[CogSci] Hiring 2 postdocs in comparative cognition

[Erica Cartmill]

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Comparative Cognition, UCLA

The UCLA LING lab (www.linglab.ucla.edu<http://www.linglab.ucla.edu/>; PI Erica Cartmill) is seeking to hire two postdoctoral scholars, each for a period of two years.

Postdoc 1 - Ape Affect and Cognition: This position is part of a large multi-institutional project, “Joyful by nature: a comparative approach to the evolution and function of joy in intelligent species,” which is funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation. This is a great opportunity to join an international team integrating cognitive research on apes, dolphins, and parrots with philosophical scholarship on emotions. The postdoc will lead data collection on a series of cognitive studies with great apes and will coordinate/collaborate with study personnel at other institutions conducting comparative studies in kea and dolphins. Planned studies focus on chimpanzees and bonobos, but other primates could be involved if the candidate has experience with other species. To apply visit: https://tinyurl.com/ftw4e4cf

Postdoc 2 – Virtual Tool Use in Apes and Children: This position is part of a collaborative project with Josh Tenenbaum’s lab at MIT, “Exploring the role of compositionality and mechanism design in tool use,” which is funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation. The goal of the project is to explore and model the cognitive foundations of tool use in humans and other animals. The study will use a virtual touch screen platform that simulates objects interacting with real-world physics. The postdoc will help optimize the platform and will lead data collection with apes and children. To apply visit: https://tinyurl.com/yswrbtkm

Details: Both appointments will be for one year, with a second year contingent on performance. The positions can start as soon as desired. We would like the postdoctoral scholars to start on the projects before the summer, but there is some flexibility in start date.

Primate studies will be conducted in zoos and sanctuaries. Travel for data collection is required, but other work may be conducted remotely with occasional visits to UCLA. Salary range is based on current federal postdoctoral salary guidelines (https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/salary-cap-stipends).

Requirements: (1) a PhD in a relevant field (e.g., anthropology, psychology, zoology, biology, cognitive science), (2) background in experimental methods and quantitative analysis, (3) experience conducting studies with animals or young children. Candidates with experience running cognitive studies with apes and expertise in the study topics (affect/tool use) are especially encouraged to apply.

Informal inquiries from potential applicants should be sent to cartmill at ucla.edu. To apply, please submit the following as pdfs (1) a CV, (2) cover letter explaining your relevant research interests and experience, (3) contact information for two references, and (4) up to three publications. Applications will be considered on a rotating basis until the position is filled.

All qualified applicants will receive full consideration without regard to race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. Women and underrepresented minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please forward this announcement to colleagues who might be interested!


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Erica Cartmill
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
Department of Psychology
UCLA
Language Interaction & Gesture Lab
https://linglab.ucla.edu<https://linglab.ucla.edu/>

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