Postdoctoral Research Associate

Description

The School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University seeks applications for a postdoctoral position at the Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education. The position is in the area of design research for societal impact broadly construed, including but not limited to: systems design; critical design, making, and fabulation; arts-based or critical engineering methodologies; sociotechnical systems design drawing upon anthropological, sociological, or STS approaches; research through design; responsible or ethical design.

The Keller Center, an interdisciplinary hub within the School of Engineering and Applied Science with focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology and society, is developing an emerging research and teaching program in design that embraces Princeton’s commitment to the betterment of humanity through deliberative, informed, and thoughtful interventions.

Successful applicants will be expected to participate in the activities of the Keller Center and contribute to the emerging design teaching and research program, including a newly-inaugurated interdisciplinary Design Minor on campus. They will work with design-engaged professors across the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Princeton’s campus among a team of designers, makers and social scientists.

Positions at the postdoctoral rank are appointed for one year with possibility of renewal for a second year contingent upon performance. When teaching, successful candidates will carry the additional part-time rank of Lecturer, and any teaching opportunities are subject to sufficient enrollments and the approval of the Dean of the Faculty.

Responsibilities include:

1. Developing and actively pursuing a top caliber research agenda as an emerging scholar in the Design field;
2. Pro-actively contributing to the developing academic design community at Keller by participating in talks and design sessions, reporting on research, and working with student and/or faculty teams;
3. Teaching one class per year on a topic related to theoretically-informed Design practice;
4. Publication in top venues related to design, interactive systems, design anthropology or Science and Technology Studies, including joint-publication opportunities;
5. Developing and writing research proposals;
6. Contributing to the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities of the Keller Center.

Domain of intervention and topic of expertise are open. We welcome scholars working on exciting areas of intervention; who engage with emerging technologies such as AI, more-than-human, or environmental systems; or who articulate, construct and enact responsible solutions for everyday challenges.

Qualifications

Successful applicants must:

• Hold or expect to have completed a doctoral degree in Design or in a design-related field such as Human-Computer Interaction, Information Science, Science and Technology Studies, Sociology or Anthropology, or Architecture. Interdisciplinary scholarship is welcome and encouraged.
• Demonstrate strong background in humanistic, critical, interdisciplinary, or social sciences theories and methodologies with application to engineering practice, design intervention, or sociotechnical systems analysis;
• Demonstrate intellectual promise and trajectory in the field through, for instance, conference, exhibition, or publication experience, or other field-relevant indicators of excellence;
• Good project management and interpersonal skills.

Application Instructions

Preferred start will be in Fall 2026.

• a cover letter articulating your interest in the program,
• a CV with relevant experience and publications
• a two-page research statement summarizing prior experience and indicating the research program you hope to undertake at Princeton
• a teaching statement with indication of one or two proposed seminar courses under the rubric of design you would like to teach
• contact information for three references

The application deadline is August 1, 2026. Please send inquiries to Keller Center Associate Director, Janet Vertesi at jvertesi@princeton.edu

This position is subject to the University's background check policy. The work location for this position is in-person on campus at Princeton University.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship of an H-1B visa requiring consular processing; other visa sponsorships (including H-1B visas not requiring consular processing) may be available, as appropriate.