Post Doctoral Fellow

Post Doctoral Fellow

• 496677
• Full-Time
• Tx Inst Measure, Eval & Stat

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Department: Tx Inst Measure, Eval & Stat Salary: Commensurate with Experience/Education

Description:

Possesses, understands, and applies a comprehensive knowledge in area of specialization. Develops understanding and skills to allow for completion of assignments that cross fields of specialization. Develops leadership and management skills.

1. Receives/Reviews progress and evaluates results of experiments or projects under control or supervisory responsibility.

2. Recommends changes in research, testing or experimental procedures.

3. May be responsible for a single highly technical and complex piece of research equipment.

4. May review and evaluate the effectiveness of personnel.

5. May plan for and assign personnel to projects under control.

6. Operates with latitude for unreviewed action.

7. May receive general supervision conferring with higher levels only in unusual situations.

8. Performs other job-related duties as required.

MQ: Requires singular knowledge of a specialized advanced professional discipline or the highest level of general business knowledge, normally acquired through attainment of a directly job-related terminal degree or equivalent formal training in a recognized field of specialization that is directly related to the type of work being performed. No experience is required.

Position is grant funded.

The Laboratory of Early Experience and Development (LEED), directed by Dr. Johanna Bick at the University of Houston, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a newly funded NICHD R01 examining whether a scalable parenting intervention can improve early brain development and socioemotional functioning in infants born preterm.

This longitudinal randomized controlled trial (RCT) integrates infant MRI, EEG, autonomic physiology, and behavioral assessments across the first two years of life to investigate how supportive caregiving influences the developing neural systems that underlie social development, emotion regulation, and mental health following preterm birth. The study combines a rigorous intervention trial with cutting-edge multimodal neuroimaging, providing a unique opportunity to identify neurodevelopmental mechanisms through which early experiences promote resilience.

This position provides an outstanding opportunity to contribute to a large, longitudinal, multimodal neuroimaging study while developing an independent research program in developmental cognitive neuroscience. The fellow will join a highly collaborative team of developmental psychologists, neuroscientists, pediatricians, neonatologists, and imaging scientists and will have access to state-of-the-art infant neuroimaging resources through the University of Houston and collaborating institutions.

Position Responsibilities:

The postdoctoral fellow will play a central role in the scientific leadership of the project. Responsibilities include:

• Help oversee day-to-day implementation of a longitudinal NICHD R01 randomized controlled trial.
• Manage and coordinate infant MRI, EEG, physiological, and behavioral data collection.
• Process and analyze infant MRI (structural, diffusion, and resting-state fMRI) and EEG data.
• Develop reproducible analysis pipelines using modern neuroimaging software.
• Lead and contribute to first-author and collaborative manuscripts.
• Present findings at national and international scientific meetings.
• Mentor graduate students, research assistants, and undergraduate trainees.
• Contribute to grant development, fellowship applications, and future NIH proposals.
• Participate in an active, interdisciplinary research environment focused on early brain development, intervention science, and developmental psychopathology.

The laboratory places a strong emphasis on fostering scientific independence through publication, conference presentations, grant writing, and career development.

Required qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Experience with neuroimaging data analysis (MRI, EEG, or related modalities).
• Programming skills (Python, R, MATLAB, Bash, or similar).
• Strong quantitative skills (e.g., longitudinal data analysis, mixed-effects modeling, or machine learning).
• Excellent scientific writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research team.

Preferred qualifications include experience with one or more of the following:

• Linux computing environments.
• Infant or pediatric neuroimaging.
• Structural MRI, diffusion MRI, and/or resting-state fMRI analysis.
• Infant EEG data collection, preprocessing, and analysis (EEGLAB, ERPLAB, FieldTrip).
• MRI processing software including FSL, FreeSurfer, MRtrix, AFNI, Connectome Workbench, or related packages.
• Docker, Git, high-performance computing, or cloud-based workflows.
• Longitudinal data analysis, mixed-effects modeling, or machine learning.
• Experience mentoring students or coordinating research projects.

Candidates with backgrounds in developmental neuroscience, developmental psychopathology, infant brain development, neuroimaging methods, intervention research, or computational neuroscience are especially encouraged to apply.

The LEED Lab studies how early experiences shape brain development and mental health across infancy and early childhood using multimodal neuroimaging, psychophysiology, behavioral observation, intervention research, and longitudinal developmental methods. Current projects include:

• Infant structural, diffusion, and functional MRI.
• EEG and neural markers of emotion regulation.
• Autonomic nervous system development.
• Prematurity and early brain development.
• Caregiving, adversity, and resilience.
• Early predictors of developmental and mental health outcomes.

The postdoctoral fellow will have opportunities to collaborate broadly across developmental neuroscience, psychology, pediatrics, neonatology, psychiatry, and biomedical engineering.

Appointment

The initial appointment is for one year, with renewal for additional years contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued funding. Competitive salary and benefits will follow NIH postdoctoral guidelines and University of Houston policies.

Applicants should submit:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Cover letter describing research interests and career goals.
• One- to two-page statement summarizing previous research experience and how it relates to the position.
• Contact information for three professional references.

Applications will be reviewed beginning immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is Fall 2026, although a flexible start date is possible.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.