Junior/Assistant Specialist - Piantadosi and Xu Lab

Position overview
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table for the current salary scale for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/july-2024-scales/t24-b.pdf A reasonable estimate for this position is $53,100-$61,300.

Percent time: 100%

Position duration: 1 year with the possibility of renewal

Application Window
Open date: November 17, 2024

Next review date: Sunday, Dec 1, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for a Junior or Assistant Specialist in the Piantadosi and Xu Labs. The position will report to Professor Steven Piantadosi. Under the guidance of the PIs and other researchers, the Junior/Assistant specialist will support a large NSF study investigating the core cognitive mechanisms involved in the development of arithmetic, probability, and intuitive statistics. The project looks at the mathematical development in two groups of people who live in diverse cultures, specifically the San Francisco Bay Area and an indigenous Amazonian group in the Beni region of Bolivia. This comparative method will allow us to investigate how mathematical abilities arise with and without formal schooling.

The Junior/Assistant Specialist will play a vital role in conducting and analyzing new research studies, and would be involved in regular trips to Bolivia with a group of lab team members to assist with research on indigenous communities. Spanish language proficiency is essential to facilitate efficient communication with collaborators and participants during fieldwork.

Responsibilities for the position will include research-related activities, such as:

• Assisting the PI with coordination of research trips to conduct fieldwork with an indigenous Amazonian community in Bolivia
• Facilitating behavioral experiments with children and adults in the Bay Area as well as Bolivia
• Acting as liaison between the PIs, postdocs, research assistants, and Bolivian collaborators; the incumbent will be the primary person to communicate interim research updates and to coordinate trip details between members of the team.
• Incumbent will assist with the recruiting, and training undergraduate assistants
• Coordinating lab member scheduling and meetings
• Helping to handle research expenses (i.e., helping coordinate payment for study stimuli, participants, and research dissemination)
• Designing and creating experimental stimuli
• Assisting the PI with data analysis and manuscript preparation
• Translating consent forms form English to Spanish
• Maintaining lab manuals and other lab resources
• Preparing applications for human subjects approval

Conviction History Background
This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Mandated Reporter
This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter required to report the observed or suspected abuse or neglect of children, dependent adults, or elders to designated law enforcement or social service agencies. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon completion of signed statements acknowledging the responsibilities of a Mandated Reporter.

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree) or currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree) program.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree)

Preferred qualifications

• 1+ years of research experience involving human participants
• Spanish language proficiency
• Previous experience working with children in a research context
• Excellent organizational skills, especially the ability to coordinate annual research trips to Bolivia
• Ability to work in a collaborative setting and communicate effectively with members of the laboratory, parents, and collaborators
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Previous experience with the design, implementation, and analysis of developmental psychology experiments
• Strong quantitative skills (i.e. experience with programming, statistics, and experimental design)

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample
• Programming sample or GitHub page (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 2-4 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04610

Help contact: dreamartinez@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location
Berkeley, CA


To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04610