The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence plans to hire a postdoctoral associate to work on a project examining adolescents’ unpleasant social experiences on Facebook, including cyberbullying (PIs: Zorana Ivcevic Pringle and Marc Brackett). The postdoctoral position will begin on or before June 1, 2013 as a one-year appointment with renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and availability of funding.
Interested applicants should submit via email a cover letter and CV, one or more writing samples, and a minimum of two letters of reference to: Marina Ebert at marina.ebert@yale.edu. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and considered until the position is filled. Please make “2013 Postdoctoral Application: Facebook” the subject line of your email. Details and requirements of the position follow.
The project will study adolescents’ unpleasant social experiences on Facebook and address three broad sets of questions: (1) What is the frequency of negative experiences, including both photos and posts?; (2) What is the nature (or content) of these experiences?; and (3) How do negative experiences influence adolescents’ behavior on Facebook? The postdoctoral associate will be responsible for identifying specific research questions within the described goals, analyzing data, and reporting the findings in research publications and scholarly presentations.
The postdoctoral associate will primarily contribute expertise on research methodology and data analysis. Ideal candidates will have a Ph.D. in psychology, education, research methodology/statistics or a related field, as well as training and expertise in working with large data sets. Knowledge of adolescent social development is a plus. Application materials should list candidates’ expertise in statistics (e.g., advanced data analytic procedures, statistics software knowledge, and experience with large data sets). In addition to excellent quantitative data analysis skills, experience with qualitative data is desirable. Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work on a team are essential.
About the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
As psychologists and practitioners at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (formerly the Health, Emotion, and Behavior Laboratory), we are dedicated to transforming education through programs that develop the social and emotional skills of children and adults. For over 25 years, Center researchers have developed and tested theories showing that the skills individuals have for recognizing, understanding and managing their emotions and behavior matter across the domains of their lives. Through our core activities of research and dissemination, program development, and educator training, we give students, teachers, school leaders, and family members a repertoire of social and emotional skills that enhance self- and social awareness, build empathy, and improve decision-making abilities in ways consistent with creating mutually supportive and compassionate relationships. Every day we teach people of all ages — from preschoolers to CEOs — the skills they need to build healthy relationships, make sound decisions, and perform at their best. This work provides a blueprint for schools to make emotions central to all aspects of learning in ways that help children to achieve more academically, establish supportive relationships, resolve conflict productively, adopt behaviors that promote their well-being, and thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive society. For more information on the Center, please visit www.yale-ei.org.
Postdoctoral associates at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence engage in a program of structured mentoring activities with the goal of developing the skills, knowledge, and experience to excel in their independent research and academic careers. The mentoring program includes an orientation and weekly one-on-one meetings with one or more of the Center’s directors to discuss mutual expectations; project-related questions, successes, and challenges; progress in relation to career goals; as well as career options and opportunities for networking with various colleagues, collaborators, and former students of the PI and co-PIs. Yale’s Psychology Department offers colloquia, seminars, and workshops on cutting-edge research, career paths in academia, identifying funding opportunities, writing competitive proposals, and other relevant topics. Postdocs have the opportunity to gain valuable scientific writing experience in the Center by contributing to and receiving guidance and training on preparing grant proposals, manuscripts to scientific journals, and presentations at conferences. Yale also offers several courses to faculty and staff in project management roles, covering topics such as conducting interviews, communicating clearly and assertively, and dealing with conflict and confrontation.