Postdoctoral Positions / Graduate Opportunities

Le laboratoire Cogité, dirigée par la professeure Isabelle Blanchette est à la recherche d’un·e stagiaire postdoctoral·e.

Présentation du projet

Ce stage postdoctoral s’effectuera dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche qui explore le lien entre trauma et cognition. Une étude longitudinale est en cours qui examine de façon prospective si la survenue d’événements potentiellement traumatiques impacte certaines fonctions cognitives incluant la mémoire de travail, l’attention et le raisonnement. L’étude mesure aussi l’effet de différences cognitives et psychophysiologiques préexistantes sur les trajectoires suite à l’exposition traumatique. Des cohortes universitaires, de premier·e·s répondant·e·s et de participant·e·s tout-venant sont suivies sur une période de cinq ans pour examiner ces questions. Le stage consistera principalement en l’analyse de données déjà collectées.

Conditions

Traitement : salaire annualisé 45 000$
Contrat de 35h/semaine, un an, renouvelable une fois.

L’équipe fait partie du Centre de recherche CERVO (https://cervo.ulaval.ca). Le CERVO regroupe une soixantaine de chercheur·es dirigeant des équipes de recherche totalisant plus de 400 personnes, offrant une expertise multidisciplinaire, allant de la biophysique membranaire à l’intervention sociale, en passant par la psychologie et la cognition. Les espaces de recherche du CERVO incluent l’accès à un ensemble de techniques spécialisées (traquage oculaire, psychophysiologie, EEG, TMS).

Tâches

Les principales tâches du/de la stagiaire seront :

- Traitement et analyse de données comportementales et psychophysiologiques;
- Rédaction d’articles scientifiques;
- Soutien à l’encadrement d’étudiant·e·s de premier cycle et de cycles supérieurs;
- Gestion des auxiliaires de recherche travaillant sur le projet;
- Organisation de collectes de données et mise en place des actions visant la rétention des participants;
- Développement d’études expérimentales parallèles à l’étude longitudinale.

Qualifications

- PhD dans un domaine pertinent (psychologie, neurosciences, etc.);
- Excellentes connaissances en psychologie expérimentale, préférablement avec une expertise dans le domaine de la cognition et/ou des émotions;
- Expertise et autonomie dans le traitement et l’analyse de données; maîtrise des logiciels pertinents (Jamovi, R, Matlab ou Python);
- Connaissance de techniques statistiques avancées (modèles linéaire mixtes, analyses trajectoires, modèles autorégressifs croisés, etc.) un atout;
- Expérience dans l’analyse de données psychophysiologiques un atout;
- Excellentes habiletés de rédaction scientifique, en anglais comme en français;
- Bonnes capacités d’organisation et aptitude à travailler de façon indépendante;
- Aptitudes pour le travail d’équipe et habiletés nécessaires pour participer à l’encadrement d’étudiant·es.

Pour postuler

Veuillez envoyer une lettre de présentation ainsi qu’un CV, exemples (2 ou 3) de vos publications scientifiques et les coordonnées de deux personnes référence (en un seul document pdf) à l’adresse suivante : Isabelle.blanchette@psy.ulaval.ca

Les citoyens de tous les pays sont éligibles pour le poste, suivant l’obtention des visas nécessaires.

Les candidatures seront évaluées à partir du 1 er avril 2022 jusqu’à ce que le poste soit comblé. La date d’entrée en fonction souhaitée est le 1er septembre 2022.

The Cogité research team, headed by professor Isabelle Blanchette at Université Laval (Québec city), is hoping to recruit a postdoctoral researcher

Project

This postdoctoral fellowship will be part of a research project that explores the link between trauma and cognition. A longitudinal study is underway that prospectively examines whether the occurrence of potentially traumatic events impacts certain cognitive functions including working memory, attention and reasoning. The study also measures the effect of pre-existing cognitive and psychophysiological differences on trajectories following traumatic exposure. Cohorts of university students, first respondents and participants from the general population are monitored over a period of five years to examine these issues. The internship will mainly involve analyzing data already collected.

Conditions

Annual salary 45 000$CA
35h/week for one year, renewable once.

