Job Description

The Data Science and AI Lab at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), led by Associate Professor Talal Rahwan, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Social Science and Artificial Intelligence.

The lab models, simulates, and analyzes social phenomena using computational, experimental, and theoretical methods. We pursue consequential questions at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human behavior, social networks, institutions, and large-scale digital systems. Recent projects span the societal effects and governance of AI, online-platform audits, misinformation and political communication, science of science, scientific inequality, collective behavior, human-machine cooperation, algorithmic privacy, and new methods for discovering social heterogeneity.

We seek a creative, technically strong researcher who can turn an important question into a rigorous study and lead it from conception to publication. The position is deliberately broad: applicants do not need to match every topic or method listed below. We value deep expertise in at least one area, intellectual range, scientific ambition, and the ability to collaborate across computer science and the 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, including misinformation, political communication, and digital influence;
• Science of science, including scientific careers, collaboration, inequality, credit, access, and institutional decision-making;
• Social networks, collective intelligence, group behavior, cooperation, strategic interaction, and human-machine collectives;
• New computational, experimental, or theoretical methods for measuring, explaining, and improving social outcomes at scale.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have substantial freedom to propose new directions that fit the lab’s broader mission. We are particularly interested in projects with clear conceptual novelty, rigorous identification, broad interdisciplinary relevance, and the potential to influence both 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, as appropriate to the question;
• Build reproducible data-collection and analysis pipelines and document methods, code, and research decisions clearly;
• 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 when 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 a closely related discipline.

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 the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines;
• A commitment to ethical, transparent, and reproducible research
• Methodological fit
• Applicants should bring 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 the potential to lead projects of broad scientific and societal importance. Publication records will be assessed relative to career stage and disciplinary norms. Applicants from different 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 spanning computer science, psychology, economics, political science, social research, engineering, and the humanities;
• High-performance computing, GPU-enabled workflows, large-scale data processing, research storage, and technical support;
• Opportunities across NYU’s global network, mentoring experience, professional development, and an active postdoctoral community.

Learn more: Data Science and AI Lab | Talal Rahwan | Postdoctoral research at NYUAD

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit the following through the official NYU recruitment posting:

1. A one-page cover letter
2. A current curriculum vitae and complete publication list
3. Two representative research papers or working papers
4. A research and fit statement of no more than two pages, following the instructions below
5. Names and contact information for three academic or professional references

Research and fit statement

The statement should be concrete and evidence-based. It must:

• Explain the applicant’s personal intellectual, methodological, and technical contributions to the two submitted papers;
• Identify two or three specific connections between the applicant’s prior work and the lab’s research questions or methods;
• Propose one ambitious research question the applicant could realistically lead at NYUAD, including the core method or data source and the expected scientific contribution;
• Explain why the proposed question matters beyond a narrow subfield.

Reference letters will be requested only from shortlisted candidates. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The start date is flexible; appointment and renewal terms will be specified in the formal offer and governed by NYUAD policies.

Application link: to be added when the official NYU posting opens

Questions may be directed to: talal.rahwan@nyu.edu

About NYU Abu Dhabi

https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

NYUAD is committed to upholding a culture of non-discrimination, anti-harassment, dignity, and mutual respect; providing equal access and opportunity; and fostering academic excellence in learning, research, and teaching.

Students are drawn from among the world’s best. They are bright, intellectually passionate, and committed to building a campus environment anchored in mutual respect, understanding, and care. The NYUAD undergraduate student body has garnered an impressive record of scholarships, graduate-school admissions, and other global honors. Graduate education is an area of growth for the University; the current graduate student population of over 100 students is expected to expand in the next decade as doctoral programs are developed.

Working for NYUAD

At NYUAD, we recognize that Abu Dhabi is more than where you work; it’s your home. In order for research staff to thrive, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. This starts with a generous relocation allowance; educational assistance for your dependents; access to health and wellness services; and more. NYUAD is committed to research staff success throughout the academic trajectory, providing support for ambitious and world-class research projects and innovative, interactive teaching approaches. Support for dual-career families is a priority.

Visit our website for more information on benefits for you and your dependents.

NYUAD is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and seek individuals who will contribute to the excellence and vibrancy of our academic community.

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.

Join NYU Abu Dhabi, an exceptional place for exceptional people.

NYUAD values belonging and respect; such principles are fundamental to the university’s commitment to excellence. NYUAD is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and seek individuals who will contribute to our vibrant, multidisciplinary research and teaching community. Multidisciplinary research and exceptional teaching in a global campus community are hallmarks of the University’s mission.

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