Research Associate in Cognitive Science and Biology Education – Northeastern University

I’m looking for an outstanding individual to fill a postdoctoral position on an NSF-funded project investigating relations between intuitive biological thought and formal learning of scientific biological concepts in university students and beyond. The project is a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between cognitive scientists (my CORE Lab—Conceptual Organization, Reasoning and Education Laboratory—at Northeastern University in Boston) and biologists doing discipline-based education research (Kimberly Tanner’s SEPAL—Science Education Partnership and Assessment Laboratory—at San Francisco State University).

I’m looking for a self-motivated, creative, curious individual with the following characteristics:

• A Ph.D. in cognitive, developmental, or educational psychology, cognitive science, learning science, or a related field,
• Excellent communication skills,
• A strong interest in developing excellence in translational, interdisciplinary scholarship and research at the intersection of cognitive science and STEM education,
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

The Postdoctoral Research Associate, along with PIs Coley and Tanner and an additional Postdoc at SFSU, will form the core of an interdisciplinary research team investigating linkages between intuitive biological thought, systematic misconceptions, and emerging expertise in the life sciences among undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. In addition, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will be encouraged to pursue other professional opportunities at Northeastern, including participating in the intellectual life of the Psychology Department, mentoring undergraduates in cognitive science research, and developing and pursuing related lines of independent research. Collaborative activities with closely allied NSF-funded projects such as the Evolving Minds project in Deb Kelemen’s Child Cognition Lab (Boston University) can be expected.

To Apply

To apply for the CORE Lab Postdoctoral Research Associate position, please submit the following to PI John Coley via email (j.coley@neu.edu):

• A letter explaining why you’re interested in the position, what you could contribute to the project, and what you hope to gain from the experience (no more than 2 pages),
• A current curriculum vitae,
• A statement of general research interests (no more than 2 pages and need not be specific to the projects described above), and
• Names of three professional references, including their current position, relationship to you, and phone and email contact information.

Application Review Timeline

Start date for the position is negotiable, although we’re looking for someone to start as soon as possible. We will review applications as we receive them, and will continue until the position is filled.