Postdoctoral Scholar - Building the Group Identity Concept from the Ground Up

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work on a collaborative NSF-funded project between Paul Smaldino (https://smaldino.com/ ) at UC Merced and Adrian Bell (https://adrianbell.wordpress.com/ ) at the University of Utah, titled “Building the Group Identity Concept from the Ground Up.” It is a well-established but still poorly understood aspect of human existence that our identity, behavior, and cognition are fundamentally entangled with the groups to which we belong. This project aims to develop integrated formal theory and empirical methods to infer the social mechanisms behind identity formation, while considering the group concept in the context of today’s modern complexities.

The postdoc will be based in the Smaldino Lab at UC Merced, and will primarily be involved in the development and analysis of theoretically-motivated mathematical and agent-based models. They will also coordinate with the broader research team to integrate the models with empirical data to be collected among the Pacific Islander diaspora in Utah, and to analyze data in light of model predictions.

Candidates must have a PhD in a relevant field—including (but not limited to) anthropology, biology, cognitive science, psychology, sociology, computer science, and applied mathematics—by the appointment start date. Competitive candidates will have experience with agent-based modeling, outstanding computational, analytical, and communication skills, and familiarity with theories and methods related to cultural evolution, human behavioral ecology, and complex systems. Ideal candidates will also have experience with model-driven data analysis and enthusiasm for deeply interdisciplinary research.

Start date is flexible within Fall 2023. Funding is currently available for two years. Salary is based on the University of California Academic Salary Scales. This is a full-time, two-year appointment.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/SARS-CoV-2_Covid-19 . All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees should refer to Appendix F, Section II.C. of the policy for applicable deadlines. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements