Temporary Research Lab Manager

Temporary Research Lab Manager

This position is at the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC), a multi-disciplinary center for research to advance the science of learning by bringing together leading researchers in the cognitive, social, and educational sciences.

The Cognition in Context lab at the University of Pittsburgh is seeking a 12-month Lab Manager to start June 1. This is a part-time, in-person position potentially with benefits. Many of the responsibilities of the Lab Manager will involve setting up critical research infrastructure (protocols, ethics approvals, experimental setup, physical lab space) and getting experimental data collection up and running. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in a related area (e.g., psychology, cognitive science, experimental linguistics), prior experience working in a research lab, and a keen interest in studying social cognitive processes between diverse groups.

Under the supervision of Dr. Mehrgol Tiv, the Lab Manager will be a vital member of the Cognition in Context laboratory, Department of Psychology (Cognitive and Social), and Learning, Research & Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh. The Lab Manager will assist in the following:

• Experimental design (stimulus development, literature review, programming of experimental protocols)
• Data collection and analysis (recruitment of participants, in-person and online behavioral data collection through Prolific and platforms such as Gorilla, collecting eyetracking data with SR Research EyeLink technology, applying advanced statistics and modeling techniques in R, assisting in grant and manuscript preparation)
• Data storage and management plans (file servers, ethics applications, consent forms, bookkeeping and participant payments)
• Management of physical and digital lab space (setting up testing rooms, assisting in equipment purchases, setting up eyetracker, crafting lab handbook, purchasing supplies and equipment)
• Supervising research assistants (training RAs, scheduling lab meeting, interviewing RAs)
• Other related duties as assigned

This position offers a unique opportunity to engage with nearly every aspect of research in the lab with a collaborative PI. There is also time for the Lab Manager to develop their own research projects and engage with resources and events in the Department of Psychology.

The Cognition in Context lab examines the social and cognitive processes that enable people to understand each other, as well as how cognitive processes, like language, interact with diverse and complex social cues in the environment. The lab uses a variety of methods and approaches, including behavioral experiments, eyetracking, linguistic analysis, social network analysis, demographic analysis, and big data analysis. For more information on the research priorities of our lab, please visit www.mehrgoltiv.com . Questions can be directed to Dr. Mehrgol Tiv (mehrgoltiv@pitt.edu).

To apply, please include your resume/ CV (include your proficiency with statistics, programming in R, and various behavioral experimental methodologies) and a cover letter (explaining why you want to work in the lab and why you’re a good fit).

Necessary Education:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (or related field)

Necessary Skills and Experiences:

• Prior experience working in an experimental research lab
• Prior experience coding behavioral experiments (e.g., Gorilla), managing online data collection (Prolific), and running eye-tracking experimental protocols (SR Research suite)
• Proficiency coding in R

Strongly Preferred Skills and Experiences

• Strong organizational skills and flexibility working on multiple projects at once
• Able to work independently, take initiative, and collaborate comfortably with others
• Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Able to express excellent interpersonal skills and a commitment to maintaining an environment of positivity, professionalism, and inclusion
• Excited to approach the pursuit of science with curiosity, creativity, and compassion

The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.