Recruit

Dr. Steve Luck with Center for Mind & Brain at the University of California, Davis seeks to fill a full-time position at the Assistant Project Scientist level starting in the Fall of 2024. The successful candidate will work on research projects that examine attention, working memory, affect, and schizophrenia using advanced behavioral methods, multivariate EEG analysis methods, and computational modeling methods. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience with multivariate pattern analysis of EEG data, neural network models, and advanced statistical analysis methods.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

1) RESEARCH (85% Effort)

Research activity (60%)
This position requires creative contributions to Dr. Luck’s program of research. This can be divided into the following specific activities:
A. The design and programming of experimental paradigms for basic science research in the areas of affect, attention, and working memory and for translational research on schizophrenia across a broad range of perceptual, affective, and cognitive processes.
B. Data collection (behavioral, eye tracking, and EEG data). This mainly involves training and supervising individuals who are collecting the data, but it may occasionally involve performing the data collection directly.
C. Data analysis (behavioral, eye tracking, and EEG data). This involves applying standard and advanced signal processing and analysis methods, including independent component analysis, multivariate pattern classification, and representational similarity analysis. It also involves training and supervising other individuals as they perform the more basic steps of the analysis. It may occasionally involve analyzing other data modalities (e.g., fMRI).
D. Computational modeling. This involves implementing neural network modeling code from other researchers on our hardware, making modest modifications to the models, and training the models with new data.
E. Statistical analysis. This involves applying standard GLM methods and more advanced methods, including multilevel modeling and multivariate analysis methods (e.g., factor analysis).
F. Refinement and improvement of existing analysis methods, both to apply these methods to the Luck lab’s research and to make these methods available to other researchers via the Luck lab’s software development and training efforts.
G. Training and supervision. This includes training junior laboratory staff (e.g., undergraduate students) to collect data and to perform basic analyses (e.g., EEG preprocessing) and supervising them in these tasks. It also includes training senior laboratory staff on more advanced methods.

Publication (20%)
The appointee will publish research in peer-reviewed journals either independently or in collaboration with Dr. Luck or other members of the research team.

Grant Acquisition (5%)
The appointee will assist in writing proposals for funding from federal and state agencies and other funding organizations. The appointee will prepare and assist in the preparation of reports as required by granting agencies and prepare modifications of budgets and other grant components as needed.

2) PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY (10% Effort)
The candidate will participate in professional societies and conferences appropriate to his/her specific field and will serve as a reviewer of research proposals and scientific publications as appropriate. The candidate will attend seminars to present research results and may give oral presentations to public and professional interest groups. When appropriate, the candidate may coordinate and/or give presentations at seminars, training workshops, laboratory meetings, or educational functions.

3) UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (5% Effort)
The candidate will engage in public outreach activities that include presenting scientific research results to the general public and providing relevant advice to individuals and public agencies. The candidate will engage in University service activities such as guest lecturing and committee service. Teaching classroom courses is not an expectation of this position.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Psychology or related field and at least 2 years of postdoctoral research experience
• At least 2 years of experience collecting EEG data
• At least 4 years of experience programming psychological tasks using a general-purpose programming language (e.g., Matlab, Python)
• At least 4 years of experience with standard EEG/ERP processing and analysis methods
• At least 2 years of experience applying multivariate pattern analysis techniques (both decoding and representational similarity analysis) to electrophysiological data
• At least 1 year of experience implementing and training neural network models
• Extensive knowledge of statistical methods, including multilevel modeling and factor analysis
• A significant track record of training and supervising junior laboratory staff
• Excellent scientific writing skills in English
• A substantial track record of first-authored peer-reviewed publications in the area of human electrophysiology

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience with translational research on major mental illnesses
• Good knowledge of the scientific literature in the areas of affect and cognition
• Excellent Matlab programming skills and experience
• Significant experience with the EEGLAB and ERPLAB software packages

Questions: Please direct questions to:
ycpersonnel@ucdavis.edu

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We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

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