Research Associate - School of Computer Science - HCII

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university that stands among the world's most renowned education institutions. With ground-breaking brain science, path-breaking performances, creative start-ups, big data, big ambitions, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn't imagine the future, we invent it. If you're passionate about joining a community that challenges the curious to deliver work that matters, your journey starts here!

The Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) is a living laboratory where we investigate the relationship between computer technology, human activity, and society. Founded in 1993, the HCII is a place where we work to understand and create technology that harmonizes with and improves human capabilities, goals, and social environments through interdisciplinary research and education in design, computer science, and behavioral and social sciences. We research how people work, play, and communicate within groups, organizations, and social structures, then we design, create, and evaluate technologies and tools to support human and social activities.

For the summer of 2026, we are looking for Research Associates who can help with design, prototyping, and data analysis in a project that deals with novel educational technology. Specifically, we are creating mixed-reality smart glasses for middle-school teachers. The glasses are designed to augment teachers' awareness of which student(s) might need their help when a class of students is working with AI based tutoring software. With the glasses, teachers can keep their eyes on the class while indicators floating above the students inform them about each student's progress and struggle. For a news feature about the project, see: WBOC (2026). Georgetown Middle School implementing augmented reality in math classes. News feature, Jan 8, 2026. https://www.wboc.com/news/georgetown-middle-school-implementing-augmented-reality-in-math-classes/video_9885b983-063f-5c24-9e86-1ad8dc8e0d45.html

Core Responsibilities:

In this role, the Research Associates will help with extending the smart glasses with a recommender module and to analyze data from a classroom study the team ran this spring in a school district (31 classes) to test the effect of "real-time analytics" versus "historic analytics." Key questions to be addressed in the data analysis are how the condition (real-time v. historic data) affects teacher help and student learning using a variety of data sources, including log data from the tutoring system.

Adaptability, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. We are in search of a team member who can effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in human-computer interaction, behavioral sciences, statistics, or a related field.
• Coursework in user research, user-centered design, or statistics for behavioral research.
• Optional requirements
• Experience in interaction design and/or implementation of mixed-reality applications or virtual reality applications
• Unity programming skills and experience
• Experience in statistical analysis highly preferred.
• Interest or experience in education technology research
• Affinity for helping K-12 students learn
• Ability to work independently
• Experience working in teams
• A combination of education and proven experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Requirements:

• Successful completion of a pre-employment background check