Junior/Assistant Specialist - Kidd Lab and the Computational Cognitive Science 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 The current full time base salary range for this position is $53,100-$64,700. 'Off-scale' salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: June 1, 2025

Position duration: 1 year appointment with a possibility of renewal

Application Window
Open date: April 8, 2025

Next review date: Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, May 9, 2025 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 an Junior/Assistant Specialist in the Kidd Lab and the Computational Cognitive Science Lab directed by Professors Celeste Kidd and Bill Thompson. The position will report to Professor Celeste Kidd. The Junior/Assistant Specialist will support the PIs, graduate students, and the software development team to investigate: 1) children's use and understanding of large language models (LLMs); and 2) how children's intellectual character and beliefs are shaped by the use of LLMs. These studies are funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
-Support the PI and graduate students in designing and conducting behavioral experiments with children aged 8-18
-Facilitate collaboration between the research team and the software development team to align software development with research goals
-Monitor and communicate software development progress, providing regular updates to the research team and ensuring necessary adjustment
-Incumbent will assist with the recruiting and training of undergraduate research assistants
-Recruit and coordinate with testing sites (preschools, museums, etc.)
-Oversee the recruitment and scheduling of human subjects in coordination with research assistants
-Place purchase orders for supplies and equipment's
-Contribute to writing pre-registrations and scripts, and prepare stimuli for experiments
-Maintain and update human subjects protocols when necessary
-Supervise data collection and ensure proper database management

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 enrolled in a bachelor's degree program (or equivalent international degree program) at the time of application.

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

Preferred qualifications
-1+ years of developmental research and behavioral study methodologies
-Previous experience working with children in a research context
-Excellent organizational skills, especially the ability to coordinate multiple studies
-Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with research team members, parents, preschool administrators, and teachers
-Strong oral and written communication skills
-Experience in designing, implementing, and analyzing behavioral experiments
-Strong quantitative skills (i.e. experience with programming, statistics, and experimental design)
-Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technology tools, including software developed specifically for the research team
-Experience facilitating communication between research and technical teams, ensuring alignment on project goals and deliverables

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/JPF04841

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 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 and Nondiscrimination in Employment 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.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• 'Misconduct' means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job location
Berkeley, CA


To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04841









Copyright 2025 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved.

Posted by the FREE value-added recruitment advertising agency

jeid-f37273a7b4a52849a9af5b0d2798a05a

Return to Search Results