Research Postdoctoral Fellow - Center for Autism Research

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A Brief Overview
Under the direction/guidance of a mentor (principal investigator), assumes responsibility for a specific, on-going research project. The experience will serve to extend, refine and enhance skills necessary for professional and career development, and will enable the individual to broaden his/her scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities. It is expected that this individual will conduct independent scholarly research, and will contribute directly to the overall research goals of the project and the research group.

This role will be expected to participate in project planning, recording and interpretation/evaluation of data, and communication of results. This position will also be expected to acquire technical, lab management, and manuscript/grant writing skills; and participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentations at national meetings. This role also may be required to supervise junior lab members, develop new methods and protocols for research, and assist with the development of other research projects in the lab.

The Center for Autism Research (CAR) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is recruiting a postdoctoral fellow to join our project focusing on innovative technologies to better understand social communication. Our NIH-supported fellowship involves the use of perceptual computing (particularly computer vision analysis of facial expressions and gestures) to track social and affective processes among neurotypical and neurodivergent youth, primarily during naturalistic interactions with peers. Additional research emphases include computational linguistics and measures from cognitive neuroscience, including peripheral nervous system function and brain imaging. The position involves active, structured mentorship from senior leadership, particularly Principal Investigator Dr. John Herrington, and is designed to serve as a stepping stone toward a future career as an independent scientist and scholar. The appointment is for two years, with the possibility of extension depending on available funding and the fellow's professional development needs.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant development. During the fellowship, we will actively encourage and support the fellow in applying for independent sources of grant funding that advance the fellow's academic trajectory and research independence. Fellows may also provide supervision and mentorship to trainees, including research assistants and doctoral students.

Requirements

Successful applicants are expected to hold one of the following qualifications:

A PhD in psychology with a focus on social and/or affective information processing. Applicants from any relevant psychology background will be considered, although individuals trained in clinical, developmental, or cognitive psychology are likely to be the strongest fit. A PhD in computer engineering, data science, quantitative methods, or a related field. Successful applicants will have training with an emphasis on computer vision or wearable-device data, particularly electrocardiography (ECG).

Regardless of degree type, competitive applicants will have a demonstrated track record of independently writing computer code. Although experience with Python is preferred, proficiency in another programming language (e.g., R, JavaScript, BASH) will be considered, provided the applicant is willing to develop Python proficiency during the fellowship. Applicants may be asked to provide an example of code they have written as part of their research or engineering work, and be prepared to discuss it during the interview process.

Benefits

The postdoctoral fellow will participate in the world-class academic environments of both Penn and CHOP. Clinical and non-clinical researchers are co-located within our Center, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across research and clinical domains. The position includes training in advanced computational methods and statistical approaches, including computer vision, machine learning, and related techniques. The fellow will join Dr. John Herrington's Emotion and Neurodiversity Laboratory at CAR, and may also affiliate with informatics colleagues in CHOP's Department of Biomedical Health and Informatics (DBHi), and CAR collaborators at the Linguistic Data Consortium and Department of Computer Science at Penn. CAR provides a highly collegial environment which offers expertise in a wide range of human behavior across human development, with specific expertise in autism and other developmental or psychiatric disorders. In addition, fellows participate in a broad range of professional development and scholarly activities across CHOP and Penn, including laboratory meetings, journal clubs, clinical group supervision, seminars, and invited talks. Fellows from our Center have a strong track record of successfully transitioning to faculty positions both within and outside our institutions. Finally, the fellow will join a close-knit and supportive team that values both scientific productivity and a healthy work-life balance.

Applications should include:

• A cover letter describing research interests and qualifications
• A current curriculum vitae (CV)
• Contact information for three references
• At least one example of scholarly work (published article, preprint, or manuscript)

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

What you will do

• Conduct independent scholarly research and develop new methods and protocols
• Participate in project planning, recording and evaluation of data
• Acquire technical, lab management and grant writing skills
• Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentation at national meetings
• Supervise junior lab members
• Assist with other research projects

Education Qualifications

• Doctorate - Required

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to wear a respirator device

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SALARY RANGE:

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.

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At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.