Fellows

Postdoc in Social Computing for Civics with UC San Diego’s Design Lab

UC San Diego’s Design Lab (https://designlab.ucsd.edu/) seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct research with Prof. Steven Dow (http://spdow.ucsd.edu) on projects related to civics, design thinking, and social computing.   Prof. Dow conducts research on civic design with the goal of developing tools, processes, and theory that change how communities solve complex problems creatively and collaboratively. We create technologies to enable different groups to explore and converge on solutions that address issues from many diverse stakeholders. These interventions also provide opportunities to study the cognitive, social, and cultural aspects of social innovation.

Our group’s recent research papers in this space include:

The Postdoctoral Fellow position requires a terminal degree appropriate to your discipline. The fellow will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, undergraduate research assistants, and an engaging community of scholars interested in design, human-computer interaction, social computing, and crowdsourcing. The pos­ition does not have a teaching requirement, but will have opportunities to teach and mentor both undergraduate and grad students. The selected candidate will be expected to devote time towards writing grant proposals.  The postdoc fellow will be viewed as a colleague, and with mentorship, will be launched to the next career stage.

Applicants should have experience conducting independent research, demonstrate a record of communicating research via publications and presentations, be excited about participating in collaborative, interdisciplinary research at UC San Diego, and willing to move to sunny San Diego. Applicants must have defended their PhD in Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Information Science, or a related field by the time of employment.

Applicants should have interests in one or more of the following areas: social computing, design methods, innovation, crowdsourcing, and creativity. The ideal postdoctoral fellow will have strong technical skills, experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and good design intuition.

How do I apply? 

Interested candidates should prepare: (1) a cover letter stating background, experience, interest in the position, and career objectives, (2) a curriculum vitae or résumé, (3) the names and contact information for three references who can write a letter on your behalf, and (4) a relevant sample of published work.  Send application materials to Prof. Steven Dow (spdow@ucsd.edu) with the subject line “Design Lab postdoc application”.

How much does the position pay?   

The University classifies this as a Postdoctoral position. All recipients receive a salary of US $60,000/year for full-time employment as well as full benefits (http://postdoc.ucsd.edu/benefits-and-services/). Additional funds are available for equipment and professional travel. The position will be for two years with possible extension for a third year.

When can I apply?  

Review of applications will begin on March 1st, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled.

When does the position start?   

June 1st, 2019 is the preferred start date so that we can work with interns over the summer, but we can be flexible depending on other factors.

Will foreign applicants be considered?  

Yes. We highly encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply. UC San Diego is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, or other legally protected status.

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