New

Postdoctoral Scholar

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Mar 12, 2026
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the termlengthdiscussed willbebasedonuniversityneed,performance,and/oravailabilityoffunding. POSITION SPECIFICS The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health and Human Development at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a full-time, one-year Postdoctoral Scholar appointmentin the AAC Language and Bilingualism Lab. The AAC Language and Bilingualism Lab focuses on research examining language development for children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods to communicate, including those who are bilingual/multilingual. The postdoctoral scholar will serve as a research collaborator, with substantial responsibility for advancing ongoing projects, shaping new lines of inquiry, and coordinating lab activities in collaboration with the Principal Investigator. Primary Responsibilities The postdoctoral scholar will: Contribute to advancing and coordinating ongoing research projects within the the Lab Take intellectual leadership to the refinement of research questions, study design, and analytic approaches related to monolingual and bilingual AAC Lead qualitative and mixed-methods data collection and analysis related to bilingualAAC assessment, intervention, and implementation Coordinate collaboration with school partners, families, and community stakeholders Oversee IRB protocols, timelines, and research logistics across multiple projects Contribute to the development and evaluation of family coaching and professional learning resources Contribute to the conceptualization and evaluation of digital and online training tools for professionals and caregivers Lead and co-author manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and presentations for national and international conferences Contribute substantively to the preparation of external funding proposals Provide day-to-day supervision and mentorship for graduate research assistants and student collaborators Support the ongoing development of lab structures, workflows, and documentation to sustain research productivity Qualifications Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Special Education, Applied Linguistics, Psychology, or a closely related field by the time of appointment. Strong candidates will demonstrate: Demonstrated expertise or a clearly articulated research agenda related to AAC, bilingual or multilingual language development, and disability studies Experience leading qualitative or mixed-methods research projects Evidence of initiative, independence, and collaborative leadership in research settings Experience working with families, schools, and multilingual communities A strong commitment to equity-oriented, family-centered research and practice A record of scholarly writing and dissemination or clear potential for publication productivity Experience with participatory or action research, AAC system design, translanguaging frameworks, and/or Spanish language proficiency is highly desirable. Appointment Timeline This is a one-year appointmentwith an anticipated start date of August 18th 2026. For questions about the position, please contact: Dr. Gloria Soto Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders The Pennsylvania State University gsoto@psu.edu BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check. BENEFITS Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here. EEO IS THE LAW Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473. Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university's teaching, research, and service mission. Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster PA State Labor Law Poster Penn State Policies Copyright Information Hotlines