"Postdoctoral Associate"

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE, Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) and Sloan School of Management in collaboration with The Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC), will focus on generative AI and reasoning through the lens of social and ethical responsibilities of computing; provide supervision and guidance to students, and researchers while engaging in activities that support the general mission of MIT Sloan, SERC, and LIDS; collaborate with other post docs, and instructors along with supervising a SERC scholar's group throughout the academic year. This unique joint appointment offers an exceptional opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research across multiple departments at MIT. Responsibilities will approximately be divided as 50% ongoing and new applied research projects under the supervision of Professors Sertac Karaman and Eric So; 25% independent research; 20% participating in SERC's community-building activities and programming, including to lead a SERC Scholar Group throughout the academic year; and additional responsibilities as determined by organizational needs. The Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) is facilitating the development of responsible "habits of mind and action" for those who create and deploy computing technologies and foster the creation of technologies in the public interest.

REQUIRED: A Ph.D. in Computer Science or another related field defended and completed by the start date of the position, which is no later than September 1, 2026; advanced quantitative methods training with expertise in experiments, identification, and causal inference; proven record of academic excellence, research achievement and publication that contributes to the study of the above areas; attention to detail; self-motivation and ability to work on projects independently; proven ability to handle multiple projects concurrently and meet deadlines; and demonstrated proficiency in Python and willingness to contribute to open source. PREFERRED: Qualitative fieldwork experience.

The appointment is for one year starting Summer 2026 (flexible start date), with the possibility of renewal for a second year. The Postdoctoral Associate should expect to work from Cambridge, MA for the duration of the appointment, with some potential for travel. The position is eligible for MIT benefits. Please provide the following as compiled in one attachment: Cover letter; CV/Resume; and Research statement of primary research interests including ongoing and planned projects (3-5 pages). Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide three letters of reference. Priority review will be given to application materials submitted through careers.mit.edu.