Research Scholar

at  Vanderbilt University

The Research Scholar is part of the Communication and Language Lab (CaLL), a psychology research laboratory within the Department of Psychology and Human Development in Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. The Research Scholar will oversee multiple large and ongoing longitudinal research projects in the CaLL. For the Reading Habits project, responsibilities include project management, maintaining outreach relationships, administering behavioral tests, data management, coding, analysis, training and supervising undergraduate and graduate research assistants, scholarly writing and publication, conference presentations, as well as various administrative duties and assisting with reports. Any work on other projects include the same responsibilities and the added responsibilities of cross-departmental collaboration, pursuing additional grant funding to support ongoing project development, conceptualizing project development, and creating stimuli. Lastly, the Research Scholar will also oversee sndergraduate students’ Honors Thesis projects conducted in the lab.
This is a full-time position. The position reports to the Laboratory Director.
About the Work Unit :
The Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University is a group of scholars who work to increase understanding of basic psychological functioning and neuropsychological development in various contexts. The department offers a doctoral degree in Psychological Sciences jointly with the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Science, with concentrations in clinical science, cognitive and cognitive neuroscience, developmental science, neuroscience, and quantitative methods. The department also offers master’s degrees in child studies and quantitative methods as well as undergraduate majors in child development and cognitive studies. The department maintains strong collaborative ties with various units on campus including the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, the Kennedy Center for Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Special Education and the Department of Teaching and Learning.
At the Comuncation and Language Lab, we are focused on the cognitive mechanisms that underlie communication and language ( https://www.thecommunicationandlanguagelab.com/ ).

QUALIFICATIONS

• A PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary .
• Experience in coordinating behavioral research studies involving adult participants is necessary .
• Experience with computer software including media, office, database and statistical applications is necessary .
• Ability to conduct complex statistical analyses of psychometric data is necessary .
• Willingness to work some evenings and weekends is necessary .
• Experience supervising research assistants is necessary .
• Experience administering standardized and/or experimental psychometric testing is necessary .
• Experience in institutional review board processes is necessary .
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication, as well as public speaking skillsDemonstrated ability to work effectively with multiple people as part of a collaborative team

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• PARTICIPANT RELATIONS AND OUTREACH: Scheduling and consenting participants, maintaining through breaks in data collection, contributing to the disseminate of our work through community events and communications.
• COMMUNITY AND ACADEMIC PARTNER RELATIONS AND COORDINATION: Maintaining relations with community partners and coordinating their support of participant recruitment. Ensuring that advisory board(s) are kept appraised of project activities.
• ADMINISTERING COGNITIVE TESTING : Administering experiments as well as cognitive ability and achievement testing. Requires use of standard protocols to administer psychometric measures and use of specialized computer software to collect behavioral data. May require the development of assessments with specialized computer software.
• DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS: Data scoring and entry, data management, data coding, and data quality checks.
• SUPERVISING RESEARCH ASSISTANTS: Hiring new assistants, training and coordinating assistants that aid in various lab duties, such as collecting and coding data.
• RESEARCH DISSEMINATION: Preparing and presenting posters and talks at academic conferences and in the community. Writing manuscripts for publication and managing revision process.
• ASSISTING WITH REPORTS: Helping with periodic review reports for Institutional Review Board and for granting agencies. Participating in preparing research papers for presentation and publication.
• PURSUING GRANT FUNDING: Search and applying for research grant funding, and managing budgets if/when secured.
• MENTORING HONORS STUDENTS: Mentoring students in project planning, implementation, data analysis, and thesis writing.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville , Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice through:

• Working and growing together as a community of communities… we are One Vanderbilt .
• Providing a work environment where every staff and faculty member can be their authentic and best self , while providing the resources and opportunities to learn and grow.
• Encouraging development, collaboration, and partnership both internally and externally while fostering the value that every member of the Vanderbilt community can lead and grow regardless of title or position