Post Doctoral Scholar, AAC Lab-FAAST Center/School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

A Postdoctoral Scholar Position is available for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) research within the FAAST Center/ AAC Lab at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Florida.

The Opportunity

We seek a highly motivated individual with a strong interest in conducting federally funded clinical research focused on aided language measurement and assistive technology interventions for children with varying disabilities. The FAAST Center / AAC Lab provides opportunities to work with a team of students, academic faculty and clinical faculty researchers led by Dr. Jennifer Kent-Walsh (Pegasus Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, FAAST Center / AAC Lab Director & Associate Dean of Research/Faculty Excellence, College of Health Professions and Sciences). The center has a close partnership with the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic, within the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and offers assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities in surrounding counties as well as clinical instruction for students in the master’s program in Communication Sciences and Disorders and related programs. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic and innovative team with a strong focus on improving language and communication results for children with complex communication needs. The successful candidate will: (a) conduct clinical research with the UCF team as well as collaborator Dr. Cathy Binger and her research team at the University of New Mexico, (b) have opportunities to build skills in pre-award and post-award funding activities, (c) participate in assistive technology and AAC service-delivery activities as part of an interdisciplinary team, (c) have access to broad-ranging professional development programming at UCF, and (d) have potential opportunities for supplemental teaching assignments if desired. Office space will be provided in our state-of-the-art clinical research and service-delivery facility.

This is a 2-year position with an anticipated August 2025 start date. Full university benefits package and professional development funding are also offered. Year 1 support includes up to $5,000 professional development allowance, which the scholar can use to cover professional development, conferences, or workshops during their tenure as a UCF postdoc.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate and support PIs and Project Manager for NIH-funded clinical research grant project.
• Provide oversight of study procedures, protocols, and tasks (e.g., recruitment and retention).
• Liaise with community partners locally and nationally.
• Develop data collection protocols.
• Collect qualitative, quantitative, and longitudinal data.
• Assist in quantitative and qualitative data analyses.
• Assist in the development of new grant applications.
• Co-author scholarly and translational publication materials.
• Draft project-specific annual reports.
• Supervise student researchers/volunteers.
• Develop and execute a strategic plan to advance personal line of research with mentoring.
• Other research tasks as assigned.
• Notes: (1) Responsibilities are funded project timeline dependent and may not include everything listed above, and (2) Opportunities to gain teaching experience might become available.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Ph.D. from an accredited institution in speech-language pathology, communication sciences and disorders, special education, and/or clinical psychology combined with strong preparation to conduct clinical research and grant writing activities in English.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing research projects.
• Experience leading or co-leading scholarly, peer-reviewed publications.
• Data collection experience for AAC- or language development-focused clinical research studies.
• Documented experience working with large datasets.
• Experience working within collaborative research teams with multiple investigators.
• ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
• Experience with clinical supervision in speech-language pathology in compliance with American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Standards.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Application (limit 2 pages) summarizing your relevant experience, career goals and potential contributions to the project Measuring Aided Language Development (MALD).
• Contact information for three professional references; at least 2 references should be academic (include referee position, title, affiliation, email & phone number)
• Two samples of written scholarly outputs (e.g., published paper, unpublished manuscript-length document, technical grant report)

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials. 

Questions regarding this search may be directed to: Nancy Harrington, nancy.harrington@ucf.edu

https://graduate.ucf.edu/postdoc-professional-development

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Lab - UCF School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Are Benefits Important to You?

State Benefits eligibility for OPS employees are subject to criteria established by the State of Florida. The state’s benefits administrator, People First, determines eligibility and coordinates enrollment. If this position becomes eligible for state benefits the employee will be notified directly by People First.  OPS positions are not entitled to paid time off. 

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.   

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.”  

To request an accommodation with the application or interview process, please contact the Office of Institutional Equity by telephone: 407-823-1336; email oie@ucf.edu; or visit in person: 12701 Scholarship Drive, Orlando, FL 32816-0030.