Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Open Date: Nov 02, 2026
Deadline: Nov 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Description
The Computing and Mathematical Sciences Division at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) invites applications for a 2-year postdoctoral position exploring Human-Centered approaches to Synthetic Data Generation for Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications.
This postdoc position will be jointly advised by Prof. Divya Ramesh and Prof. Thamar Solorio. The successful candidate will bridge qualitative, quantitative, and natural language processing methods to:
- Operationalize Responsible AI Frameworks for Synthetic Data: Develop actionable frameworks (spanning fairness, privacy, accountability, consent, and ethics) to guide the generation of synthetic data.
- Advance Low-Resource and High-Risk NLP Applications: Investigate the appropriate uses and bounds of synthetic data in low-resource, localized high-risk settings such as chatbot audits.
- Establish Data Quality Indicators and Standards: Design human-centered and computational protocols to evaluate synthetic datasets.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead high-impact original and collaborative research at the intersection of HCI, NLP, and Responsible AI.
- Develop mixed-methods or computational frameworks for synthetic data generation and data quality evaluation.
- Lead and co-author publications in top-tier HCI and NLP venues and contribute to an inclusive research environment.
- Co-mentor graduate and undergraduate students within the division.
- Maintain and enrich relationships with academic, community, and government partners.
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is a world-leading university dedicated to advancing AI as a global force for good. The UAE’s visionary leaders established MBZUAI to educate and develop top talent, conduct advanced research, foster an innovation ecosystem, and act as a strategic think tank for the public and private sectors.
The University attracts world-class thinkers and doers in computer science, AI, bioscience, humanities and beyond. Our groundbreaking academic research initiatives are working on developing future solutions that will impact the world and change the way we imagine things.
Why Join MBZUAI?
- Top-Tier Compensation: Competitive salaries aligned with leading global academic institutions
- Funding: MBZUAI empowers researchers with resources and academic freedom, fostering groundbreaking AI advancements in an environment of innovation and independent inquiry.
- Exceptional Benefits:
- Comprehensive health & life insurance
- Relocation support for international researchers
- Build State-of-the-Art Research Facilities: Cutting-edge AI labs and high-performance computing
- Live in Abu Dhabi: World’s safest city, year-round sunshine, rich culture, and modern amenities
- Industry & Government Collaborations: Work with top AI researchers, leading tech firms, and policymakers
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- A PhD in Computer Science, Information Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, or a closely related field by the position start date.
- An emerging track record of impactful publications in relevant venues, such as ACM CHI, CSCW, DIS, FAccT, AIES, EAAMO, EMNLP, ACL, NAACL, COLING, or similar.
- Demonstrated research experience in at least two of the following core areas:
- Human-Computer Interaction / Human-AI Interaction (data work, data labor, mixed-methods user research, community-based participatory design).
- Responsible AI & Data Ethics (algorithmic fairness, privacy-preserving generation, data governance, auditability).
- Natural Language Processing (low-resource NLP, dataset creation, evaluation, LLM data augmentation).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with low-resource languages, marginalized context datasets, or non-Western data paradigms.
- Experience building and/or working with community partner organizations.
- Experience studying topics related to data labor, data value, dataset curation practices, or crowd work dynamics.
- Proficiency in quantitative evaluation of text generation models alongside qualitative research methods.
Application Instructions
To apply, please submit the following documents as a single merged PDF or portfolio link:
- Cover Letter (1 page summarizing your background and fit for the role).
- Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) with your contact information and a complete list of publications.
- Link to Google Scholar Profile (and/or personal research website/GitHub).
- Research Statement (1–2 pages) outlining your future research directions at the intersection of Responsible AI, HCI, and Synthetic Data Generation.
- Contact Information for Two Referees (Referees will only be contacted for candidates selected for final-stage interviews).
The expected start date for the position is January 18, 2027. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
