Join the lab!

Research technician / Lab manager

I am hiring a full-time Research Technician (lab manager) to start alongside me, in July 2025. The lab manager will be heavily involved in all phases of the research process while also helping to administer the day-to-day functioning of the lab. This position is ideal for a recent college graduate hoping to gain more research experience prior to pursuing a Ph.D.

Specific responsibilities will include:

helping to establish a fun, inclusive, and productive research environment.
administering the day-to-day functioning of the lab, which will involve spearheading participant recruitment, managing IRB protocols, and training new lab members.
designing and conducting online, eye-tracking, and fMRI experiments with human participants, including children and adolescents.
analyzing data and preparing findings for presentation and publication.

Required qualifications:

a bachelor’s degree in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, or a related field.
previous research experience.

Preferred qualifications:

strong organizational and time management skills.
experience conducting empirical research in a psychology or neuroscience lab.
knowledge of at least one programming language (e.g., R, python, julia, Matlab), or a commitment to learning to code.
an interest in the development of learning, memory, and decision-making.
an interest in quantitative methodologies, including computational cognitive modeling and neuroimaging analyses (note: experience with these methods is not expected).
experience with or an interest in working with children and adolescents.

Salary will be based on Boston University’s salary scales.

Please note: The Research Technician will be required to work in person in the lab in Boston, and unfortunately, visa sponsorship for this position is not possible.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled. Applicants who apply by December 20, 2024 are assured full consideration.

To apply, please email me, Kate Nussenbaum, the following:

Cover letter stating your research interests and why you want to join the lab, and highlighting your relevant experiences.
CV or resume.
Undergraduate transcript (unofficial is fine).
Contact information for 2 or more references.

Please include “Research Technician Application” in the subject line of your email.

Ph.D. students

I will be reviewing Ph.D. applications in the upcoming cycle (deadline for psychology: December 1, 2024) for students interested in starting in September 2025.

Prospective students can apply to join the lab through the ‘Brain, Behavior, and Cognition’ program in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. It may also be possible for students to join the lab through the University-wide ‘Graduate Program in Neuroscience’, though this program begins with a year of rotations. Students are allowed to apply to both programs, but doing so requires paying the application fee twice. For those who are primarily interested in my lab, I recommend applying through the BBC program in the psychology department, and emailing me after you apply to ensure I read your application. You can find more information about applying here and information about application fee waivers here.

I expect that entering Ph.D. students will begin their program with strong enthusiasm about conducting developmental studies and working together to build an innovative research agenda for ~5 years. Competitive applicants will likely have:

experience working in a psychology or neuroscience research lab.
intrinsic motivation, ambition, creativity, and persistence in tackling difficult intellectual challenges.
a strong interest in developmental cognitive neuroscience / developmental computational cognitive science, with particular excitement about the lab’s core questions about the development of adaptive learning, memory, and exploration processes (see research and publications).

In general, research in the lab will be both developmental and computational. Because of this, students will be expected to have an interest in some aspect of development and a desire to learn computational methods (e.g., developing and fitting cognitive models; analyzing neuroimaging data). However, I view the Ph.D. as the opportune time for learning. You do not need to have any specific quantitative skills and you do not need to have experience conducting developmental research to be a competitive applicant to the lab.

Please reach out with a description of your interests if this sounds like you! I am happy to answer any questions you have.

Please note: I cannot accept students through the clinical program. The lab is NOT a good fit for students whose primary interests are clinical.

Postdoctoral researchers

If you have shared research interests and would like to discuss a potential position (beginning no earlier than fall 2025), please email me. I am happy to discuss opportunities!

Undergraduates

I look forward to working with BU undergraduates beginning in September 2025. If you are a current student at BU interested in joining the lab, feel free to reach out to stay up-to-date about research opportunities. I do not anticipate having openings for non-BU undergraduates during the 2025 - 2026 academic year.