"Post-Doctoral (Special Faculty) Position in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences"

Job Details

Description

Dr. Danny Oppenheimer’s laboratory in the Social and Decision Sciences Department at Carnegie Mellon University is accepting applications for a teaching/research postdoctoral fellowship. This position is designed for scholars who envision futures at liberal arts colleges, in teaching-track roles, or in other teaching-forward academic careers, and who would enjoy spending a year in an environment where intellectual curiosity, pedagogical craft, and research creativity are all taken seriously.

About the Position

The fellowship blends rigorous research training with substantive teaching experience, offering postdocs a chance to strengthen both research and teaching portfolios while contributing to a department known for interdisciplinary dialogue and methodological ingenuity.

1) Research

The postdoc will be an active member of Professor Oppenheimer’s laboratory, with opportunities to explore questions in metacognition, decision making, reasoning, pedagogy/education, and how technology shapes cognition.

Postdocs will conceive and conduct research studies under the PI’s supervision, including designing and implementing experiments, performing statistical analyses, disseminating research through conference presentations and journal articles, and preparation of grant proposals.

Scholars with a taste for creative study design - whether classic paradigms with a twist or entirely new approaches - will find a welcoming space for experimentation and scholarly play.

2) Teaching

The postdoc will serve as instructor of record for two and a half classes under the mentorship of Dr. Oppenheimer. These may include:

a) Teaching an established course with existing syllabi, lesson plans, and assessment strategies, then adapting and making it your own

b) Designing a new course from scratch, to be taught in the spring, developed in consultation with Dr. Oppenheimer

c) The additional half-course teaching duty may be fulfilled by, teaching a half-semester course, engaging in TA responsibilities, or mentoring undergraduate independent research

To support pedagogical growth, the postdoc will also participate in workshops through CMU’s Eberly Center for Teaching and Learning. These sessions offer a chance not only to sharpen instructional tools but also to join educators who enjoy thinking deeply, and often unconventionally, about how people learn.

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualifications

• PhD in psychology, cognitive science, decision science, neuroscience, or a related field
• Research experience resulting in publications in psychology, cognitive science, decision science, or related areas
• Proficiency in experimental design, statistical analysis, and relevant software
• Strong motivation to pursue an independent academic career that includes post-secondary teaching
• Good humor in the face of truly awful puns

Application Instructions

Requirements

Background check

Application Materials

Applications should include:

• CV
• Research statement (up to 2 pages)
• Statement of teaching philosophy (up to 2 pages), which should also include, past teaching experience, a list of courses you are currently prepared to teach, and a brief synopsis of a course you would love to develop in your “dream world”

Recommendation letters are not required at the time of application. Candidates selected for further consideration should be prepared to provide two letters of reference from academic supervisors or instructors.

Additional Information

Target start date: August 1, 2026 (negotiable)

Term: One year, with possible renewal pending satisfactory performance

Review process: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Carnegie Mellon University is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition, family status, marital status, parental status, religion, ancestry, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.