PostDoctoral Associate

Job Summary

The Center for AI in Knowledge Institutions (AIKI) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in computational social science, language models, and society. AIKI studies how institutions create, share, and evaluate knowledge in science, education, journalism, healthcare, and culture, and how artificial intelligence is changing that work.

This is the Center's first postdoctoral position. The postdoc will propose their own research direction and develop it with the core faculty, Daniel Acuna (Director), Aaron Clauset, Maria Pacheco, and Maria Antoniak, and with the Center's affiliated faculty and students. A primary faculty mentor is agreed upon at the time of hire, based on the postdoc's research plan, while the postdoc is expected to interact with all the core faculty. The appointment is full-time for two years, with a flexible start in 2027.

We are looking for an outstanding researcher who will ask new questions about artificial intelligence and the institutions that create and evaluate knowledge. The directions below are examples of current interests, not requirements.

• Language models as stand-ins for people, including when simulated survey respondents and experimental participants match human data and how to calibrate them when they do not.
• Artificial intelligence and culture, including how language models represent, reproduce, and reshape language, creative work, and cultural production.
• The science of science, including how artificial intelligence changes peer review, research integrity, and the flow of ideas and people through scientific institutions.
• Language, discourse, and social reasoning, including how language models interpret and influence public debate, moral language, and argument.

We welcome applicants whose work does not fit these directions and who can make a strong case for how it would build the Center.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Founded in 1970, the Department of Computer Science at CU Boulder is passionate about real-world, interdisciplinary experiences for our students. Our researchers are making advances in computer science today that will change the world tomorrow. Via the Partnership Program, the department is now helping CU to support higher education across the state of Colorado.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Propose and lead a research agenda of the postdoc's own choosing at the intersection of artificial intelligence, society, and knowledge institutions, developed with one or more core faculty, with about half of research time on projects of the postdoc's own design.
• Collaborate with other core faculty on at least one shared Center project.
• Publish in leading conferences and journals and present the work at seminars and meetings.
• Help mentor graduate and undergraduate students.
• Help shape the Center in its first years, including the visiting speaker series and the annual gathering of members, students, and affiliates.
• Contribute to grant proposals and share code and data following open and reproducible research practices.

What You Should Know

• This is an on-campus position in Boulder, Colorado. The Center values regular in-person collaboration.
• The start date is flexible between January 1 and September 1, 2027. Applicants should state their preferred start date in their cover letter.
• The appointment runs for 24 months. Continuation into the second year depends on satisfactory progress.
• International applicants are welcome. Visa sponsorship will be considered for the selected candidate, and the start date can be adjusted for visa processing.
• The Center supports postdocs who apply for faculty and other positions during the appointment.
• The University of Colorado Boulder conducts background checks for all final applicants being considered for employment.

What We Can Offer

• Annual salary of $70,000 to $75,000, commensurate with experience, with an increase in the second year.
• The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement plans; paid time off; tuition assistance for employees and dependents; and an ECO Pass for regional transit.
• Mentoring by the core faculty, with a primary mentor matched to the postdoc's research plan, a written individual development plan, and access to the campus Postdoctoral Affairs office.
• About half of research time for the postdoc's own agenda, plus annual support for research travel.
• Access to campus research computing resources.
• A founding role in a new center, including helping choose visiting speakers and lead the annual gathering.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be resourceful. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• A Ph.D. in computer science, information science, computational social science, or a related field such as statistics, linguistics, sociology, political science, economics, psychology, or communication, completed by the start of the appointment.
• A record of research that uses computational methods to study artificial intelligence, society, culture, or science, shown through publications or preprints.

What You Will Need

• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with language models or other machine learning methods at scale.
• Solid grounding in statistics and research design.
• First-author publications in leading venues of the applicant's field, such as natural language processing or machine learning conferences, computational social science or cultural analytics venues, or broad science journals.
• Ability to work independently and on interdisciplinary teams, with clear written and spoken communication.
• Interest in mentoring students and in open science.

What We Would Like You to Have

• An original research agenda that connects artificial intelligence to how institutions create, share, or evaluate knowledge.
• Expertise in a substantive domain such as public opinion, culture and creative work, science, education, journalism, or healthcare.
• Experience evaluating language models against human data or simulating human behavior with them.
• Experience with experimental, survey, or causal methods, network science, or multilingual and cross-national data.
• A track record of cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Evidence of independence, such as grant writing or released open-source code and datasets.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current resume/CV.
2. A cover letter of up to two pages that explains how your work connects to the Center. Please include your preferred start date.
3. A research statement of up to three pages that describes your past work and the research you would plan to pursue at the Center over the next two years, including which core faculty you would work with and why.
4. Up to three representative publications or preprints.
5. (Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.
6. (Optional) You may provide a link to a personal website, Google Scholar profile, or code repository.

One letter of recommendation will be required for the final candidate; we will request reference contact information later in the search process. You do not need to provide a letter at the time of application.

For full consideration, please apply by January 15, 2027. This position will remain open until filled.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email; applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs. Questions may be sent to Daniel Acuna at Daniel.Acuna@colorado.edu.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Daniel Acuna

Posting Contact Email: Daniel.Acuna@colorado.edu