Looking for a Post-Bac Researcher to start Fall 2024
Dear Colleagues,
I am seeking a full-time paid Post-Bac Researcher to begin this Fall 2024 for a 1-year commitment, with the potential for renewing a second year. This will be an in-person position so that the individual can learn from area and departmental talks, as well as experience social and professional gatherings.
The Post-Bac Researcher will work closely with me, Dr. Louis Tay (https://www.wam-lab.com/people). The primary responsibilities include 1) developing and analyzing survey results, 2) overseeing data collection, 3) managing grants and IRB protocols, 4) managing lab logistics and website. On top of that, the individual will be able to work on research projects of their interest with the goal of publishing multiple papers. My hope is that the individual will not merely help execute project logistics but to be personally involved in research and gaining experience to be competitive for graduate school.
This position is ideal for a recent college graduate eventually interested in applying to a Ph.D. program in psychology. The candidate should be interested in the topics of (a) well-being; (b) data science; and (c) research methods.
I love mentoring! Our lab (https://www.wam-lab.com) has a record of launching all our amazing post-bacs to Ph.D. programs (Industrial-Organizational, Social-Personality, Counseling), as well as placing all our wonderful graduate students in tenure-track positions.
Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in psychology, statistics, computer science, or a field connected to social science research. The individual will need to be highly conscientious, have excellent communication skills, be proactive in solving problems, and be motivated to learn. The individual should also have basic competency in the use of R.
How to Apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter, a CV with contact information for 3 references, and an unofficial transcript to Dr. Louis Tay at stay@purdue.edu. The position will be open until filled. All candidates will be considered immediately upon receipt of materials.
‘Undergraduate Research Experience
We welcome motivated undergraduate students who are interested in industrial-organizational psychology research — or psychological research more broadly — to apply to our lab.
Research projects have included data science type projects (e.g., annotation of video interview data for building machine learning algorithms; annotation of social media data), well-being projects (e.g., systematic reviews of physical health and psychological health), and measurement (e.g., creation of new psychological scales and measures).
Over the years, we have had more than 30 undergraduate students participate in various research projects in our lab. Many of our undergraduate lab alumni have gone on to pursue graduate work in industrial-organizational psychology or related areas (e.g., clinical psychology, social psychology) or fields (e.g., human resource management).
If you are interested in obtaining research experience, please email Dr. Tay with your CV, outline of your research interests, and the type of experience you hope to gain. We prefer to have students join us for a minimum commitment of 2 semesters of 8-10 hours per week. Our laboratory is open during summers as well. You can sign up as a PSY 390: Research Experience in Psychology or PSY 498: Senior Research.
Prospective Graduate Students
The Purdue Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology program is one of the oldest programs in the world. We have an amazing reputation and enjoy strong support from our storied alumni. The I-O faculty are research active, collegial, inclusive, and student-centered. We strive toward an environment that helps students achieve their full potential and provide them substantial resources to do so. More info on our program can be found here.
I am passionate about mentoring students. I work closely with students to develop their interests and expertise within the broad topics of well-being, methodology, and data science. We have a lab culture that is collaborative, positive, and fun! Students are exposed to multiple disciplines and perspectives as I believe that I-O psychologists should contribute to our world more generally, ranging from science to policy. My goal is to guide students toward independence, training them to pursue their ideas as tenure-track academics when they graduate. Graduate students will have deep knowledge of relevant theory and methodology, have a strong publication record, and make a positive academic and societal impact.
I am most keen on admitting students pursuing research/academia. The selection process to the Purdue I-O program is very competitive and our selection ratios tend to be low (i.e., less than 5 percent). Prior research experience and methodological training are valued. Students who have working experience and/or a master’s degree in associated fields will also be considered favorably.
Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about our research or the I-O program at Purdue.