Post-Doctoral Associate in the Division of Science (Computer Science) - Dr. Talal Rahwan

About the Job
The Data Science and AI Lab invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Social Science and Artificial Intelligence. The lab focuses on modeling, simulating, and analyzing social phenomena using computational, experimental, and theoretical methods. Research endeavors tackle significant questions at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human behavior, social networks, institutions, and large-scale digital systems. Recent projects involve societal effects and governance of AI, online platform audits, misinformation and political communication, scientific inequality, collective behavior, human-machine cooperation, algorithmic privacy, and new methods for discovering social heterogeneity.
We are looking for a creative and technically skilled researcher who can transform important questions into rigorous studies and lead them from conception to publication. While the position is intentionally broad and does not require matching every topic or method listed, we value deep expertise in at least one area, intellectual range, scientific ambition, and collaborative ability across computer science and social and behavioral sciences.

Research Directions

• Societal, behavioral, and political consequences of AI and large language models, including bias, fairness, safety, governance, and human decision-making
• Audits of recommender systems, search systems, generative AI, and online platforms, focusing on misinformation, political communication, and digital influence
• Science of science: exploring scientific careers, collaboration, inequality, credit, access, and institutional decision-making
• Social networks, collective intelligence, group behavior, cooperation, strategic interaction, and human-machine collectives
• Developing new computational, experimental, or theoretical methods to measure, explain, and improve social outcomes at scale
  The successful candidate will have substantial freedom to propose new directions that align with the lab’s broader mission. We particularly welcome projects with clear conceptual novelty, rigorous identification, broad interdisciplinary relevance, and the potential to impact scholarship and practice.

Role and Responsibilities

• Formulate original research questions and lead ambitious projects from design through publication
• Design and execute observational studies, platform audits, computational analyses, online or field experiments, or formal models appropriate to the research questions
• Build reproducible data collection and analysis pipelines and clearly document methods, code, and research decisions
• Write manuscripts for highly selective interdisciplinary or disciplinary venues and present findings at major conferences
• Collaborate across disciplines, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to proposals or shared research infrastructure as relevant

Candidate Profile
Applicants must have completed all requirements for a PhD before the start date and be less than 5 years post-receipt of the doctoral degree. Relevant fields include computer science, information science, data science, network science, computational social science, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, communication, human-computer interaction, statistics, applied mathematics, or closely related disciplines.

Required Qualifications

• Evidence of the ability to define and complete original, rigorous research, including at least one substantial output for which the applicant can explain a leading contribution
• Strong quantitative and computational skills, including reproducible programming in Python, R, or an equivalent research language
• Excellent written and spoken English, intellectual independence, and ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines
• Commitment to ethical, transparent, and reproducible research
• Methodological fit
• Deep expertise in at least one of the following (no candidate is expected to cover the full list):
  • Large-scale data collection, data engineering, statistical modeling, or computational text and image analysis
  • Machine learning, natural-language processing, large language models, or evaluation and auditing of AI and online platforms
  • Causal inference, natural experiments, panel-data methods, or quasi-experimental design
  • Survey, online, laboratory, or field experiments involving human participants
  • Network science, game theory, agent-based modeling, or computational models of collective behavior

Especially Welcome

• Candidates who combine strong technical methods with serious engagement with social-science theory, or whose training crosses conventional disciplinary boundaries
• Researchers who have built original datasets, experimental platforms, or research software, especially for multilingual, cross-cultural, or globally comparative work

How Applications Will Be Evaluated
We will evaluate research quality, originality, independence, methodological rigor, clarity of thought, and potential to lead projects of broad scientific and societal importance. Publication records will be assessed relative to career stage and disciplinary norms. Applicants from diverse research traditions are encouraged to apply; venue labels alone will not substitute for evidence of a strong personal contribution.

Why Join the Data Science and AI Lab?

• Substantial intellectual freedom to develop new projects in consultation with the principal investigator
• A lab culture oriented toward ambitious questions, methodological rigor, and publication in leading general-science and disciplinary venues
• An interdisciplinary community encompassing computer science, psychology, economics, political science, social research, engineering, and the humanities
• Access to high-performance computing, GPU-enabled workflows, large-scale data processing, research storage, and technical support
• Opportunities across a global network, mentoring experience, professional development, and an active postdoctoral community

Working for the company
The company offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a generous relocation allowance, educational assistance for dependents, health and wellness services, and more. The university prioritizes support for research staff success throughout their academic trajectory and aims to provide resources for ambitious research projects and innovative, interactive teaching approaches. Support for dual-career families is also a priority.
The company is committed to upholding a culture of non-discrimination, anti-harassment, dignity, and mutual respect, while fostering academic excellence in learning, research, and teaching.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to treating all applicants without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, or any other legally protected basis. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and seek individuals who will contribute to our vibrant research and teaching community.