Junior Specialist- Munakata Lab

Professor Yuko Munakata seeks to fill a full-time lab coordinator junior specialist position in the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, to begin Summer 2026 (start date flexible). This position is for 1-2 years with the possibility of renewal based on performance and funding. The lab studies the development of executive functioning, investigating how children learn to achieve goals by planning ahead, stopping themselves from doing things they shouldn't do, flexibly switching from one activity to another, and solving problems. The lab explores social and contextual factors that shape the development of executive function and implications for interventions.

The junior specialist will work closely with the PI and lab group to participate in all aspects of research in executive function development. The position will involve collaborating with the PI, postdocs, and grad students to develop new experimental designs and procedures, analyze and interpret data, present research at conferences, and submit manuscripts for publication.

Responsibilities include:

Developing Research Materials (10%):

• Make substantive contributions to study design, stimulus creation, data analysis and interpretation.

Activities Related to Research Dissemination of Research (20%):

• Contribute to presentations, publications, grant proposals, and grant progress reports
• Participate in weekly discussions of research literature and lead relevant literature reviews
• Disseminate findings and support undergraduates in disseminating findings at conferences and local events, such as the UC-Davis Undergraduate Research Day

Undergraduate research assistant recruiting, training, and mentoring (20%):

• Interview, train, and mentor undergraduate students on participant recruitment, data collection, coding and analyses protocols.

Conducting Research (30%):

• Test child and adult participants using behavioral, eye tracking, and brain imaging techniques
• Interview and consent participants or their caregivers

Administrative Lab Tasks (20%):

• Maintenance of subject funding budgets, ordering supplies
• Preparing and maintaining IRB materials and ensuring compliance with those protocols
• Support outreach efforts to partner with relevant organizations in the community around common interests (e.g., developing mobile research exhibits for children's museums)

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Experience working in a lab/research setting
• Computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Excel & Word, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Drive)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Psychology or a related field
• Leadership or managerial experience, particularly with peers or more senior individuals
• Experience coordinating/collaborating with multiple teams
• Experience creating, adapting, and/or documenting protocols (e.g., organizational or personnel procedures)
• Experience with children and families
• Experience in EEG data acquisition and processing
• Experience submitting protocols to an Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• Statistical analysis skills, including experience with analytical software such as R
• Web design and social media skills
• Programming skills (e.g., with Psychopy, E-Prime, and MATLAB)

• 2-3 letters of reference required

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

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