Neuroscience of Language Postdoctoral Position at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in California, USA

The Hoeft Neuroscience Lab (http://brainLENS.org PI: Fumiko Hoeft MD PhD) at the UCSF Dept of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences is looking for a full-time postdoctoral fellow for the ‘Intergenerational Neuroimaging of Language and Reading Networks’ project, which uses a ‘natural’ cross-fostering family design to partially dissociate the effects of genetics, prenatal, and postnatal environment on the human neural systems that underlie language processing. Related articles on this approach in different domains can be found here: Yamagata et al. J Neurosci 2016 (http://goo.gl/vMK8iy), Ho et al. Trends in Neurosci 2016 (http://goo.gl/SyXLcK), and Scientific American (http://goo.gl/YTiH6D).

The successful candidate must have a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Linguistics or a closely related field, experience in neuroimaging, excellent foundational skills in computation, programming and mathematics/statistics, and exceptional organizational skills. Candidates with experience in neurolinguistics or behavioral genetics are particularly encouraged to apply. Compensation is in accordance with the NIH pay scale for postdoctoral fellows. Appointments are made for 1 year terms with the possibility of renewal. Postdoctoral fellows are represented by UC Postdoc Union and enjoy competitive benefit packages.

The Hoeft Neuroscience Lab is an interdisciplinary research environment that applies cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques, genetic analysis, and computational approaches to examine language development processes, the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders and the impact of diverse linguistic environments (e.g. bilingual education) on development. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be involved in other research projects in the Laboratory, outreach and community engagement projects, and access to a wealth of archival developmental and longitudinal neuroimaging data on language and literacy.

The position can begin immediately. Applications should be emailed to brainlens@ucsf.edu with “[Postdoc job]” and the applicant's full name in the subject of the email. Applications must include: 1. A current CV 2. A one page statement of research interests related to the proposed project 3. A one page cover letter describing qualifications for the position with specific examples, career goals and why you feel you are a good fit for the lab. 4. The names of three references. Qualified candidates will be asked to have letters of reference forwarded. Do not submit reference letters with the application.

The University of California, San Francisco is a premier biomedical research institution, ranked second in the world for Neuroscience and Behavior by US News. UCSF has outstanding resources for cognitive neuroscience research, including a research-dedicated Siemens Prisma 3T MRI scanner in addition to shared 3T and 7T GE scanners, MEG and TMS equipment. The laboratory enjoys close collaborations with other research groups in the Bay Area, and national and international collaborations.

The San Francisco Bay Area is a vibrant, multi-cultural city, ranked one of the most walkable cities in the US. In addition to the area’s outstanding cultural attractions and cuisine, the unique beauty of redwood forests, coastal cliffs, wine country and natural preserves is less than an hour from the city.