Applicants should submit their application materials to Dr. Alexandra Rosati ([email protected]). Please include:
- A cover letter of up to two pages describing research interests and goals; prior research experience; and suitability for the position (see https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/cognitive-evolution/ for up-to-date information about our research themes)
- A curriculum vitae
- Copies of up to two representative publications or other written work (such as published conference proceedings or manuscripts in preparation that can be shared)
- Contact information for at least two references who are able to provide letters of recommendation.
Any questions about the positions or application process can also be addressed to Dr. Rosati.
The Cognitive Evolution Group, led by Dr. Alexandra Rosati at the University of Michigan, invites applications for a postdoctoral research fellow in primate cognition and behavior. This position allows for flexible opportunities to work on research topics including decision-making, social cognition, comparative development, and/or relationships between cognition and behavior depending on the candidate's interests and skillset. There are opportunities to work with several semi-free-ranging primate populations including monkeys and apes, as well as with existing cognitive and behavioral datasets.
The postdoctoral fellow will work closely with a team of students and collaborators, including colleagues studying wild primates. Fellows should be well-versed in comparative cognition, including experience designing and coding behavioral experiments with nonhumans, and have experience working in field settings or an interest in gaining these skills. Additional relevant skills could include experience with observational behavioral methods with animals; experience working with and analyzing large behavioral datasets; experience with biosampling methods; and/or Spanish or French language skills. We welcome applicants from diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds, especially those with a strong record of research on primate cognition and behavior. Applicants are expected to have met all doctoral requirements before the start of the fellowship.
- Oversight of work at field sites; travel to off-campus (domestic and/or international) research sites
- Planning studies and executing data collection with nonhuman primates, including cognitive experiments, behavioral observations, and/or biosample collection
- Management of large cognitive and behavioral datasets, and overseeing statistical analyses of this data
- Overseeing and working collaborative with a diverse team including graduate students, undergraduates, and staff, including coordination with domestic and international collaborators
- Presenting scientific research at conferences and writing up material for scientific publications
- Designing and implementing educational outreach locally at field research sites
- PhD in psychology, anthropology, biology, or related field
- Experience conducting cognitive or behavioral research with animals or humans; experience with non-human primates is preferred
- Willingness to work under field conditions; some prior experience in field settings is preferred for proposed projects where this is a core component of the research plan
- Knowledge or willingness to learn management techniques for large datasets; statistical analysis skills (e.g., multilevel modeling); and relevant statistical analysis programs (e.g., R)
- Strong communication and leadership skills, including working as part of a diverse team
- Proficiency in written and spoken English
The positions will provide a salary starting at $53,000 per year and is benefits eligible. The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of extension for one or more years, dependent upon performance and availability of funding.
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from the posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. Review of applications will begin on August 12 on a rolling basis and will continue until the position is filled, with a prospective start date between September 2024 and January 2025.
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
