Research Associate - Social Sciences

Job Summary

The Research Associate in the Cognition and Learning Laboratory in the Department of Psychological Sciences coordinates and implements school-based research projects on learning, memory, and language development. This position plays a central role in managing partnerships with schools, coordinating complex project logistics, and leading data collection with child participants across classroom, laboratory, and partner program settings.

The Research Associate is responsible for end-to-end project coordination across multiple ongoing studies, including scheduling, communication with school personnel, participant recruitment, and ensuring high-quality implementation of research protocols in real-world environments. The position also contributes to data management, analysis, and scholarly activities, including research reporting and dissemination. Working closely with the Principal Investigator (PI) and research team, you will serve as a primary liaison between the laboratory and external partners, while contributing to maintaining an organized, collaborative, and productive research environment.

What We’re Looking For:

Required:

Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Psychology, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences or related field.
Experience conducting research on language and/or cognition with children.

Skills Needed:

• Expertise in carrying out research sessions with children.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills necessary for interacting with research participants and coordinating with teachers, school administrators, and caregivers.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail necessary for project management.
• Ability to coordinate and manage projects and multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research team.
• Demonstrated mentoring skills necessary for working with student research assistants.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Expertise in experimental design and data analysis.
• Proficiency with research software and tools.
• Strong written communication skills necessary for scientific writing and reporting.
Commitment to research rigor, open science practices, and ethical conduct of research.

What is Helpful:

Additional Information:

• Purdue University will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
• A background check will be required for employment in this position
• FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime)
• Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contribution Waiting Period

Career Stream

Professional 2

Pay Band S120
Job Code #20003722

Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university.