Interested in joining the team?

The Learning and Brain Development Lab is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone. Our research is a collaborative project that requires people of all backgrounds to meaningfully contribute. Therefore, we want all members to feel that they belong to our team, regardless of their background, race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs.

Full-time research staff

We are not currently hiring any full-time research staff.

Graduate students

PhD Program in Psychology:

Dr. Davidow will not be taking students for the 2025-2026 application cycle and will not be reviewing applications. We encourage prospective applicants to check back here for information regarding the next cycle.

PhD Program in Human Behavior and Sustainability Sciences (PDF):

Co-Mentorship:

Dr. Davidow may consider serving as a secondary mentor for an incoming student in Psychology or HBSS.

Deadline: December 1, 2025 – Apply here: Apply here: https://phd.northeastern.edu/program/psychology-2/. Select Dr. Davidow’s name from the drop-down menu; otherwise, your application may not be reviewed. If the application fee poses a barrier, please email gradcos@northeastern.edu.

The Learning & Brain Development Lab seeks curious, talented, diverse individuals to pursue doctoral studies on the development of learning and goal-directed behaviors across adolescence.

The PhD program at Northeastern is selective, admitting only a handful of students each year. In your application, please be sure to address:

How your academic, professional, and personal experiences have prepared you for PhD study
The research you would hope to conduct during your PhD
Why the Learning and Brain Development Lab is the right place for you to collaborate with to pursue this training

We look forward to reviewing your application!

Dr. Davidow will not meet with candidates before reviewing their submitted application materials. You are welcome to email Dr. Davidow to let her know your application has been submitted in advance of the December 1 deadline. Applications submitted after December 1 may not be reviewed.

Here are resources you might consider as you prepare your application materials:

This article gives a great brief overview of factors to consider when applying: https://www.science.org/content/article/applying-phd-these-10-tips-can-help-you-succeed
The Application Statement Feedback Program offers constructive editorial feedback, emphasizing support for underrepresented group members and individuals without the support of a research lab: https://www.asfp.io/
The Co-Founder of the ASFP has more about applying on his lab website https://www.sokolhessnerlab.com/howapplyingworks
Even though this series of videos is developed for a different university, the 3rd video in the series has very useful information which absolutely applies to how Dr. Davidow will evaluate applicants: https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/pro-tip

Postdoctoral research fellows

The lab does not have a position open for a postdoc at this time. To discuss opportunities to seek funding to conduct training in the Learning and Brain Development Lab please email Dr. Davidow (j.davidow@northeastern.edu).

Research assistants (post-baccs, undergraduates, high school students, etc.)

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Please fill out the form here if you are interested in joining the lab as a research assistant. During the academic year, we ask that undergraduate research assistants commit to working in the lab for at least 2 semesters, and we expect that they maintain a weekly schedule working 10 hours per week in-person in the lab (this may include evenings/weekends as needed for testing research participants). RA responsibilities include completing trainings, posting flyers around the greater Boston area, screening potential study participants over the phone, attending weekly lab meetings, data cleaning, and assisting in data collection for online, behavioral, and fMRI experiments. RAs who work in the lab for a longer period of time (such as thesis or coop students) may eventually have the opportunity to delve into the “deeper” aspects of research, such as study design, data analysis, and poster/manuscript preparation.

High School Summer Interns:

We are excited to partner with Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program (YSP) to host two rising high school seniors in our lab for the summer. YSP students in the lab will be introduced to a variety of psychology and neuroscience topics, contribute to scientific outreach endeavors, learn about the experimental design process, utilize new programming tools and software, and complete independent projects. This six-week summer program is an immersive experience where students will gain insights into conducting academic research. Please note: Applications for Summer 2025 have closed.

We may host 1-2 additional high school summer interns in conjunction with our YSP students. If you are interested in joining, please email the lab at LBDLpsych@northeastern.edu with the subject line “High School Summer Intern 2025” and include a resume and brief statement of interest describing why you hope to work in the lab.