Research Assistant II- Language Experience and Speech Perception (LEAP) Lab-Bilingual

Job Description

Bilingual-Spanish/English required.

The goal of the Language Experience and Speech Perception (LEAP) Lab is to determine how individual and group differences in language experience influence both language and speech perception outcomes for children.


What do we study?
Our current work explores how hearing loss and language experience influence speech understanding and language comprehension in bilingual and monolingual children. We focus on how children with hearing loss make sense of spoken language in everyday settings, such as noisy classrooms, where auditory access is crucial. We also examine how talker characteristics, like the familiarity of someone’s speech patterns, influence speech perception and comprehension. 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Partners with researcher/s to prepare stimuli and develop appropriate test procedures. Makes recommendations on test procedures and opportunities.

Prepares research tools, leads data collection, and facilitates procedures in multiple assigned research studies, which may include animals, human subjects, etc.

Maintains a detailed record of test conditions and results and can report on data and findings as needed.

Calibrates laboratory equipment.

Assists in the development of software for data collection and data analysis.

Partners with researcher/s in the design, construction, and maintenance of electronic devices used in laboratories, including PCs, audio equipment, and special purpose interfaces.

Assists in the recruitment, scheduling, and testing in research studies using human subjects.

Uses computers to analyze and plot results of experiments.

Assists assigned researcher with drafting, editing, and preparing papers, grant applications, graphic designs, and other final touches to scientific/research articles and communications.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Ability to apply knowledge gained through coursework or past work experience in psychology, speech and hearing, biology, chemistry, physics, and/or computer science.

Ability to operate and calibrate lab equipment and other electronic devices under minimal supervision.

Ability to operate a personal computer and audio equipment.

Ability to apply math aptitude in order to perform data analyses and generate results.

Ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing.

Job requires interpersonal skills, close attention to details, math aptitude, and flexibility in duties performed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

High school diploma required.

Minimum of three years of college coursework or equivalent experience required.

Based on area of assignment, bilingual skills may be required.

If employed in the Cognitive Neuroscience department, Basic Life Support (BLS) certification within 90 days of transfer or hire required.

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) certification within 30 days of transfer or hire required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Coursework with an emphasis in psychology, speech and hearing, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, or a research related area is preferred.