Assistant Professor - Cognitive and Brain Sciences

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages

Tuition assistance/benefits

Excellent retirement plans

Paid holidays and generous time off

Job summary

The University of Minnesota invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Computational Approaches to Perception and/or Cognition in the Department of Psychology. This full-time position will join the Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CAB) Training Program and begin in Fall 2027.

Applicants should develop a strong research program, mentor diverse graduate students, and teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including core CAB offerings.

Qualifications

• PhD in Psychology or related field with research expertise in computational approaches to perception and/or cognition.
• Ability to teach high-quality undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Ability to mentor students from diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong, funded research program and publish.
• Advise graduate students from diverse backgrounds.
• Teach core undergraduate and graduate courses in CAB program.

Skills

Computational perception

Teaching undergrad/grad

Mentoring diverse students

Education

PhD in Psychology or related field

Job description

About the Job

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Computational Approaches toPerception and/or Cognition

Department of Psychology

University of Minnesota, College of Liberal Arts

The Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota-TwinCities announces a search for an outstanding scholar to fill atenure-track assistant professor position focused on computationalapproaches to perception and/or cognition. This full-time positionin the Department’s Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CAB) TrainingProgram will begin in Fall 2027.

Applications are invited from researchers who would extend orcomplement our historic strengths in combining experimental andcomputational approaches to perception and cognition. Examples ofdesired research topics include, but are not limited to,computational approaches in human and/or non-human animal models tostudy perceptual function and sensory loss, learning, motivation,emotion, and/or higher cognition. While we expect the primaryappointment to be in our CAB area, there is potential forcross-affiliation with other departmental areas.

The appointment will be 100%-time over the nine-month academic year(late-August to late-May) and will be made at the rank oftenure-track assistant professor, depending on qualifications andexperience and consistent with collegiate and University policy.Salary and start-up packages are competitive.

The successful applicant should have and is expected to maintain astrong research program, advise graduate students from a variety ofdifferent backgrounds, and teach undergraduate and graduatecourses, including core courses within the graduate trainingprogram. A strong record of teaching and mentorship is desired. Theindividual will also be expected to contribute to the service needsof the department, college, university, and profession.

A successful candidate's application will demonstrate scholarlydistinction, a record of publications, teaching commitment and, ifapplicable to the research program and the candidate’s careerstage, evidence of success in securing and/or pursuing extramuralfunding.

Applicants are invited to review the Workload Principles and Guidelines for Regular Faculty in the College of Liberal Arts, as well as the Standards for Promotion and Tenure in the Department of Psychology.

Qualifications

• PhD in Psychology or related field with research expertise incomputational approaches to perception and/or cognition.
• Ability to teach high-quality undergraduate and graduatecourses in this area of research.
• Ability to effectively mentor students from a variety ofdifferent backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in teaching other substantive courses related to thecandidate’s expertise and departmental needs.

About the Department

The Department of Psychology ranks among the top academicdepartments in the nation and throughout the world. The Departmenthas 50 regular faculty members and graduate programs in ClinicalScience and Psychopathology Research; Cognitive and Brain Sciences; Counseling Psychology; Industrial-Organizational Psychology; Personality, Individual Differences, and Behavioral Genetics; Quantitative/Psychometric Methods; and Social Psychology. TheDepartment of Psychology offers programs leading to B.A., B.S., andPh.D. degrees. For additional information, please visit the Department of Psychology website, at https://cla.umn.edu/psychology

About the College of Liberal Arts

Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines andprograms, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in theUniversity of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, andover 20 interdisciplinary research centers andadministrative/support units. CLA has over 1,300 faculty and staffspanning research, teaching, advising, outreach, and administrativefunctions. CLA units reside in over twenty buildings on the EastBank and West Bank of the Twin Cities campus. CLA enrolls nearly13,000 undergraduate students, over 40% of the undergraduateenrollment on the Twin Cities campus, 1,400 graduate students, andhas an annual all-funds budget of $290 million.

CLA is a destination for curious, compassionate individuals who arecommitted to making our increasingly interdependent and diverseglobal community work for everyone. That foundationalcommitment begins in our CLA Constitution. CLA is committed toincreasing enrollment of underrepresented and under-resourcedstudents, diversifying our faculty across all disciplines,recruiting, and retaining a diverse staff, and promoting theexpression and exploration of diverse perspectives andviewpoints—so that we all gain the background knowledge andanalytical skills we need to understand and respectdifferences.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in CLA

Working inCLA

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $75,000 - $110,000 ; depending oneducation/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for moreinformation regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional trainingand degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition BenefitProgram
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counselingat no cost
• Employee TransitPass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metroarea

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important tonote that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. Thisapproach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions ofeach candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of ourcommitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered toincoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversityand inclusion in enriching the employment experience of itsemployees and in supporting the academic mission. The University iscommitted to attracting and retaining employees with varyingidentities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to andopportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment withoutregard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender,age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteranstatus, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successfulcompletion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminalconvictions do not automatically disqualify finalists fromemployment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC) is among the largest public research universities in the country, offeringundergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude ofopportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of oneof the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities,students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit fromextensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers,international corporations, government agencies, and arts,nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized byForbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employerfor Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State(2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence &Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-lifeflexibility.