Research Technician Associate

A detailed cover letter is required for consideration when applying for this position and should be uploaded via the UM Careers website as the first page(s) of a single, electronic document of application materials that also includes your CV or resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline your skills and experience that directly relate to the duties described below.

The Social Minds Lab, directed by Prof. Felix Warneken, and the Cognitive Evolution Group, directed by Dr. Alexandra Rosati, are hiring a full-time Research Technician Associate to work in both labs on research projects in developmental and comparative psychology (50% Social Minds Lab, 50% Cognitive Evolution Group). Responsibilities include but are not limited to: child and adult participant recruitment and scheduling on site; testing human participants in the lab, museums, and online; testing primates at off-campus research sites; using advanced video coding technology; managing animal and human subject ethics protocols; and active participation in research with children, adults, and nonhuman primates. The position also requires supervising undergraduate assistants in research and working closely with graduate students and postdocs. For more information on the two labs, located in a joint research space on campus, please visit this website: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/warneken/ and https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/cognitive-evolution/

• Active research, Preparing and running child and adult studies
• Assisting in nonhuman-primate research and data collection in field contexts
• Using video coding technology according to established lab protocols to score human or nonhuman-primate behavior
• Administratively managing animal and human subjects research ethics protocols (IACUC and IRB) by adding new researchers/students to approved protocols
• Supervising/training new lab members, including undergraduate Assistants in Research, on research and coding protocols in the lab
• Building and maintaining infrastructure, recruitment of families; maintaining a child database; maintaining a primate database; communications with other labs
• Working as an assistant according to established research protocols with students, postdoctoral researchers, or the PI at several national and international primate field sites

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or Associate's degree
• At least 1 year of research experience
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Some experience conducting behavioral research with children or animals

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Biology, or a related field
• Ability to use or learn essential software for research, including statistical software, Microsoft Office, the behavioral coding software INTERACT, and the data management software FileMakerPro, and video editing.
• Experience working with parents and children.
• Experience with animal cognition research or observational/behavioral research, including in field conditions

The salary range is $31,200 to $33,900. Please note a higher salary may be offered based on equity and the selected candidate's experience. This is a 12-month term-limited position with the possibility of renewal. The anticipated start date is June 2026. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Questions about this position can be directed to warneken.labmanager@umich.edu