This is a contract role with one of our clients in Seattle, WA
About the Team
We are seeking a contract applied research scientist specializing in quantitative audio perception and psychometric assessment. This role is an integral part of our team, contributing to research and development efforts in speech intelligibility, audio quality evaluation, and hearing care technologies.
The ideal candidate will help us design, execute, and analyze perceptual studies that evaluate audio processing algorithms, enabling us to tailor our technologies to meet unique user needs.
Responsibilities
- Oversee and drive perceptual evaluation studies, analyze data using statistical methods, and report findings
- Design and conduct listening tests using established psychometric paradigms (e.g., adaptive tracking, forced-choice preference, MUSHRA) in both lab and crowdsourced settings
- Perform statistical analyses including mixed-effects models, power analysis, effect size estimation, and psychometric function fitting
- Monitor problems, facilitate resolution, and proactively keep projects on track
- Regularly report on project progress, dependencies, and risks to stakeholders
- Support research scientists and engineers within the team with perceptual data collection and analysis
- Coordinate with research assistants on study execution, room calibration, and equipment setup
- Manage procurement projects for equipment and vendor services
- Willingness to "roll up sleeves" and take on operational tasks in support of the team's goals
Minimum Qualifications
- Work experience in perceptual or psychophysical research with a track record of successful project completion
- Experience with statistical analysis of behavioral data (e.g., mixed-effects models, signal detection theory, psychometric methods)
- Interpersonal and communication skills, with strong attention to detail
- Proactive with ability to execute on multiple projects simultaneously
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with team members and individuals throughout the broader organization
- Track record of communicating research in an academic or industrial setting
- Experience working in a fast-paced research and/or product development environment
- Experience with scientific programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, R, or C++
- Master's degree or equivalent experience in Computational Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Electrical Engineering, Perception, Experimental Psychology, Audio Engineering, Acoustics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Audiology, or a related field
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with auditory perception, speech intelligibility testing, or hearing science
- Experience with crowdsourced perceptual evaluation platforms (e.g., Prolific, MTurk)
- Experience with audio calibration and acoustic measurement equipment
- PhD degree or equivalent experience
- Experience with independently implementing ML training pipelines, models, and evaluation frameworks.
Must-Have Skills
- Experience with statistical analysis of behavioral data (e.g., mixed-effects models, signal detection theory, psychometric methods).
- Work experience in perceptual or psychophysical research with a track record of successful project completion.
- Experience with scientific programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, R, or C++.
Nice-to-have Skills
- Advanced Education: PhD degree or equivalent experience.
- AI Experience: Experience with AI generative speech.
- Audio Modeling: Experience with modeling audio Quality
