Postdoctoral Associate in Responsible AI and Computational Social Science

Join NYU Abu Dhabi’s Communication Networks Lab to advance trustworthy AI, bias mitigation, and equitable digital ecosystems.

Best for:Best for senior postdoctoral researchers with a strong publication record in AI, NLP, computational social science, or human-computer interaction, seeking to advance responsible AI and digital equity.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ABU DHABI · Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · R2 · Recognised researcher

More professors at NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ABU DHABI

Large-language-model safety and biasMultilingual and culturally inclusive AI evaluationMisinformation and online harm measurementPlatform and recommendation-system auditsAI-mediated political communicationSocial and behavioral effects of generative AI

This is a postdoc position — not a PhD studentship.

Deadline

Oct 31, 2026

17 days

Funding

Salaried

Not specified (generous benefits package including relocation allowance, health services, and educational assistance for dependents)

Start date

Flexible (after hiring decision)

Full-time

Location

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

Overview

This postdoctoral position at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) focuses on responsible AI and computational social science. Led by Dr. Yasir Zaki, the Communication Networks Lab investigates how AI, online platforms, and digital systems influence individuals, societies, and information access. The successful candidate will lead research on large-language-model safety, bias, misinformation, platform audits, and multilingual AI evaluation. The role emphasizes independent research, empirical project leadership, and mentorship of junior researchers, with substantial freedom to develop new directions aligned with the lab’s mission of creating a more trustworthy and socially responsible digital environment.

Responsible AIComputational Social ScienceLarge Language ModelsBias and FairnessMisinformationPlatform AuditsMultilingual AIHuman-Computer Interaction

What you'll do

Formulate and lead original research questions in responsible AI and computational social science.
Develop rigorous computational or experimental methods for studying AI systems and digital platforms.
Conduct large-scale data analysis, platform audits, and human-subject studies to assess AI impacts.
Publish findings in top-tier venues such as *Nature*, *Science*, *ACM FAccT*, *ACL*, or *PNAS*.
Mentor junior researchers and collaborate across technical and social-science disciplines.
Build reproducible datasets, benchmarks, and auditing infrastructure for responsible AI.
Present research findings at conferences and workshops to advance interdisciplinary dialogue.
Ensure ethical, transparent, and reproducible research practices throughout all projects.

Requirements

Degree required: PhD in computer science, information science, data science, computational social science, electrical or computer engineering, or a closely related discipline, completed within the last 5 years.

Language: English; proficiency sufficient for academic research and publication.

Instruction: English

Publications: At least one first-author or co-first-author publication in a qualifying venue (e.g., *ACM Web Conference*, *ACM FAccT*, *ACL*, *Nature*, *Science*). Collaborative publications must include a detailed explanation of the applicant’s intellectual and technical contribution.

Required skills

Demonstrated publication record in leading AI, NLP, computational social science, or HCI venues.
Experience with large-scale data analysis, machine-learning models, or platform audits.
Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, R) and proficiency in experimental design.
Ability to conduct human-subject studies, causal inference, or behavioral experiments.
Familiarity with multilingual, cross-cultural, or Global South-focused research methodologies.
Experience developing reproducible datasets, benchmarks, or auditing tools.

Nice to have

Publications in *Nature*, *Science*, *ACM FAccT*, *ACL*, *EMNLP*, or *PNAS*.Experience with large language models (LLMs) or generative AI systems.Background in social-network analysis, recommender systems, or algorithmic auditing.Prior collaboration with interdisciplinary teams (e.g., combining technical and social-science perspectives).Familiarity with digital trace data or computational analysis of scientific ecosystems.

Eligibility

PhD completed within the last 5 years in a relevant field.
No restrictions on nationality or residency, but UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.
No age limits specified.

Funding & terms

Type

Salaried

Amount

Not specified (generous benefits package including relocation allowance, health services, and educational assistance for dependents)

Duration

Permanent

Programme

New York University Abu Dhabi

How to apply

Deadline: 2026-10-31 (UTC+4 (Gulf Standard Time))

Applicants must submit a cover letter, CV with publication list, two representative publications, a one-page fit statement, and three reference contacts via email. The fit statement must detail concrete connections between the applicant’s prior work and the lab’s research, their personal contributions to publications, and a proposed research project they could lead at NYUAD. References will only be contacted for shortlisted candidates.

Documents required