Postdoctoral Researcher - Auditory Model Development

The 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW), headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is the first human-centric warfare wing to consolidate human performance research, education, and consultation under a single organization. Established under the Air Force Research Laboratory, the 711 HPW is comprised of the Airman Systems Directorate (RH) and the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM). For more information about the 711th Human Performance Wing, please visit https://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/711hpw/.

The Airman Systems Directorate (RH) is the research arm of the 711th Human Performance Wing at the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. RH conducts a wide range of research and design projects for internal and operational customers. These projects connect to a wide range of disciplines and collaborators across government labs, academia, industry, and military operators in order to generate the most innovative and effective solutions.

The human auditory system is remarkable in its ability to parse a sound scene into multiple sound objects. There are many computational models that are designed to simulate various aspects of the auditory system, but none yet that can satisfactorily predict the detectability of complex sounds in natural sound environments. The Sensory Systems Branch at the Air Force Research Laboratory aims to develop a model that can predict the detectability of a target sound in complex environments, including effects of information masking. This model will be useful for simulating auditory object formation and identification within complex sound scenes. In order to develop a dataset for the model, behavioral studies with human listeners will be designed and conducted with our on-site panel of test subjects, and/or ad hoc subjects for field data collections. The ORISE participant will gain experience in developing auditory models for sound detection, as well as conducting research in AFRL’s unique acoustic facilities. The ORISE participant will benefit from interactions with a diverse team of experts and will increase their understanding of the auditory system by measuring and modeling its performance in complex environments.

This appointment is a 12-month research appointment, with the possibility to be renewed for additional research periods. Appointments may be extended depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant.

Participants will receive a stipend to be determined by AFRL. Stipends are typically based on the participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other benefits may include the following:

The participant will not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DOD, or any other office or agency. Instead, the participant will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.