Position Description
Dr. Elika Bergelson and the Bergelson Lab in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University invite applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Cognitive and Developmental Psychology, with a focus on early language.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will be involved in research on understanding the early cognitive and linguistic skills that underly improvements in word learning and other aspects of language development in the first few years of life. This will primarily involve collecting, analyzing, and writing up experimental data collected in the lab that links different aspects of early skills within and across children, over infancy and toddlerhood.
The goal is to build a mechanistic account of how infants become better language learners.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will also have the opportunity to develop their own ideas in establishing new collaborative projects building on the lab's ongoing work.
Responsibilities
- Conduct research in cognitive and developmental psychology.
- Publish and present research findings in high-quality scientific journals and conferences.
- Collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students on interdisciplinary research projects (e.g. Psychology, Cognitive Science, Linguistics).
- Contribute to the preparation of research proposals.
- Participate in mentoring activities for undergraduate and graduate students.
Appointment
This is a one-year term position with possibility of renewal dependent upon job performance and continued availability of funding.
About the Department
The Department of Psychology sits within the Division of Social Science, which is strongly committed to creating and supporting a broad workforce of social scientists.
Respect, kindness, professionalism, trust, and transparency are among the Department's core values. The Department works to ensure a healthy, inclusive, and positive environment where everyone does their best work.
Learn more about the Bergelson Lab (including FAQs and its approach to science and inclusivity) on the lab website.
Basic Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- A Ph.D. in Psychology or a related field (e.g. Cognitive Science, Linguistics).
- Demonstrated record of research achievement and experience in the collection and analysis of child (preferably infant or toddler) data.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Strong analysis and programming skills (preferably in R and/or Python).
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Additional Qualifications
Preferred qualifications include:
- Excellent attention to detail and organization skills.
- Interest in learning and strengthening existing skillsets.
- Experience with infant methods (e.g. eyetracking, preference tasks).
- Experience with Open Science methods (reproducible manuscripts, GitHub, OSF, etc.).
- Strong grounding in the psycholinguistics and developmental science literature.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following through the ARIeS Portal:
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Brief Research Proposal
- Two to three references' names and contact information
A minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation will be required from all finalists.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
For more information, please visit the Bergelson Lab and Department of Psychology websites, or contact Dr. Bergelson directly with "Postdoc2026" in the title.
Please note: This position is contingent upon funding and satisfactory performance.
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