits are included. To apply for the position, email (1) a cover letter describing your relevant experience and future goals; (2) your resume; and (3) the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of three references to: Nicole McNeil <nmcneil@nd.edu>. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Our goal is to fill the position before the end of May, and by August at the very latest.

Assistant Professor @ Iowa Wesleyan

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY: Iowa Wesleyan College, a four year liberal arts college in Mt. Pleasant, IA, invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track assistant professor position in psychology to begin August 2011. Although the specialty area in psychology is open, this position would ideally suit a psychologist with expertise in experimental psychology. Individuals with interests in social, cognitive, or developmental psychology are especially encouraged to apply. Primary focus is on teaching undergraduate psychology courses that may include general psychology, statistics, and research methods along with other courses in the candidate’s area of expertise. Ph.D. is required. The college is seeking an individual with a strong commitment to teaching, assessing outcomes, mentoring and advising students, and participating in the college community. Interested candidates should send a letter of application, current vitae, unofficial transcripts, and the names and addresses of three references to: Dr. Nancy L. Erickson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Iowa Wesleyan College, 601 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa 52641. Electronic applications are preferred: nericksn@iwc.edu.

Application review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. A background check is required of the successful candidate. Iowa Wesleyan College is an AA/EOE.