Main Tasks

- Data analysis
- Manuscript preparation
- Management of ongoing data collection & research assistants
- Supervision and support of undergraduate and graduate students
- Develop and carry out experimental studies in line with longitudinal work

Qualifications

- PhD in relevant domain (psychology, neuroscience, etc.)
- Background in experimental psychology, ideally with knowledge of cognition and/or emotion
- Strong statistical skills, including ability to work with relevant data processing and analysis software such as R, Jamovi, Matlab or Python
- Experience with advanced statistical techniques (linear mixed effects models, cross lagged models, etc.)
- Excellent writing skills
- Conversational level in French (or willingness to learn) an asset
- Demonstrated resourcefulness, adaptability and ability to work independently and solve problems
- Ability to work as part of team and mentor students

Description of Université Laval and Québec city

Université Laval was founded in 1852 and is among the top ten research universities in Canada (8th in 2018). It welcomes 43 000 students across 17 faculties and more than 60 departments, schools and institutes.

Université Laval welcomes nearly 43,000 students in 17 faculties and more than 60 departments, schools and institutes. Founded in 1852, it is the oldest French-language institution of higher education in America and the sixth oldest university in Canada. Université Laval now ranks 8th among the largest research universities in the country with $375M in research funding. The School of Psychology brings together researchers working in diverse fields: neuroscience, clinical psychology, basic and applied cognitive psychology, social psychology.

The team is part of the CERVO Research Centre (https://cervo.ulaval.ca). CERVO brings together about sixty PIs and more than 400 people, offering multidisciplinary expertise, ranging from membrane biophysics to social intervention, psychology and cognition. CERVO's research spaces include access to specialized equipment in neuroscience (eye tracking, psychophysiology, MRI, EEG).

Québec city is one of the oldest cities in North America. It is the second largest city in the province of Québec, with a population of 530 000. 94% of the population is French speaking. It is one of the safest cities in the world with a very low crime rate. Stepped in history and culture, it is visited by nearly five million tourists each year. The city is very festive and boasts a dynamic cultural scene. There are numerous museums and historical sites, including the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Musée de la Civilisation, la Citadelle de Québec and the Château Frontenac. Québec city provides easy access to nature and sports facilities, including 315km of cycling paths, 200km of walking/hiking trails.

Application

Interested candidates should send a statement of interest, a CV, examples of publications (max 3) and the names and details of two references (in one pdf document) to: isabelle.blanchette@psy.ulaval.ca.

Citizens of all countries are eligible, upon obtaining the required visas.

Review of applications will begin 1st April 2022 and will continue until position is filled. Expected start date is Sept 2022.

POSTDOC POSITION 1:

Research program title: The mapping between linguistic and conceptual representations
Reference number:  32022
Supervisor:  Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University

Program description:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the mapping between linguistic and conceptual representations, employing a variety of experimental techniques. Projects include the representation of verb meaning, visual word recognition, category-specific semantic deficits, and the mapping between words and objects, as well as between sentences and events/dynamic scenes. Candidates should have a strong background in cognitive science and expertise in behavioral and/or neuroimaging techniques employed in psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience. Candidates with experience conducting research with clinical populations (e.g., aphasia, agnosia) are also encouraged to apply.

For ongoing projects in the lab please see https://psycholinguistics.weebly.com/

This position is supported by grants from SSHRC and NSERC. The position is for one year with the possibility of renewal. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2022. Starting date: flexible but no later than August 31, 2022.

Requirements and instructions for applying are provided below and are similar for both positions. Candidates should make sure to include the reference number in the application materials and provide the application number to referees.

POSTDOC POSITION 2:

Research program title: The neurocognitive bases of semantic and pragmatic composition
Reference number:  10002b
Supervisor:  Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University

Program description:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the comprehension of sentences that are either ‘indeterminate' or are deemed ‘figurative', and thus may require contextual enrichment. The projects employ diverse behavioural and neuro-imaging techniques as well as computational modelling. Ideally the candidate will have theoretical background in cognitive science with emphasis on semantics/pragmatics and with experimental work in brain-imaging/recording (fMRI, ERP) techniques.

Experience with computational modeling involving Recurrent  Neural Networks (RNN) is an asset. Other resources (e.g., clinical populations, MEG, eye-tracking) are also available at Concordia or other institutions in the Montreal area.

 Academic qualifications required:

 PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, or other Cognitive Science related field.

 Horizon Postdoctoral Fellow Eligibility requirements:

 • Applicants must not currently hold a postdoctoral appointment at Concordia

 • Priority will be given to postdoctoral fellows who have obtained their PhD from another university although in exceptional cases Concordia graduates may be considered

 • Applicants must adhere to the postdoctoral fellow eligibility criteria outlined in Concordia University’s Postdoctoral Policy

Timeline:

Applications will be reviewed starting February 15 and will continue until the position is filled; starting date is flexible, preferably in the Spring or early Summer 2022; however, following the fellowship rules, the Horizon Postdoctoral Fellow must start their appointment by August 31, 2022.

