Project Coordinator - Term

Position Summary:

The Communication and Language Lab (https://www.thecommunicationandlanguagelab.com/) in the Department of Psychology and Human Development is looking for a full-time Project Coordinator. The Communication and Language Lab is broadly interested in the mechanisms that underlie language and cognition. The position will be supported by a grant that aims to investigate the role of language experience and individual differences in second language processing. This position involves participant recruitment and outreach, scheduling study participants for a multi-day study, administering behavioral tests, supervising undergraduate research assistants, as well as other administrative duties, such as submitting expense reports and keeping track of IRB reports. This is a full-time, on-site position requiring daily presence at our office location.

About the Work Unit:

The Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University is a group of scholars who work to increase understanding of basic psychological functioning and neuropsychological development in various contexts. The department offers a doctoral degree in Psychological Sciences jointly with the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Science, with concentrations in clinical science, cognition in context, cognitive neuroscience, developmental science, neuroscience, and quantitative methods. The department also offers master’s degrees in cognitive psychology in context, child studies and quantitative methods as well as undergraduate majors in child development, language science and cognitive studies. The department maintains strong collaborative ties with various units on campus including Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education, Bill Wilkerson Center, Brain Institute, Institute of Imaging Science, and Kennedy Center, as well as Department of Hearing and Speech, Department of Special Education and the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• PARTICIPANT SCHEDULING AND COORDINATION: Leading the publicizing of the study, scheduling and consenting participants, attending various events in the community to advertise our work, establishing and maintaining community relationships to maximize recruitment efforts.
• ADMINISTERING BEHAVIORAL TASKS: Leading the conduct of experiments. Requires use of protocols for psychometrically validated measures and use of specialized computer software to collect behavioral data.
• DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS: Learning data scoring and entry, data management, basic analysis and data quality checks.
• SUPERVISING UNDERGRADUATE ASSISTANTS: Leading hiring and evaluating temporary employees, training and coordinating assistants that aid in various lab duties, such as recruitment and data collection.
• VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES: Leading the maintenance of information technology and social media, purchasing, bookkeeping, coordinating visitors, facilitating and attending meetings.
• ASSISTING WITH REPORTS: Leading the management of Institutional Review Board and helping with periodic review reports for granting agencies. Depending on experience, participating in writing research articles.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility managing undergraduate assistants. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Project Lead.

Education and Certifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Linguistics, Psychology, or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education is required.

Experience and Skills:

• Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance

• Expected to have a strong work ethic, high integrity, and excellent interpersonal skills

• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to function well independently

• Experience in an academic research lab is required

• Experience with computer software including social media, Office, and database applications is required

• Experience in institutional review board processes is preferred

• Experience recruiting and scheduling participants