Job Description

Position Title: Research Assistant (Part-Time)

Schedule: Hybrid (remote + New York City as needed) Up to 5 hours per week

Timeline: May 4 - November 20, 2026

Location: 1 Washington Square North, NY, NY 10003

Study Title: Development and Pilot Testing of a Culturally Grounded AI Chatbot to Promote

Principal Investigators: Dale Maglalang, PhD (NYU Silver School of Social Work) and Raj Korpan, PhD (Computer Science, Hunter College, City University of New York)

• Assist with chatbot prototype development and testing
• Draft and refine chatbot-to-user prompts and dialogue flows
• Develop system instructions/style guidelines to guide LLM responses
• Support integration of curated content using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows
• Conduct internal testing and document bugs or safety concerns
• Assist with usability testing and summarize user feedback
• Attend regular team meetings
• Perform additional related duties as needed

This position is classified under the professional research staff category at NYU and does not qualify for visa sponsorship including STEM OPT extension. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for the duration of employment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, human-computer interaction, information science, statistics, or related field
• Experience assisting on research or technical projects
• Experience with Python or similar programming language
• Familiarity with chatbots, conversational AI, or large language models (LLMs)
• Strong writing and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Attention to detail and commitment to culturally grounded research

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills

• Experience with prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or LLM application development
• Experience working with APIs (e.g., OpenAI or similar tools)
• Experience with usability testing or human-centered design
• Interest in digital mental health or community-engaged technology
• Experience working with LGBTQ+ or Asian American communities

Application Instructions

Apply Via Interfolio

In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act,the hourly rate for this position is $20-$30 New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

Sustainability Statement

NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/sustainability