Value:

The prestigious two-year Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $50,000 per year plus benefits and full access to Concordia’s services, including GradProSkills.

https://www.concordia.ca/sgs/postdoctoral-fellows/funding/horizon/descriptions/10002.html

Submission process for both positions:

• All documents must be submitted to Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application (10002b) or (32022)

• Please include the reference number with your application

Application checklist for both positions:

• One to three (1-3) page research statement demonstrating fit with one of the programs described above

• Current curriculum vitae demonstrating research excellence and a capacity for leadership in the domain (maximum 5 pages)

• Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or current employers to be sent via e-mail directly to: Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application reference ((32022) or (10002b))
 

Concordia University is a vibrant research and teaching environment, with state-of-the-art research facilities and many research centers. Concordia is located in Montreal, Canada, a diverse and creative city, often ranked as offering one of the best quality of living experiences in North America. Concordia University is committed to Employment Equity and encourages applications from women, Aboriginal Peoples, visible minorities, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.

The McGill Infant Speech Perception lab and the Neuropragmatics and Emotion lab at McGill University are searching for a creative scientist to help spearhead a SSHRC-funded research project on the role of affect in infant development.  This postdoctoral researcher will collaborate on a full-time basis with Dr. Linda Polka and Dr. Marc Pell to understand how infants process affective messages.  The core project involves recording parent-infant interactions sessions and gathering requisite perceptual and facial movement data (using Baby FaceReader) to index affective messages. This is an opportunity to play a key role in generating a unique set of research materials and developing new testing methods to explore the broader role of affect in infant development.  The chosen candidate will play a leading role in experimental design and setup, participant testing, data analyses, trainee supervision, and study oversight and will participate actively in the dissemination of the research (preparation of journal articles, conference presentations).

Qualifications: PhD in Psychology (or related field) with interest in developing research expertise in caregiver-infant interaction, human facial expressive behavior and/or face processing; 2) strong leadership, technical, and written communication skills in English 3) previous experience involving developmental populations and/or conducting facial movement analysis (e.g., FACS) is an asset.

This position does not involve classroom teaching, but the candidate will help to provide research training through organized workshops (e.g., to members of the Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music) and by co-supervising undergraduate and/or graduate research trainees working on the project. 

This 2-year position offers independence as well as important opportunities for collaboration in the school and as a member of the McGill Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (www.crblm.ca). Starting date is flexible but projected for September 1, 2022.

 Candidates should provide a CV demonstrating evidence of research productivity, a one page statement of outlining their research expertise and intent, and names of two individuals who would be willing to provide a letter of recommendation (with their contact information).

McGill University is situated in the heart of Montréal, Canada, a vibrant city and the metropolis of Québec.   Language, and neuroscience are both strategic research priorities at McGill which has gained an enviable reputation in this domain.   For information about postdoctoral studies at McGill, see www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdocs

Inquiries should be sent directly to Dr. Linda Polka (linda.polka@mcgill.ca).

Dr. Jonathan Cannon is seeking experimentally- and computationally-oriented graduate students for a new research group studying timing and rhythm in the brain, starting at McMaster University in Canada in July 2022. The successful applicant(s) will help to launch a project exploring the neurophysiological and algorithmic roots of human entrainment to musical rhythm. Depending on their interests, students may take on aspects of the project including timing psychophysics, EEG, fMRI, and design of complex rhythmic stimuli, and/or work with and develop computational models of rhythm perception including continuous-time Bayesian filters and recurrent neural networks. The group will be affiliated with McMaster’s Institute for Music and the Mind (mimm.mcmaster.ca), and students may have opportunities to collaborate with other rhythm researchers at McMaster, across Ontario, and internationally.

The ideas underpinning the project are described in this recent talk from ICMPC 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut104v38yJQ. Further neurophysiological detail is discussed in a 2021 Trends in Cognitive Science article (official link, full text also available here), and the accompanying algorithmic perspective is described in a 2021 PLOS Computational Biology article. 

General information on the McMaster Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, & Behaviour graduate program and links to application instructions can be found at: science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/.  

Specific questions beyond those addressed on this page should be directed to Dr. Jonathan Cannon (jcannon@mcmaster.ca). Please include a CV with your inquiry.

