The University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) has an opening for a bilingual (Spanish-English) post-doctoral researcher interested in bilingual language development in young children. We are focusing on next steps in bringing the best of early language research to educational classrooms in the form of language interventions and curricula for children in the 0-5 age range, and seek a postdoctoral candidate with experience, knowledge and a portfolio of research with young children learning two languages. This individual will work closely with a research team of linguists, psychologists, neuroscientists, educators, and software engineers from I-LABS who want to bring the best methods of bilingual language teaching to early education classrooms.  

For this donor-funded research, the primary responsibilities of the post-doctoral researcher will be to engage in the design and testing of programs and curricula for young children learning two languages in educational classrooms and testing and tracking the impact of educational bilingual language curricula on the linguistic, cognitive, and social skills of the children.

The overarching mission of I-LABS is to understand the mechanisms of human learning, especially in early development. More information about I-LABS can be found at: (http://ilabs.washington.edu).

Candidates from underrepresented groups, including candidates with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.  You will be working closely with a team of scientists throughout the research project. This research is led by Dr. Patricia Kuhl (Speech and Hearing Sciences) and Dr. Naja Ferjan Ramírez (Linguistics), both of whom are faculty at I-LABS (Kuhl is co-Director of I-LABS).

The position is full-time (12 month service period), with an initial appointment for one year, and renewal is possible pending satisfactory performance and availability of funding. The position is open immediately. Salary is expected to be between $65-70K depending on experience.

We are looking for candidates who have a passion for multidisciplinary research and (i) expertise in the research on language development in bilingual children, (ii) some experience working in or with early education classrooms (iii) interest in bilingual language interventions and curricula in early educational classrooms. Applicants should have a PhD or foreign equivalent in a field such as development psychology, speech and hearing sciences, or neuroscience.  Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to work as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team are critical for the success of this research.

Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations Website.

Applicants should provide (1) a cover letter clearly describing your interest and relevant background for this project, (2) a CV, (3) copies of two representative publications, (4) contact information for three references, and (5) statement describing past and/or potential contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Application materials must be submitted via Interfolio.  For any project questions, please email Patricia Kuhl at pkkuhl@uw.edu.