Postdoctoral position focusing on learning and memory plasticity - ,

The Department of Applied Educational Science is looking for a postdoctoral research fellow to be included in the research initiative "Learning and Brain Plasticity throughout the lifespan," which is one of Umeå University prioritized research areas.

Project description
The postdoctor will be part of the subproject Mechanisms Underlying Benefits of Active Learning with Feedback: From Basic Science to the Classroom. The project adopts a translational research approach to examine the influence of active learning on memory plasticity across human and animal subjects. The project focuses on learning processes that are relevant in educational contexts and encompasses a diverse range of methodologies, including behavioral studies, brain imaging techniques, as well as studies using animal models. The project is aimed at elucidating both the direct and indirect impacts of active learning on cognitive processes and behavior. The postdoctoral candidate will work with researchers from various fields and can be involved in animal and human lab experiments, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) or other brain imaging techniques as well as classroom studies. The details of the appointment will be determined together with postdoctoral supervisors, depending on the specific interests and competencies of the applicant and the needs of the project. Regardless of specific research questions, the work will include analyses and interpretation of quantitative data.

Job description
An appointment as a postdoctoral fellow aims to give the employee an early opportunity to develop independence as a researcher after completing their doctorate and to create the conditions for further qualifications. The postdoctoral fellow will potentially be given the option to teach at undergraduate and advanced levels and, hence, have the opportunity to develop a teaching portfolio.

Qualification requirements
Eligible for employment as a postdoc are persons who completed their doctoral degree maximum three years before the time of the appointment decision and proof that the eligibility requirement is met must have been received by this time at the latest. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons refer to leave due to illness, parental leave, clinical service, assignments within trade union organizations, or similar circumstances.

The applicant is required to have a Ph.D. degree in a relevant area and expertise in quantitative research design and statistical analysis, preferably in the field of psychology, cognitive science, education, statistics, or medical sciences. In ranking qualified applicants, special consideration will be given to working with quantitative data from experimental human and/or animal studies, as well as knowledge in neuroscience, brain imaging techniques, and quantitative classroom studies. The position further requires that the applicant is proficient in academic written and spoken English. Moreover, the postdoctoral candidate should also submit a research plan outlining research interest in the postdoctoral position.

About us
The postdoctoral candidate will be an integral part of the research environment Learning and Brain Plasticity throughout the lifespan initiative. This project spans a multidisciplinary network of 20 principal investigators across three faculties with Professor Lars Nyberg as the project leader.

The position also aims to strengthen educational research throughout Umeå University. As a postdoctoral researcher, you will therefore actively contribute to the interdisciplinary career program for young researchers initiated by the School of Education.

Employment conditions
The position is a three-year, full-time position with a main focus on research and a maximum of 20 percent teaching. The postdoctoral candidate will be affiliated with Umeå University. The specific departmental placement will be determined in alignment with the research focus of the successful applicant, ensuring a match between the candidate's expertise and the department's academic environment.

Application
The application is made through Umeå University's recruitment system Varbi and must contain:

• A personal letter that summarizes the applicant’s qualifications, competencies and interest in the position, including a description of how your experiences fit for working in the ongoing research project
• Complete CV
• List of publications and a maximum of three selected publications as pdf files (including the Ph.D. thesis).
• A research plan (no more than three pages, references excluded) that outlines research interest in relation to the postdoctoral position. The research plan should be written in English

Application deadline: 2024-03-06.

Contact
Professor Bert Jonsson, e-mail: bert.jonsson@umu.se, +46706777612
Assistant professor Olof Lagerlöf, e-mail: olof.lagerlof@umu.se, +46736308736