Postdoctoral Fellow in Social Psychology, York University, Canada

Summary

The York University Department of Psychology seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to lead a two‑year research program funded by the John Templeton Foundation. The project investigates the psychological consequences of spiritual yearning, exploring how it can foster openness and prosocial behavior or increase susceptibility to misinformation and conspiracy beliefs. The fellow will coordinate large‑scale data collection, develop surveys and experiments, conduct advanced statistical analyses, support open‑science practices, and contribute to publications and presentations. Supervision of undergraduate and graduate assistants and collaboration with project leaders are integral. The position offers a salary of $75,000 CAD plus benefits and is open to applicants with a completed PhD in psychology or a related field.

Key Facts

Department	Department of Psychology
Position Type	Postdoctoral Fellow
Discipline	Psychology
Research Area	Social Psychology, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Cognitive Science, Behavioural Science
Degree Required	PhD
Salary	$75,000 CAD plus benefits
Funding	Funded by the John Templeton Foundation
Contract Duration	up to 2 years
Required Documents	Cover letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV), Research statement, Contact details of three references
Employer Address	York University, Keele Campus, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Employer Contact	[email protected]

About the Project

The funded project examines how spiritual yearning influences psychological outcomes such as wellbeing, religious tolerance, prejudice, generosity, and engagement with conspiratorial content. Using correlational, cross‑cultural, behavioural, and experimental methods, the research will assess how individual epistemic orientations determine whether spiritual seeking leads to constructive openness or to increased credulity and misinformation susceptibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinating and implementing data collection across multiple large‑scale studies
• Developing, programming, piloting, and refining surveys and behavioural experiments
• Conducting statistical analyses, including regression, mediation/moderation, and multilevel models
• Supporting preregistration, open‑science workflows, data and code organization, and reproducible research practices
• Contributing to manuscript preparation, conference presentations, and knowledge mobilization
• Supervising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate research assistants
• Contributing to the development of new research questions and analyses within the broader research program

Required Skills

• Strong training in social psychology, cognitive/decision sciences, behavioural economics, or related areas
• Experience conducting quantitative behavioural research, preferably involving experimental and survey methods
• Strong statistical skills, including multilevel modelling, regression, mediation/moderation
• Proficiency in R for data management, statistical analysis, and reproducible research
• Experience with open‑science workflows, preregistration, transparent reporting, and data/code management
• Excellent academic writing and communication skills
• Experience managing research projects and coordinating research assistants
• Strong organizational, collaborative, and mentoring skills
• Desirable: research on religion/spirituality, epistemic cognition, misinformation/conspiracy beliefs, intergroup relations, moral psychology, or behavioural decision‑making
• Experience with online participant recruitment and behavioural experiments

Who Should Apply

Applicants who have completed a PhD in psychology, cognitive science, behavioural science or a closely related discipline, with strong training in social psychology and quantitative research methods, are ideal. Candidates should have experience with experimental and survey research, advanced statistical modelling, proficiency in R, and a record of open‑science practices. Those who can lead data collection, mentor assistants, and contribute to manuscript preparation are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

• Salary: $75,000 CAD plus benefits

About the Employer

York University is a public research university in Canada. The postdoctoral position is based in the Department of Psychology at York University, Keele Campus, Toronto, Ontario.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline?

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

What is the salary for this position?

The salary is $75,000 CAD plus benefits.

How long is the contract?

The appointment is a fixed‑term position of up to two years.

Who should I contact for more information?

Contact Dr. Cindel White at [email protected].