Postdoctoral Researcher


Position Overview

Highly motivated and innovative postdoctoral researcher sought to join Dr. Katie Hoemann at the University of Kansas Department of Psychology. The successful candidate will apply state-of-the-art natural language processing and other computational and quantitative techniques to unique multilingual and multimodal data sets, with the aim of uncovering how the language people use in daily life relates to emotions, behaviors, relationships, and well-being. See here for further details about primary and ongoing research projects.

This role involves project management, data analysis, and dissemination of findings through publications and conference presentations. The successful candidate will also prepare grant proposals, mentor (under)graduate students, and engage in ongoing professional development opportunities. The University of Kansas is a vibrant research community with growing opportunities for interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

This position will be a limited term positions for up to 2 years (through July 31, 2026), with additional years being contingent on funding.

The successful candidate must have appropriate authorization to work in the U.S. before employment begins.

Job Description

Job Duties

70% Independent and Collaborative Research
• Test research questions related to personal and lab interests.
• Conduct literature reviews to inform study design and hypothesis generation.
• Analyze research data using a variety of methodologies.
• Contribute to the preparation and submission of manuscripts for publication.

30% Participation in Lab Activities
• Communicate regularly with colleagues in formal and informal meetings.
• Stay up to date on relevant theoretical and methodological advancements.
• Aid in the preparation of IRB proposals and grant proposals (both internal and external).
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students involved in lab research activities.

Required Qualifications

1. Ph.D. in Psychology, Computer Science, Computational Linguistics, or a related field.
2. Expertise in advanced NLP, quantitative, and computational techniques.
3. Proficiency in analysis and/or software development using the Python and R environments.
4. Excellent written and oral communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
5. Record of scholarly publications in peer-reviewed journals/proceedings.
6. Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented research environment.

To be appointed at the Postdoctoral Researcher title, it is necessary to have the PhD conferred at the time of hire. Appointments made without a diploma or certified transcript indicating an earned doctorate are conditional hires and are appointed on an interim basis not to exceed 6 months. Upon verification of degree the appointment will be extended to its full duration.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research.
2. Experience with grant writing and securing external research funding.
3. Track record of conference presentations at national or international meetings.
4. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to mentor and guide junior researchers.
5. Interest in psychological language analysis and/or emotion research.
6. Familiarity with open science and/or team science techniques and initiatives.

Additional Candidate Instructions

Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) descriptions of work experience and educational experiences in letter of application, (2) record of accomplishments and productivity addressed in C.V., and (3) information provided from professional references.

Review of applications will begin March 29, 2024 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Contact Information to Applicants

Monica Biernat
biernat@ku.edu

Advertised Salary Range

50,000 minimum

Work Schedule

full time; 40 hours week; M-F

Application Review Begins

Friday March 29, 2024

Anticipated Start Date

Thursday August 1, 2024

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Posting Information

  • Posting ID:  27420BR
  • Department:  Psychology
  • Primary Campus:  University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
  • Assignment:  On-Site
  • Reg/Temp:  Regular
  • Employee Class:  U-Unclassified Professional Staff
  • Review Begins:  29-Mar-2024

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