This post doctoral announcement is on behalf of Dr. Kathleen Keller, Penn State:

The Metabolic Kitchen and Children’s Eating Behavior Laboratory in the Department of Nutritional Sciences (http://nutrition.hhd.psu.edu) at The Pennsylvania State University seeks a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the area of neuroimaging and childhood obesity. We are examining the brain mechanisms of food portion size and energy density and relating brain responses to objective measures of overeating in pre-adolescent children. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Under the direction of Principal Investigator Kathleen L. Keller, the Metabolic Kitchen and Children’s Eating Behavior Laboratory (http://nutrition.hhdev.psu.edu/childrens-eating-lab) is a state-of-the-art facility for the observation, measurement, and analysis of eating behavior in children. It is housed in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Health and Human Development and is affiliated with the Department of Food Science (http://foodscience.psu.edu/) and the Social Science Research Institute (http://www.ssri.psu.edu/). The goal of this laboratory is to conduct high quality, translatable, hypothesis-driven research in childhood eating behavior. Ongoing studies in this lab use behavioral, neuroimaging, and clinical approaches taken from neuroscience, nutrition, and psychology to understand eating behavior in children.


The ideal candidate will be passionate about the study of eating behavior in children and will have a doctoral degree in nutritional sciences, neuroimaging, psychology, neuroscience, human development and family studies, or some related field. Prior experience with functional magnetic resonance imaging and/or electroencephalography is highly preferred. Prior experience collecting and analyzing imaging data using various software packages (i.e., Brain Voyager, AFNI, Eprime, FSL, Matlab) is also preferred. The candidate will have a desire to work with Dr. Keller on laboratory projects related to neuroimaging and child eating behavior as well as expand on their own research agenda. Excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as strong leadership and team building potential are necessary. The expectations of this position will be as follows: Crafting and submission of successful, hypothesis driven, scientific research proposals; developing and preparing manuscripts focused on the neurobiobehavioral mechanisms underlying childhood eating behaviors and their relationship to obesity; conducting successful inter-disciplinary research in the area of childhood eating behavior and obesity; mentoring undergraduate and graduate students; practicing management skills to apply toward developing and directing an independent research career; designing, analyzing, and interpreting neuroimaging and eating behavior data. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with a 2-year commitment and the possibility to stay longer if desired.


To apply, interested candidates should complete an online application and upload one document that contains a cover letter, a personal statement addressing research interests, curriculum vitae and the names, titles, and complete contact information for three professional references who may be contacted.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Salary is competitive and an attractive benefits package is available.

Kathleen L. Keller, PhD
Mark T. Greenberg Early Career Professor for Children's Health and Development
Assistant Professor / Department of Nutritional Sciences / Department of Food Science
The Pennsylvania State University
321 Chandlee Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2915(office) | 814-863-6103(fax) | klk37@psu.edu
[nutrition.hhdev.psu.edu]

OUR SCIENCE, YOUR HEALTH
[nutrition.hhd.psu.edu]