Gordon Pennycook’s Behavioral Science Lab at the Hill/Levene Schools of Business (University of Regina) and David Rand’s Human Cooperation Lab at the Sloan School of Management (MIT) are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to begin summer 2022 (or sooner), for two years (with the possibility of extending, depending on funding). Fellows will design and run research studies, analyze data, prepare publications, etc. The grant, which is funded by the John Templeton Foundation, focuses on understanding why beliefs (and confidence) varies so much across people. The successful applicant will be physically housed at the UofR (with allowances for work-from-home arrangements), but there will be substantial intellectual integration across the two labs (e.g. weekly joint lab meetings, research visits to the other location when appropriate, etc.).

Potential assets for applicants include experience with lab/online experiments, strong writing skills, and knowledge of fields such as judgment and decision-making, cognitive psychology, social psychology, and/or political psychology.

Ideal candidates would be creative, independent, articulate, and deeply engaged in questions related to human decision-making (or associated topics). Funds for conducting experiments will be available to the fellow, as well as the many opportunities for outside collaboration. Our lab culture aims to advance our scientific understanding by fostering open discussion and debate, and rewarding originality and vision. Compensation is $60,000 (CAD) per year with support for equipment and travel.

Individuals with a Ph.D., or those expecting to complete their Ph.D. by summer 2022, are encouraged to apply. We will begin to evaluate applications on October 31st and will continue to review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. If you are interested, please apply – no need to email inquiring as to whether the position is still available!

Please send a CV, statement of interest (two pages max), and up to 3 reprints/preprints to: pennycook.behscilab@gmail.com. Also, list up to 3 referees but do not send reference letters. We will contact referees for shortlisted candidates.  

The University of Regina is committed to an inclusive workplace that reflects the richness of the community that we serve. The University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the University's employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, aboriginal persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation, and all groups protected by the Human Rights Code. MIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and underrepresented minorities.

Research program title: The neurocognitive bases of semantic and pragmatic composition
Reference number:  10002
Supervisor:  Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University

Program description:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the comprehension of sentences that are either ‘indeterminate' or are deemed ‘figurative', and thus may require contextual enrichment. The projects employ diverse behavioural and neuro-imaging techniques as well as computational modeling. Ideally the candidate will have theoretical background in cognitive science with emphasis on semantics/pragmatics and with experimental work in brain-imaging/recording (fMRI, ERP) techniques.

Experience with computational modeling involving Recurrent  Neural Networks (RNN) is an asset. Other resources (e.g., clinical populations, MEG) are also available at Concordia or other institutions in the Montreal area.

Academic qualifications required:

PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, or other Cognitive Science related field.

Eligibility requirements:

• Applicants must not currently hold a postdoctoral appointment at Concordia
• Priority will be given to postdoctoral fellows who have obtained their PhD from another university although in exceptional cases Concordia graduates may be considered
• Applicants must adhere to the postdoctoral fellow eligibility criteria outlined in Concordia University’s Postdoctoral Policy

Timeline:

Applications will be reviewed starting September 1, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled; starting date is flexible, preferably in the Fall of 2021; however, following the fellowship rules, the Postdoctoral Fellow must start their appointment by August 31, 2022.

Submission process:

• All documents must be submitted to Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application (10002)
• Please include the reference number with your application

Application checklist:

• One to three (1-3) page research statement demonstrating fit with the program described above  
• Current curriculum vitae demonstrating research excellence and a capacity for leadership in the domain (maximum 5 pages)
• Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or current employers to be sent via e-mail directly to: Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application (10002) reference

Value:

The prestigious two-year Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $50,000 per year plus benefits and full access to Concordia’s services, including GradProSkills.

Concordia University is a vibrant research and teaching environment, with state-of-the-art research facilities and many research centers. Concordia is located in Montreal, Canada, a diverse and creative city, often ranked as offering one of the best quality of living experiences in North America. Concordia University is committed to Employment Equity and encourages applications from women, Aboriginal Peoples, visible minorities, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.

https://www.concordia.ca/sgs/postdoctoral-fellows/funding/horizon/descriptions/10002.html

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral researcher position at McGill University in Québec, Canada. The postdoctoral researcher will be supervised by Adam K. Dubé, Director of the Technology, Learning, & Cognition Lab (mcgill.ca/tlc), in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology. The initial appointment will be for one year, but may be renewed for a second year based on performance and interest.

The TLC lab is comprised of a diverse group of international scholars studying educational technology broadly (e.g., game-based learning, children’s interactions with digital assistants, 3D printing,)and mathematical cognition. This work is done with leading industry partners from both Montreal (Ubisoft, Ululab) and abroad (StarFall, ZapZap Math).

