Postdoc Position in Social Sciences

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Applications are invited for a two-year postdoctoral position in the laboratory of Dr. Xin Xie (https://sites.uci.edu/sclab/), in the Department of Language Science at the University of California, Irvine. The position is funded through an NIH award (NIH R01HD111936): Identifying the mechanisms of adaptive speech perception, with the Co-PI Dr. Chigusa Kurumada at the University of Rochester (https://kinderlab.bcs.rochester.edu/).

The successful candidate will work with Drs. Xie and Kurumada on experimental and computational studies of the adaptive perception of non-native accented speech. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive model of adaptive speech perception and to test model-generated predictions on human perceptual data.

Expected performance
• Take leading roles in research, including
o Manipulate natural audio recordings and construct speech stimuli
o Set up experiments using the in-lab and on-line testing paradigms
o Supervise graduate students and undergraduate research assistants
o Oversee various aspects of the project under the guidance of the PIs
• Build, train, and test various computational models within the team’s ASP (Adaptive Speech Perception) framework. (Necessary training will be provided)
• Publish papers in the field of speech sciences, neuroscience or psycholinguistics
• Possibility of developing individual projects and applying for external grants.

Qualifications and training
• PhD in cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, or a related field
• Publication record that includes first-author publications in the field of speech sciences
• Substantial training and experience in experimental and/or computational approaches to human speech perception
• Strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python)

Preferred Education, Skills, and Experiences:
• Expertise in the literature and theories of speech perception and/or production
• Proficiency with acoustic processing and analysis tools

We are an interdisciplinary team bridging two institutions. The postdoc will have access to several research, mentoring, and training opportunities from the following institutions:
• Center for Hearing Research at University of California, Irvine
• Center of Language Sciences at the University of Rochester (https://www.sas.rochester.edu/cls/).

Application
Applications should include: a current curriculum vitae, a cover letter describing research interests and experience, and contact information for 2-3 references. Applications will be considered until the positions are filled.

Contact
Application materials should be sent through XXXXXX. Informal questions and inquiries may also be directed to Dr. Xie by email (xxie14@uci.edu).

PhD in cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, language science or a related field
• Publication record that includes first-author publications in the field of speech sciences
• Substantial training and experience in experimental and/or computational approaches to human speech perception
• Strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python)

• 3 required (contact information only)

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

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.