Director of the Center for Mind and Brain & Professor of Psychology

We invite applications for the position of Director of the Center for Mind and Brain ( Center for Mind and Brain ), at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor (with tenure) in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis. The Center for Mind and Brain (CMB) is an interdisciplinary research facility comprising faculty from multiple disciplines within the College of Letters and Science, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological Sciences and School of Medicine.

For nearly 25 years, the CMB has been a nationally and internationally recognized leader in research on the human mind and brain. Combining strengths in cognitive and developmental psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, neurology, computational modeling and more, the 21 core faculty investigate the full arc of human mind and brain science across the lifespan to understand how minds develop, adapt, and thrive, while supporting and training undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in leading-edge research.

The Department of Psychology ( Psychology ) includes 41 faculty conducting research and teaching in 5 core areas, including cognition, perception and cognitive neuroscience; developmental psychology; biological psychology; quantitative psychology; and social and personality psychology. Our collaborative, interdisciplinary culture fosters innovation and supports high-impact scholarship.

The successful candidate for Director will be expected to assume a high-profile leadership role to support and advance the research and training excellence of the CMB. The Director will hold a 50% administrative appointment for an initial 5-year period, with potential for renewal. The Director will be expected to implement a vision for expanding the CMB’s mission as a world-renowned research hub, to promote the individual and collaborative research programs of the CMB faculty, to identify and lead new opportunities for growth, and to strengthen the CMB’s ties to the many affiliated units at UC Davis, as well as international sites.

The Director’s own research program could be in any area that is complementary to the mission of the CMB and the Department of Psychology. To be considered, applicants must have a PhD degree, an excellent record of accomplishment in scholarly research and teaching, and demonstrated leadership and administrative experience.

Demonstrated success in obtaining federal and philanthropic extramural funds is expected. The start date for this position is July 1, 2027. Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm (PT) on Sunday October 11, 2026 for full consideration. Applications submitted after this date may not be considered. If you have any questions about the search or position, feel free to contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr.

Joy Geng ( jgeng@ucdavis.edu ).