Postdoctoral Fellow - Chinese Multimodal Interaction

Competition 2233

This position is part of the Post Doctoral Fellows Association and has an initial appointment of 2 years.

This position has a comprehensive benefits package.

Location - Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people — from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

Working for the Faculty of Arts

Edmonton and the University of Alberta are situated on Treaty 6 territory, homeland of the Métis, and traditional meeting ground and home for many Indigenous Peoples, including Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Dene, and Nakota Sioux. Founded in 1908, the University of Alberta is one of Canada's largest and most-respected research universities. It serves over 41,000 students in more than 200 undergraduate and 500 graduate and professional programs. In 2022, the University’s Indigenous Strategic Plan was implemented, reflecting an important step in our institution’s commitment to reconciliation in post-secondary education and research, addressing the historical legacy of the residential school system and Canada’s colonial history. The University’s new Integrated Action Plan is underpinned by respect for the dignity, rights, and full participation of all those who live, work, and learn within the university.

With 7,000 undergraduate and 700 graduate students across 15 academic units, the Faculty of Arts is the oldest and most diverse faculty on campus and is one of the largest research and teaching centres in Western Canada.

Position

The Postdoctoral Fellow position is supervised by Prof. Xiaoting Li in the Department of East Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta. The research project that the Postdoctoral Fellow will participate in is a multimodal study of Chinese interaction including Mandarin, and Southwestern Mandarin, Northern Mandarin, and Jin dialects.

The start date of this position is June 1, 2025. This is a 2-year position with the possibility for a short renewal. The salary is $43,000 CAD per annum.

Duties

The successful candidate will work with Prof. Xiaoting Li on data collection, supervising data transcription, participating in data analysis and research dissemination (publications and presentations). The position provides opportunities to work on interdisciplinary research teams in collaboration with researchers in psychology, gesture studies, and computer engineering (machine learning). The successful candidate will assist Prof. Xiaoting Li to coordinate the interdisciplinary research teams in the project. The successful candidate needs to be an enthusiastic and passionate researcher.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in linguistics, applied linguistics, Chinese linguistics, or other related disciplines such as sociology (conversation analysis) and communication, with a commendable track record of publications.
• ABDs are welcome to apply, and will receive equal consideration as candidates holding a PhD degree. But ABDs are expected to complete all PhD degree completion requirements in their home institutions by the start date of the position.
• Native or near-native proficiency level in Mandarin, as is evidenced by the HSK certificate Level 8 and up, or the Mandarin Proficiency Certificate (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) Level 1.
• Ability to understand and transcribe conversations in the following Chinese dialects: Southwestern Mandarin, Northern Mandarin, and Jin dialect.
• Experience in collecting language and social interactional data using eye-tracking and other audio- and video-recording technologies.
• Experience in analyzing authentic Mandarin interactional data using conversation analysis and interactional linguistics methodologies.
• Experience in transcribing naturalistic Mandarin interactions using the transcription software Transana.
• Expertise in one or more the following areas: conversation analysis, multimodal interaction analysis, interactional linguistics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience publishing in internationally-recognized academic venues (e.g., peer-reviewed journals).
• Experience working in an interdisciplinary team and/or on interdisciplinary projects.
• Effective communication (written and verbal) and strong interpersonal skills to work in a diverse team environment effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to work independently and adaptability to work under the supervision of principal investigator with flexibility and willingness to learn new techniques as a self-starter.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong organizational skills and time management skills.
• Teamwork and supervision skills to supervise graduate and undergraduate students.