Assistant Professor in Spatial Neuroscience and Cognition
University of California Santa Barbara Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Assistant Professor, Spatial Neuroscience and Cognition-Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences
- Psychological and Brain Sciences / College of Letters & Science - Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences / UC Santa Barbara
Position overview
Application Window
Open date: October 5, 2022
Next review date: Thursday, Dec 1, 2022 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Jun 30, 2023 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 Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Spatial Neuroscience and Cognition at the level of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2023. The Department is looking for individuals trained in the neuroscience of spatial cognition who will do innovative work investigating the neural processing of spatial perception, learning, memory, and navigation, broadly defined. Potential research approaches include: electrophysiological or optical neural recordings, optogenetic/chemogenetic perturbations, neuroimaging methods, and studies in real and virtual environments to study the neural mechanisms underlying spatial cognition in either animal models or humans. Research areas include the neural processing of spatial percepts and spatial memory, including how individuals learn new environments, orient themselves using spatial cues, find their way to specific locations, form abstract spatial representations such as maps, and how these types of processes go awry in neuropsychological conditions. We seek colleagues who are committed to open science practices and whose work would synergize with existing research programs in the department. The candidate would be expected to teach courses in their area of expertise, as well as contributing to foundational undergraduate and graduate-level teaching.
The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences conducts cutting-edge research in core areas of psychology: Neuroscience and Behavior, Cognition, Perception and Cognitive Neuroscience, Social Psychology and Developmental and Evolutionary Psychology. The department is in a period of growth, having hired 7 faculty in the past 5 years. The department's commitment to interdisciplinary pursuits is reflected in expansive research and teaching collaborations with a variety of other disciplines. For example, faculty in the Department are affiliated with the Neuroscience Research Institute, Dynamical Neuroscience graduate program, the Cognitive Science Emphasis, Mellichamp Mind and Machine Initiative, Anthropology, Communication, Education, Geography, and Molecular Cellular and Marine Biology. UCSB provides a lively intellectual environment that prizes academic rigor, interdisciplinarity and creativity to generate discoveries with wide-ranging impact.
Responsibilities of faculty members generally include the development of an actively funded research program of the highest quality, teaching at graduate and/or undergraduate levels, recruitment, supervision, and mentorship of graduate students, and participation in university service and professional activities. The University is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the excellence and diversity of the academic community through research, teaching, and service as appropriate to the position. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are among the university's core values, and we look forward to welcoming ambitious and creative colleagues who will contribute to the university's mission.
Department: https://psych.ucsb.edu/
Qualifications
Applicants must have completed all requirements for a PhD (or equivalent) except the dissertation in Psychological & Brain Sciences or a related field at the application.
PhD (or equivalent) should be conferred by anticipated appointment start date (July 1, 2023).
· A demonstrated record of excellence in research and a record of (or potential for) excellence in teaching.
· Expertise and training in spatial neuroscience and cognition.
Application Requirements
- Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
- Cover Letter - Please discuss anticipated conferral date of PhD.
- Statement of Research - Please describe research experience and interests, highlighting major contributions to the field thus far as well as areas to be investigated in future work. This statement may also include information about the candidate’s open science practices, possible areas of collaboration within the department or campus, and the potential for sustained impact of the research (3 pages max)
- Statement of Teaching - Please describe teaching experience and interests, highlighting courses taught and/or planned, and teaching approaches and practices (e.g., lecturing style, assessment choices, statistical platforms used) adopted or likely to be adopted in these courses. This statement may also include a description of mentoring experience and interests (3 pages max)(Optional)
- Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Please describe how your scholarship, teaching and mentoring, and/or service and engagement contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this statement, describe any steps you have taken (or are planning to take) to foster an inclusive intellectual environment in your lab, in the classroom, in the department and on campus, and/or in your field more generally (3 pages max).
- Representative Publication #1
- Representative Publication #2
- Representative Publication #3
- 3 letters of reference required
Applicants should provide the names and contact information for 3 references and must request letters of reference within the system in order to complete application requirements.
Apply link: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02310Help contact: pamelawilks@ucsb.edu
Campus Information
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/SARS-CoV-2_Covid-19. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. Please refer to Appendix F, Section II.C. of the policy for the deadlines applicable to new University of California employees. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.