Postdoctoral Scholar - Computational Social Science
Position Overview
Organization: Information School
Title: Postdoctoral Scholar - Computational Social Science
Position Details
Position Description
The University of Washington, Information School (UW iSchool) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar to work with Dr. Tanu Mitra on an ONR-YIP funded project titled “Influencing Communities and Narratives: New Techniques for Understanding Adversarial Influence Online.”
In collaboration with Dr. Mitra and her students, the postdoctoral scholar will contribute primarily to the above project, along with any other projects they may be interested in exploring on the topic of adversarial online influence and misinformation.
The Postdoctoral Scholar will also have the opportunity to engage with researchers at the Center for an Informed Public (CIP). The CIP is a multidisciplinary institute with a core mission aiming to resist strategic misinformation, promote an informed society, and strengthen democratic discourse. The CIP offers an exceptional opportunity to work closely with the Center’s faculty, including sociologists, information scientists, computer scientists, and policy experts. Located in Seattle, the position also offers opportunities for engagement with scholars and industry leaders in the area.
The project aims to study how adversarial online influence looks like in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), particularly, in the Indian subcontinent through a series of large-scale quantitative analysis and experiments conducted on social media. Specific questions that the project will answer include: 1) What are the key vectors of adversarial influence operations in the IOR? How do mainstream media interact with new media (social media) and how do adversaries utilize this landscape to launch influence operations online in the IOR? 2) How do we characterize community-based and narrative-based influence in the region? 3) How can we interrogate and audit algorithms for adversarial influence in the IOR? This work will involve collecting and analyzing data from multiple social media platforms, constructing machine learning models, complementing quantitative analysis work with deep qualitative analysis, and developing and conducting audit experiments to measure influence in real-time online.
Applicants with expertise in quantitative (e.g., machine learning, natural language processing), qualitative (e.g., discourse analysis), computational social science, social computing, and HCI/CSCW are strongly encouraged to apply. The position can also provide an opportunity to learn new methodologies and approaches. We encourage applicants from backgrounds traditionally marginalized/underrepresented in the field to apply.
Position Duration: This is a two year position. The initial appointment is for a minimum of one year, with a strong possibility of reappointment in the 2nd year. This position will begin as early as January 1, 2022.
Postdoctoral Scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website.
Qualifications
-
Applicants must have a PhD in Information or Computer Science or a related field
-
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
-
An ability to work in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment, including demonstrated success in working with diverse populations
We will consider candidates who have accepted tenure-track positions at another institution but with the ability to defer their start date.
Instructions
-
A cover letter describing your interest in this position; and explicitly addressing past, present, and/or future (planned) contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
-
A brief research statement that outlines your research achievements and goals and summarizes your qualifications for this position.
-
Curriculum vitae, including names and contact information of three references
-
Two published papers, or equivalent writing samples that demonstrate expertise and fit for the position
-
A link to a professional webpage, Google scholar page (if applicable), and github profile (if applicable).
Applications will be accepted until filled. Review of applications will begin immediately. Interested candidates should contact Tanu Mitra at tmitra@uw.edu.
You can read more about the CIP at https://ischool.uw.edu/research/center-informed-public
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements and Information
Under Washington State Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, University of Washington (UW) workers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. This requirement will be a condition of any offer associated with this recruitment. For more information, please visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement/.