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Open Positions in the Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland in College Park is seeking to fill four tenure-track positions. Three are at the assistant or early associate professor level and one is at the full or advanced associate professor level. For the three junior positions, we seek candidates who are leaders or rising leaders in their fields. For the senior position, we seek someone who is internationally recognized as being at the forefront of her or his field. In all cases, we are looking for individuals who will enrich ties across the department and university.


Full or advanced associate professor
  • Area open: We seek an established scientist with an active research program in affective, cognitive, developmental, or social neuroscience to serve as the inaugural director of a newly created NSF-funded Brain Imaging Center equipped with state-of-the-art fMRI facilities particularly suited for human developmental work. Experience with fMRI research is essential and administrative experience is highly desirable. The Brain Imaging Center is an initiative of the interdepartmental Ph.D.-granting Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS), which brings together faculty and students from 14 departments and 8 colleges across the university. This individual will be a leader in a growing group of scientists whose research involves brain imaging. For more information about this position please follow this link.

Assistant or early associate professor
  • Counseling Psychology: We are especially interested in candidates in the areas of multicultural counseling/development, assessment, psychotherapy process/outcome, marital/family therapy, or career development/counseling.

  • Developmental Psychology: We are particularly interested in candidates with developmental research foci in social, cognitive, and/or affective neuroscience, basic cognitive and affective processes, language and communication, and social relationships.

  • Social, Decision, and Organizational Sciences (SDOS): SDOS is comprised of social psychologists, organizational psychologists, and judgment and decision-making researchers who collectively study how individuals perceive and process information about their social environment and themselves, make decisions, and manage their interdependencies with others in dyadic, team, organizational, and societal contexts. We are particularly interested in applicants with strong research programs in social cognition, judgment and decision making, affective or social neuroscience, or cross-cultural research. Individuals trained in any area of social psychology are encouraged to apply.

In addition to SDOS, Developmental and Counseling, the other Ph.D. programs in the new training structure at the University of Maryland are Clinical Psychology and Cognitive and Neural Systems. Many faculty members participate in more than one program, thereby fostering a rich web of collaborations throughout the department. The scientific core of the department spans neural, functional, and social levels of analysis. University-wide interdisciplinary initiatives strengthen the department’s connections to the broad and rapidly growing research community across campus. Among these initiatives are the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, the START Center for the Study of Terrorism, the Center for Advanced Study of Language, the Infant Studies Consortium, and a newly created Brain Imaging Center. To learn more about our department, visit us at http://psychology.umd.edu/.

In addition to excellent research productivity and interest in forming collaborative ties within and across programs and departments, successful candidates will have a record of, or demonstrated potential for, securing external funding. A strong commitment to teaching and mentorship at both the undergraduate and graduate levels is required. Salary is highly competitive, research conditions are excellent, and there are extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration both on campus and at universities and Federal laboratories in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Please apply electronically by sending PDF files with your cover letter, a CV, a statement of research and teaching interests, and up to three articles to search@psyc.umd.edu. Please put the word COUNSELING, DEVELOPMENTAL or SDOS in the subject heading of your email, followed by your last name. Also arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent electronically to the same address. The subject heading for recommendation letters should state the name of the search and your last name followed by the word RECOMMENDATION.

In addition, send a signed copy of your cover letter to Ms. Julia Coldren (SDOS Search) or Ms. Ellen R. Lockwood (Counseling and Developmental Searches), Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.

Inquires regarding the positions can be addressed to the search committee chairs, Dr. Karen O’Brien for the counseling search, Dr. Jude Cassidy for the developmental search, and Dr. Charles Stangor for the SDOS Search.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, but for best consideration materials should be received by October 30, 2009. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Maryland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.