Research Assistant I

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About the Role

The Laboratory for Developmental Studies in the Psychology department has a position open for a full-time research assistant for studies of language comprehension in typically-developing children, children with autism, and adults. The candidate will report directly to Dr. Jesse Snedeker, a Professor of Developmental Psychology, and will be responsible for managing and overseeing the daily activities of two lab spaces dedicated to running research studies with children and adults.

Responsibilities

• Hiring, training, and supervising undergraduate research assistants
• Managing a summer internship program
• Coordinating testing spaces and study schedules
• Assisting with preparation of grant applications and progress reports
• Maintaining the lab manual
• Assisting in the collection of data
• Contributing to the design and data collection of research studies
• Acting as the primary liaison between the lab, Psychology administration, and the Harvard IRB
• Coordinating all lab purchases and applications for human subjects research approval
• Performing other related duties as needed

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• At least one year of experience in psychology, linguistics, cognitive science or related field (relevant coursework may count toward experience)

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, linguistics, or cognitive science preferred
• Experience working with young children and families
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Attention to detail and comfort with technical troubleshooting
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a high-paced research environment
• Experience with eye tracking, EEG, R, Matlab, or Eprime is beneficial
• Coursework in semantics, pragmatics, and syntax is advantageous

Additional Information

This is a one-year, grant-funded term position with renewal dependent upon continuation of funding. All formal offers are made by FAS Human Resources. This position requires all duties and responsibilities to be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts, and campus perks