PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE POSITIONS

The Departments of Human Development and Family Studies, Nutritional Sciences and Food Science, and Psychology announce three open rank tenure track positions in adolescent developmental neuroscience. These positions will be co-funded by The Children, Youth and Families Consortium (CYFC) (www.cyfc.psu.edu ), a university-wide initiative that promotes collaborative interdisciplinary research on critical social and human problems facing children, youth and families and the communities in which they live. The CYFC provides faculty members with a range of research services and supports, including development of collaborative connections, research consultation, seed funds, workshops, and conferences. The CYFC also supports research infrastructure at Penn State, including the Social Life and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (http://www.imaging.psu.edu/). We seek colleagues whose research interests and expertise fit within the broad area of brain development and function during adolescence. The University has made substantial investments in the neurosciences over the past five years. These include new faculty lines in existing strength areas such as cognitive and affective neuroscience, language science, neural engineering, prevention research, and developmental behavioral genetics. Additionally, the new Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (SLEIC) houses a new Siemens 3T MRI scanner, two high field MRI scanners suitable for animal research, and a Human Electrophysiology Facility (http://www.imaging.psu.edu). The cluster hire will build on a long tradition of developmental research at Penn State, as well as emerging opportunities for collaboration with faculty in programs such as the College of Medicine, Penn State Institute of the Neurosciences, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Prevention Research Center, Center for Neural Engineering, and Center for Childhood Obesity. The applicant must demonstrate an inclination toward collaborative, interdisciplinary research, potential to procure external funding, and aptitude to teach and mentor students. Start-up funds, including imaging facility time, are available. Review of applications and nominations will begin immediately and will continue to be accepted until the positions are filled. Women and members of under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce. This cluster of hires involves an integrated review process; we encourage applicants to apply to any of the positions deemed relevant and of interest.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES - (Vacancy #: 32384; AA Search #: 023-100) - The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) in the College of Health and Human Development invites applications for an open rank position for faculty whose research addresses neurobiological development in context, with an emphasis on the neuroscience of emotional development during adolescence.  With disciplinary background open, we are interested in adolescent neuroscience researchers who study how developmental and contextual (family, peer, cultural) factors influence the development of brain organization and function, with a focus on emotion and emotion/cognition/behavior relations. While substantive areas of research are open, faculty with interests that complement current emphases in HDFS, such as emotion regulation, the effects of stress, psychopathology/substance use, school and family-based prevention, and methodology are encouraged to apply.  This position involves the development of a program of research, as well as undergraduate and graduate teaching, and professional service. Rated by the U.S. News and World Report as one of the top ten developmental programs in the country, HDFS (http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/HDFS/) administers graduate, undergraduate, and research programs focused on individual development from infancy to old age, on family structure and dynamics, and on the impact of social/cultural contexts on development and family functioning. Two hallmarks of the program’s research and graduate training are a focus on methods for the analysis of change over time and the design and evaluation of intervention methods to promote development and prevent problematic behaviors. The Department`s multidisciplinary faculty includes expertise in development, neuroscience, clinical and health psychology, sociology, demography, education, and methodology. Candidates must have a Ph.D. or a comparable doctoral level degree.  To apply send cover letter, curriculum vitae and supporting information (e.g., reprints, preprints, letters from three references) to: Dr. Mark Greenberg, Developmental Neuroscience Search, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, S-112 Henderson Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA  16802.

NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES AND FOOD SCIENCE – (Vacancy #: 32398; AA Search #: 023-99) - The Departments of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Health and Human Development (http://nutrition.hhdev.psu.edu) and Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences (http://foodscience.psu.edu) seek an outstanding scholar for a tenure track / tenured faculty position (open rank) in ingestive behavior. This will be a joint position with appointments to both departments, the primary home to be determined based upon the selected candidate’s research focus and background. Responsibilities include research, teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, and professional service appropriate to Penn State’s mission as a Land Grant university. The successful candidate will bring a sensory and/or affective perspective and will be expected to employ cutting-edge research methodologies, including MRI, to develop and support a nationally-recognized competitively-funded research program focused upon ingestive behavior. Preference will be given to a research trajectory highlighting adolescent behaviors. Expertise with methods for the characterization and delivery of foods and food components to subjects as they are tested in the MRI scanner will be a plus. The Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Food Science provide a supportive context for ingestive behavior research with a well-established core of investigators and extensive new facilities. Resources include functional/structural MRI facilities with olfactometer and multiple food preparation, analysis, testing, and sensory laboratories. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or a comparable doctoral level degree and research training in Neuroscience, Nutrition, Food Science, Psychology, or a related discipline. Specific expertise in MRI and other neuro-imaging procedures is sought. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and a personal statement addressing interests and vision regarding research and teaching. The names, titles and email addresses of three references who may be contacted should be included. Please address materials to: Dr. Barbara Rolls, Chair of the Search Committee, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health & Human Development, 110 Chandlee Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802.

PSYCHOLOGY - (Vacancy #: 32101; AA Search #: 021-211) - The Department of Psychology (http://psych.la.psu.edu/) announces an open-rank tenure line faculty position with specialization in developmental neuroscience to start Fall, 2011. We are interested in faculty who study neural mechanisms underlying the development of behavioral risk in adolescence, and the psychological processes that contribute to that risk, such as decision-making, self-regulation, and affect arousal and modulation. Priority will be given to candidates whose work has relevance for problem behaviors such as substance abuse, violence, and risky sexual activity, and who use functional neuroimaging techniques.  The ideal candidate would combine expertise in neural imaging with training and experience in clinical, developmental, social, cognitive, or biological psychology. The individual hired will also be expected to contribute to and expand department-wide and cross-department initiatives and collaborations.  In addition to potential collaborations within Psychology and with faculty from other units, including Penn State’s College of Medicine, Hershey, the candidate should be interested in working with initiatives such as Penn State’s Children, Youth, and Family Consortium (http://www.cyfc.psu.edu); Psychology’s neuroscience initiative, graduate Specialization in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, and Child Study Center (http://csc.psych.psu.edu/); and the Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center  (http://www.imaging.psu.edu/). Candidates should submit a letter of application, vita, sample papers, and three letters of recommendation.  Electronic submission of these materials is strongly preferred; please send to [log in to unmask], noting Box DN in the subject line.  If you cannot submit electronically, applications can be mailed to Developmental Neuroscience Search Committee, Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802.