Junior Specialist - Lapate Laboratory, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Position Overview

Salary range: $56,300 to $72,500 annually.

Percent time: 100%.

Anticipated start:
February 1, 2026 or later.

Position duration:
This will be a one-year position with a comprehensive benefits package with the possibility of renewal. Continuation beyond one year will be based on performance and availability of funding.

The Lapate Laboratory within the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara invites applications for an open, full‑time Junior Specialist position, with an anticipated start date of February 1, 2026 or later. The laboratory is looking for an exceptional individual with particular emphasis in the areas of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Under the direction of Dr.

Regina Lapate, the Lapate Laboratory seeks to understand the neural mechanisms underlying behaviors related to emotional processing and regulation using techniques including neuroimaging, EEG, and psycho-physiological recordings (EMG, EDA). Ongoing projects include studies of the prefrontal organization of cognitive control in emotion, emotion‑motor interactions, and temporal coding and memory during emotional processing.

• Engage in specialized research associated with ongoing projects, including behavioral and neuroimaging studies interrogating neural mechanisms of cognitive regulation of emotion and the influence of emotion on memory and cognitive control.
• Assist with recruiting, organizing, and scheduling participants, conducting literature reviews, developing/programming experiments, acquiring and analyzing data (behavioral, EEG, fMRI), and preparing results for presentation.
• Assist with training of research volunteers, and managing research protocols.

Basic Qualifications (required at time of application)

• Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree in psychology or a related field (neuroscience, computer science, applied mathematics, biology, etc.) at the time of application.

Additional Qualifications (required at time of start)

• Demonstrated potential for excellence in research as evidenced by previous laboratory experience or research assistant positions (12+ months duration).
• Possession of a demonstrated record of academic excellence as evidenced by outstanding grades in relevant courses (major GPA of 3.5 or higher).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with programming tools (UNIX, bash, MATLAB/Python programming), a strong college math background (linear algebra) and/or statistics, previous research experience with human subjects (1 or more years), and previous experience with fMRI.

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Undergraduate Transcripts

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only).

Santa Barbara, CA

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, students and third parties
• APM - 035:
  Affiant Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Additionally, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.