Substantive Focus and Responsibilities
The research program will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of math apps designed for children 5-10yrs of age by: 

• investigating the creative context in which math apps are made by studying how app developers’ personal pedagogies and the development process shape the math apps children use; 
• studying the home context in which math apps are chosen by parents and used by children; 
• studying the school context in which math apps are chosen and used by teachers.

Ideally, the postdoctoral researcher will focus on the creative context of the project but will also conduct research in the other context areas. Educational apps outside mathematics can be studied, based on the applicant’s interest. 

Full Job Posting: http://bit.ly/TLCpostdoc

The Cognitive Science Laboratory at the University of Manitoba invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to help develop and test computational models of cognition and memory in relation to knowledge representation and decision making.

The position will be full time with an initial appointment of 1 year and possibility of renewal. Salary will be $40,000/year plus benefits according to University of Manitoba guidelines. Start date is flexible.

Applicants must have a PhD in cognitive psychology or cognitive science.  The preferred candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Experience and skills in computational modelling of cognitive and memorial processes
• Experience and skills in experimental design and online data collection
• Strong writing skills
• An interest in instance/exemplar-based approaches to understanding cognition

Interested individuals can apply by emailing a cover letter, CV, copies of relevant publications, and contact information for two referees.  Applications and/or questions can be emailed to Randy Jamieson at randy.jamieson@umanitoba.ca.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Randall K. Jamieson, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Laboratory website: https://umcognitivesciencelaboratory.weebly.com

The University of Manitoba is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from women, racialized persons, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of all sexual orientations and genders, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

The Quantum Neuroscience research group at the University of Waterloo, Canada is seeking an outstanding applicant for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship with experience in electrophysiology and molecular neuroscience.

Motivated by growing interest in the possibility that quantum effects may be at play in neuroscience, the University of Waterloo Quantum Neuroscience research group is aiming to find experimental evidence of novel quantum effects across established mammalian models used in experimental neuroscience. Specifically, the project will focus on studying the effects lithium isotopes may have on the electrophysiological activity of rodent-derived brain tissue. The demonstration of a lithium isotope effect in brain activity will be of great interest in helping to shed light on its mode of action. Of particular interest, a lithium isotope effect on animal behaviour was previously reported by Sechzer et al. [DOI:10.1016/0006-3223(86)90308-2] and, more recently, by Ettenberg et al. [DOI:10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172875]. In addition, the Waterloo Team recently obtained experimental evidence for a lithium isotope effect on electrical responses of rodent brain tissue. The post-doctoral fellow will extend this work using electrophysiology and other biochemical and biophysical methods.

The Waterloo Quantum Neuroscience research team consists of four faculty members: Zoya Leonenko, Michel Gingras, John Mielke and Michael Beazely and 12 undergraduate and graduate students. The team adopts an interdisciplinary approach that brings together expertise in theoretical physics, experimental biophysics, molecular pharmacology and neuroscience. The Waterloo team is part of the International Quantum Brain Network and works on this project in collaboration with Matthew Fisher at the University of California at Santa Barbara and four other research laboratories and is funded by an industrial pharmaceutical partner.

As a part of this project, we are seeking a post-doctoral level scientist with the following key characteristics and skills:
- neuroscience-related, or biophysics doctoral degree
- demonstrated expertise in the recording of field potentials (ideally, using multi-electrode arrays)
- demonstrated research excellence in publications and presentations
- well-developed ability to write in English
- strong ability to work effectively within an inter-disciplinary team (involving biologists, physicists, and trainees at all levels)
- detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
- expertise with statistical tools typically used in biophysics and medical science
- training in basic molecular biology techniques (such as Western blotting) is a plus

Expected duties and responsibilities:
a) design and execute experiments
b) work with team members to identify experimental goals and the research plans needed to reach these targets
c) use a multi-electrode array (MED64) to perform field recording experiments from tissue slices acutely prepared from rodent brain
d) analyze and present data, prepare written reports, and manuscript drafts
e) analyze and present data for regular lab meetings
f) present results (in poster, or oral form) at scientific meetings
g) mentor junior trainees
h) serve as a role model for junior-level trainees by providing constructive feedback and maintaining a friendly disposition

The position is initially for a 12-month appointment, with the possibility of renewal for up to three years, depending on performance. Applications will be considered until a suitable applicant is found. The start date can be as early as May 1, 2021.

To apply, please send a cover letter (2 pages maximum), a CV (including your education, scientific skills, your research experience and list of publications) and contact information for at least three senior researchers familiar with your research credentials and expertise who could provide a letter of reference on your behalf.

Please send your application by email to: qneuro.uwaterloo@gmail.com with subject line: PDF Applicant QNeuro; Last name, First name.