Postdoctoral Fellow in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Summer 2026

Description

Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Communication Sciences and Disorders, beginning summer 2026.

Chapman University is a nationally ranked, R2 Carnegie Classified, private institution offering traditional undergraduate and graduate programs in the heart of Orange County, one of Southern California's most diverse and vibrant regions. Chapman's campuses are home to nearly 10,000 students representing 50 states, three territories, and 87 countries. The 11 schools and colleges of Chapman, including Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, offer 65 bachelors, 53 master, and six doctoral programs, along with nearly 60 minors and 17 accelerated and bridge programs. Classes are taught by the more than 1,100 dedicated faculty members who are leaders in their fields, including Nobel Prize recipients, MacArthur Fellows, National Medal of Science honorees, former U.S. Supreme Court clerks, and Emmy, Grammy, and Academy Award winners.

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is located on the Rinker Health Science campus in Irvine, CA. This campus is designed to foster an interprofessional educational environment and to use cutting edge technology in teaching and practice. The campus features state of the art facilities, including a human cadaver anatomy laboratory, advanced learning centers with innovative technology, Grand Rounds auditorium with 3D projection capabilities, multi-sized classrooms, a medical library, and collaborative work centers. The campus is home to several accredited graduate health science professional programs, including Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Master of Science Physician Assistant Studies, and Doctor of Pharmacy. The Rinker campus is strategically located near healthcare institutions, medical device, and biopharmaceutical companies.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be trained on the use of brain stimulation hardware and software for transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and contribute to projects on language mapping in healthy individuals and on interventional neurostimulation in individuals with aphasia. They will also be trained in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contribute to the acquisition, processing and analysis of behavioral and neuroimaging data from healthy speakers as well as people with aphasia. The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to the organization and execution of several research projects in the lab, as well as to the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate research assistants. CHANL projects are related to the neurobiology of language and recovery from aphasia, including both impairment-based and functional approaches to recovery, such as through drama intervention.

Qualifications

Position-Specific Qualifications

• PhD in a field relevant to aphasia research (e.g. Public Health, Communication Sciences/Disorders, Linguistics, Neuroscience, Psychology, or related) by start date of employment.
• Expertise with statistical analyses and data visualization
• Robust analytical skills
• Strong academic writing skills
• Effective communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in transcranial electrical stimulation
• Expertise in acquiring and analyzing MRI data
• Expertise with R and/or SPSS
• Expertise with Matlab
• Expertise with SPM and/or FSL neuroimaging data analysis software
• Affinity or experience with drama therapy/education
• Record of scholarly research in stroke, aphasiology, and/or other adult neurogenic language or speech disorders.
• Strong publication record
• Creative thinker

Application Instructions

Informal inquiries can be made to Dr. Dirk den Ouden, PhD (denouden@)

To apply, please submit:

• A cover letter (max. 2 pages; include specific examples of qualifications for the position, why the position is of interest, and your career goals)
• CV
• A statement of research interests (up to 1 page, including relevant background for this position)
• The name and email addresses of three references

Application reviews will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The salary for this position is $70,304/year. This position is contingent on final budget approval. Successful completion of a background check is required for the final candidate.