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Decision Making Postdoc Jobs in Indiana (NOW HIRING)

Decision Making Postdoc information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Decision Making Postdoc, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Decision Making Postdoc, you need a PhD in psychology, neuroscience, economics, or a related field, along with a strong background in experimental design and data analysis. Expertise in statistical software (such as R, MATLAB, or Python) and experience with behavioral or neuroimaging methods are typically required. Outstanding analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective scientific communication skills help you excel in collaborative research environments. These competencies are crucial for producing rigorous research, advancing knowledge in decision-making science, and contributing to interdisciplinary projects.

What are some common challenges faced by Decision Making Postdocs in balancing independent research with collaborative projects?

Decision Making Postdocs often need to strike a balance between pursuing their own research interests and contributing to larger lab or team projects. Juggling independent work with collaborative studies can be challenging, especially when timelines or methodologies differ. Success in this role typically involves strong communication skills, flexibility, and effective time management, as well as openness to interdisciplinary feedback. Navigating these dynamics helps postdocs build valuable experience for future academic or industry positions.

What is a Decision Making Postdoc?

A Decision Making Postdoc is a researcher who has completed their PhD and is conducting advanced research in the field of decision-making. This typically involves studying how individuals or groups make choices, using methods from psychology, neuroscience, economics, or related disciplines. Postdocs in this area often work on experimental design, data analysis, and publishing their findings, while collaborating with faculty and other researchers. The position is usually temporary, intended to further develop scholarly skills and prepare for an academic or industry career.

What is the difference between Decision Making Postdoc vs Data Scientist?

AspectDecision Making PostdocData Scientist
Required CredentialsPhD in relevant field, research experienceBachelor's or Master's in CS, stats, or related field; often a PhD preferred
Work EnvironmentAcademic or research institutions, labsTech companies, finance, healthcare, industry
Employer & Industry UsageResearch-focused roles, academiaIndustry roles, product development, analytics
Common Search & ComparisonDecision Making Postdoc vs Data Scientist

The Decision Making Postdoc primarily focuses on research and theoretical analysis related to decision processes, often within academic or research settings. In contrast, Data Scientists apply data analysis, modeling, and machine learning techniques to solve practical problems in industry. While both roles require strong analytical skills, Decision Making Postdocs emphasize research and theoretical frameworks, whereas Data Scientists focus on data-driven solutions for business applications.

What are popular job titles related to Decision Making Postdoc jobs in Indiana? For Decision Making Postdoc jobs in Indiana, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Decision Making Postdoc jobs in Indiana look for? The top searched job categories for Decision Making Postdoc jobs in Indiana are:
What cities in Indiana are hiring for Decision Making Postdoc jobs? Cities in Indiana with the most Decision Making Postdoc job openings:
Postdoctoral Researcher

Postdoctoral Researcher

Indiana University

Bloomington, IN • On-site

$60K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

Posting Details
Position Details
Title
Postdoctoral Researcher
Appointment Status
Non-Tenure Track
Department
IU Bloomington Psychological & Brain Sciences
Location
Bloomington
Position Summary
Postdoctoral Researcher - AI-Augmented Decision Science
Indiana University Bloomington
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, & Engineering
Position Overview
The Postdoctoral Researcher will join a new interdisciplinary project developing an AI-augmented decision science platform to understand and model high-stakes human judgments. This position will be jointly mentored by Dr. Tim Pleskac (cognitive and decision modeling) and Dr. David Crandall (computer vision and AI). The postdoc will lead the development, integration, and testing of computational models of decision making that incorporate dynamic scene features, pose tracking, and eye-tracking data collected from an immersive police shooting simulator.
The position is based at Indiana University Bloomington, with opportunities for collaboration with Michigan State University, and IU's network in cognitive modeling, AI, and human-AI decision research.
This postdoctoral appointment is full-time and on-campus.
Job Duties
80% - Research
  • Lead development of computational models of judgment and decision making, including evidence accumulation models, social drift-diffusion models, and hybrid models integrating computer-vision-derived features.
  • Build and test pipelines for pose detection, object tracking, optical-flow analysis, and gaze-scene alignment, in collaboration with computer vision researchers.
  • Analyze large multimodal datasets (simulator videos, eye-tracking videos, joint motion trajectories).
  • Lead and co-author manuscripts and conference presentations.

10% - Project Management
  • Work directly with the PIs to ensure efficient progress toward research objectives.
  • Coordinate research tasks across undergraduate RAs, graduate students, and collaborating labs.
  • Oversee data processing workflows, documentation, and reproducibility pipelines.

10% - Other Duties
  • Assist with dissemination activities, lab meetings, mentoring of junior researchers, and other project-related tasks as needed.

Required Qualifications
  • Ph.D. in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Neuroscience, or a related field by the start date.
  • Demonstrated expertise in computational modeling of human behavior or computer vision / machine learning.
  • Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or R.
  • Strong quantitative and analytic skills.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with evidence-accumulation models (DDM, sequential sampling, Bayesian models).
  • Experience with computer vision tools (e.g., MediaPipe, OpenPose, homography estimation, optical flow).
  • Experience with eye-tracking data collection or analysis.
  • Familiarity with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
  • Experience working with multimodal datasets (video, gaze, motion, behavioral responses).
  • Background or interest in decision making under uncertainty, social decision dynamics, or human-AI interaction.

Work Environment
The postdoc will be embedded in two leading research ecosystems:
The IU Behavioral Science Lab (Psychological & Brain Sciences)
A major center for judgment and decision-making research, evidence accumulation modeling, and computational cognitive science.
The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering
A top-tier program in computer vision, machine learning, and multimodal analytics.
The researcher will benefit from access to IU's state-of-the-art computing resources, weekly interdisciplinary meetings, and strong mentorship from both PIs.
Appointment Details
  • Anticipated Start Date: Spring or Summer 2026 (flexible)
  • Salary: $60,000 + benefits
  • Work Schedule: Full-time, on-campus
  • Supervisors: Dr. Tim Pleskac and Dr. David Crandall
  • Initial Appointment: 1 year, with expectation of renewal for a second year based on performance and funding

Application Instructions
Interested individuals should apply at https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/31525.
A complete application includes:
  1. Cover letter describing research interests and fit for the position
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. A professional writing sample (e.g., publication or dissertation chapter)
  4. Names and contact information for three references

Applications received by (1/9/2026) will receive full consideration, however the search will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.
Basic Qualifications
  • Ph.D. in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Neuroscience, or a related field by the start date.
  • Demonstrated expertise in computational modeling of human behavior or computer vision / machine learning.
  • Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or R.
  • Strong quantitative and analytic skills.

Department Contact for Questions
Dr. Tim Pleskac (tpleskac@iu.edu)
Additional Qualifications
  • Experience with evidence-accumulation models (DDM, sequential sampling, Bayesian models).
  • Experience with computer vision tools (e.g., MediaPipe, OpenPose, homography estimation, optical flow).
  • Experience with eye-tracking data collection or analysis.
  • Familiarity with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
  • Experience working with multimodal datasets (video, gaze, motion, behavioral responses).
  • Background or interest in decision making under uncertainty, social decision dynamics, or human-AI interaction.

Salary and Rank
$60,000
Special Instructions
For Best Consideration Date
01/09/2026
Expected Start Date
03/01/2026
Posting Number
IU-101433-2025