UCLA Anderson anticipates hiring up to 2 postdoctoral fellows to join the Behavioral Decision Making area in the summer of 2025, in an initiative to promote career growth and broad impact for scientists interested in innovative, rigorous, and applied behavioral science research. Each fellowship will have a term of up to 3 years, conditional on satisfactory annual evaluations of research activity.
The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by level at appointment. See Table 23.
These positions are designed to support skilled scientists in making behavioral research contributions that can substantially advance both theory and practice in human judgment, decision making, and other domains of behavior (including, but not limited to, research in ethics; conflict; incentives and human motivation; behavioral AI and technology; inequality and social bias). Before starting this position, fellows must have their PhD (or at least a successful dissertation defense) in a discipline related to behavioral science (e.g., social or cognitive psychology, economics, organizational behavior, public policy, public health), demonstrable skill in advancing behavioral research, and a readiness to partner with real-world organizations on research in naturalistic settings. Candidates may add further value with a commitment to the success and mentorship of students from underrepresented and underserved populations, with an enthusiasm for building ties across disciplines and across the university, and with experience in organizing relationships between partners in academia, policy, and commercial practice.
Once hired, successful fellows will be expected to continue their active research programs, as well as to support complementary departmental activities that promote the success of our diverse community (e.g., development of field research partnerships, mentoring and professional development for students from a broad range of backgrounds). To this end, fellows will be encouraged to work both independently and in collaborations of their choosing to enrich the empirical research contributions of the school.
Supplemental support will include a research budget, full access to the services of the Anderson Behavioral Lab, and privileged access to resources of the Behavioral Science and Policy Association.
Review of candidates for the positions will begin on February 1. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation, a representative manuscript, and a research statement describing their interests (including any specific faculty collaborators and/or projects they would like to pursue as part of the fellowship). In order to receive full consideration, please submit your application materials online at https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10046.
For questions about any of these positions, please contact the BDM Area Admin Office at bdm.admin@anderson.ucla.edu.
The Behavioral Decision Making (BDM) area at UCLA Anderson is home to researchers interested in the study of human judgment and decision making behavior, broadly construed. Often jointly appointed in other academic areas, BDM faculty members have expertise in behavioral economics, cognitive and social psychology, marketing, organizational behavior, behavioral finance, behavioral strategy, and public policy, among other disciplines. Core faculty include: Daniel Benjamin, Eugene Caruso, Heather Caruso, Keith Chen, Hengchen Dai, Craig Fox, Jana Gallus, Noah Goldstein, Kareem Haggag, Joyce He, Hal Hershfield, Cassie Mogilner Holmes, Ian Larkin, Alicea Liberman, Kathleen Ngangoué, Franklin Shaddy, Margaret Shih, Sanjay Sood, Stephen Spiller, Sherry Wu, and Shi Zhang, and affiliated faculty in related academic areas at UCLA. Area faculty also create productive channels for research support and partnership through various affiliations, including those with NBER, ideas42, BSPA, several governmental “nudge units,” and others.
More information on the group and our activities is available at the website for the UCLA Anderson BDM Area.
Located in an urban setting, UCLA is California’s largest university with a diverse student body of 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students, approximately 25% that come from underrepresented minority groups. As a campus with a continually growing diverse student body, we encourage applications from women, minorities, and individuals with a commitment to the success of underrepresented groups in behavioral science. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: [UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy]. (http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct).