Post Doctoral Fellow

Postdoctoral Fellow – Neurolinguistic Research

Location:

Columbia, Richland, South Carolina

Position:
Full‑Time, 37.5 hours per week, 12‑month term (Staff Research Grant, SRGP)

Salary:
Salary commensurate with qualifications.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will conduct advanced neurolinguistic research within the Feilong Lab using behavioral and neuroimaging methods. Primary responsibilities include designing and executing neuroimaging analyses, preparing scientific manuscripts, presenting findings at conferences, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and contributing to collaborative projects in the lab. The Fellow will also have the opportunity to develop independent research projects aligned with the lab’s focus on the neural basis of language processing.

This position offers a highly interdisciplinary environment for studying linguistic representation and individual differences using large‑scale multimodal datasets and computational tools.

• Design, lead, and execute independent and collaborative research projects in cognitive neuroscience and computational modeling, including development of research questions, experimental paradigms, and analytic approaches.
• Conduct advanced data preprocessing, statistical analysis, and computational modeling of behavioral and neuroimaging data (fMRI), and develop or adapt analysis pipelines and methods as needed.
• Prepare manuscripts for peer‑reviewed journals, contribute to grant‑related reports, and present research findings at lab meetings, seminars, and scientific conferences.
• Provide scientific guidance and mentorship to graduate and undergraduate researchers, contribute to collaborative research discussions and support training in research methods and analysis techniques.
• Coordinate all aspects related to Independent Study students, including recruitment, interviewing, training, lab responsibilities, and supervision.
• Assist with the preparation of grant proposals, progress reports, and supporting research documentation, including methodological sections and preliminary analyses.
• Engage in professional development activities, contribute to departmental or laboratory service activities, and stay current with relevant literature and methodological advances in the field.

• Doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in a research specialty relevant to neurolinguistics, neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, or cognitive science.
• Strong background in linguistics (semantics or prosody preferred).
• Experience with neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI) and quantitative analysis. Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar analytical tools.
• Record of peer‑reviewed publications and evidence of independent research ability.

35% independent and collaborative research; 25% data analysis; 15% manuscript preparation and presentation; 10% mentorship; 20% student coordination; and 5% grant and service activities.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (including false pregnancy, termination, childbirth, recovery or related medical conditions), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.