Postdoctoral Associate positions in the Digital Ethics Center (DEC)

The Center for Digital Ethics (DEC) at Yale University, directed by Prof. Luciano Floridi, seeks to appoint full-time, Postdoctoral Associates, to join this multidisciplinary center newly established at Yale. We are eager to recruit and welcome candidates who add to the diversity of the Center.

Postdoctoral Associate positions are intended for individuals who are interested and experienced in (a) addressing the human, societal, and environmental issues brought about by the development of digital technology (from the Web and social media to AI and robotics), (b) informing and steering policy and legal debates nationally and internationally on these issues, and (c) deepening their expertise to transition to their independent research careers.

The successful candidate can expect significant intellectual autonomy coupled with supportive mentorship to develop and deliver novel and meaningful research in the Governance, Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (GELSI) of digital technologies in the following areas (in alphabetical order):

• computer science and its GELSI;
• computer games and their GELSI
• cyberwar, cyberconflicts, and their GELSI;
• data science and its GELSI;
• digital economy, especially the GELSI of blockchain, cryptocurrencies, Insurtech, DEFI, game theory and online behavior (e.g., digital advertisement, recommender systems), changing nature of work, gig economy, app economy, network effect;
• digital ethics, including computer ethics, cyber ethics, ethics of AI, information ethics, machine ethics; roboethics;
• e-art, digital art, new aesthetics, NFT, and their GELSI
• e-health, digital welfare, well-being, and their GELSI;
• HCI and its GELSI;
• human rights, human dignity, digital divide, UN SDG;
• information, disinformation, misinformation, deepfakes, fake news, censorship, propaganda, the future of journalism and media, and their GELSI
• law and regulations concerning digital technologies, especially AI and copyright, patent, IP, antitrust, AI auditing, AI legislation;
• network theory and its GELSI
• political science, especially digital democracy (e-democracy, democracy in digital society), agile governance, platform governance, digital geopolitics, digital sovereignty;
• smart cities, twin cities, digital urbanization, and their GELSI
• social data science, especially FAT*ML issues;
• security (including dark web, ransomware, surveillance) and its GELSI;
• virtual reality, augmented reality, immersive reality, metaverse, XR, and their GELSI.

The postdoctoral researchers will be responsible for developing research projects and studies, writing peer-reviewed articles, and formulating new research questions for future analysis. The DEC Director, Prof. Luciano Floridi, will oversee day-to-day collaborations and be the primary supervisor.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyse significant GELSI of digital technologies
• Design of qualitative or quantitative studies addressing significant GELSI of digital technologies
• Publish research papers in international peer-reviewed journals or conferences in areas relevant to the study of the GELSI of digital technologies, possibly in collaboration with other DEC members
• Collaborate with other DEC members to prepare and deliver conference presentations of research results
• Work on dissemination and outreach
• Edit research outputs (e.g., edited volumes or conference proceedings)

Skills & Qualifications

• Qualified candidates will have recently completed a PhD in relevant fields, including, for example (the list is not exhaustive): anthropology, computer science, data science, economics, ethics, jurisprudence, mass media, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology.
• Proven record of publications and research outputs commensurate with career stage
• Knowledge or experience of normative analysis
• Specialization or demonstrated interest in the study of GELSI of digital technologies
• Excellent writing skills demonstrated in research publications
• Exceptional project management skills
• Competence in quantitative or quantitative methods
• Ability to communicate effectively (e.g., through writing, presentations) with different audiences (research community, general public, policymakers)

The Position

The Postdoctoral Associate position is envisaged to last up to four years, with an initial appointment of one year renewable upon satisfactory progress. Compensation is determined by experience. The position give access to a personal, yearly research budget. The position is located at the Center for Digital Ethics, on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT. This is not a remote opportunity.

To Apply

A relevant doctoral degree and research experience with a strong publication record are required.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through 1 June 2023.

The anticipated start date is 1 September 2023, but later starts are possible.

Please send application documents to Krystal Whittaker, PA to Prof. Luciano Floridi, at lucianofloridi.pa@gmail.com, using the subject line: “Postdoc Applicant”, and including the following documents:

1. cover letter, explaining your background and motivation for the position (2 pages maximum), including contact information for 3 referees;
2. CV (maximum 3 pages); and
3. short (ca. 2,000 words long) proposal about a GELSI research project you would like to develop at the DEC, indicating the problem to be addressed, the working hypothesis about the solution, and the methodology that may be used.

Please submit your materials as PDF files and name them LastName-FirstName.coverletter.pdf, LastName-FirstName.CV.pdf, and LastName-FirstName.proposal.pdf

Qualified applicants may be contacted to schedule an online interview and asked to submit the letters of recommendation.

ABOUT THE YALE CENTER FOR DIGITAL ETHICS

The Center for Digital Ethics (DEC) builds on Yale’s unique depth, breadth, and reach of scholarship in the humanities and social sciences to provide an internationally recognized hub for the study of the governance, ethical, legal, and social implications (GELSI) of digital technologies and their human, societal, and environmental impact. Strengths in other areas of the university—from the natural sciences, computer science, data science, and engineering to Yale’s unique array of professional schools—provide an essential and valuable complement. The DEC expands multidisciplinary opportunities at Yale and facilitates connections to other academic institutions, businesses, and government agencies. By bringing together a diverse community of stakeholders, the DEC implements three essential requirements for understanding the human, social, and environmental implications of digital technologies and for equitably and sustainably developing them: a firm footing in GELSI analysis and scholarship; the rigorous and scientific treatment of vital facets of digital technologies (from computer and data science to law and social sciences); and the ability to learn from, and influence, important societal endeavors outside academia (from policy- and law-making to business strategies). Digital technologies in general, and AI in particular, build on computer science, data science, and statistics, rely on human psychology and sociology, draw on insights from linguistics, literature, and philosophy, and call for new frameworks for governance, law, and business. Attention to social implications and questions of value throughout this process is essential. Thus, the DEC enables and supports scholars from a wide range of disciplines and beyond to meet, exchange ideas, and collaborate. The DEC is deeply engaged with informing and steering emerging policy initiatives on the socio-ethical value and implications of AI, digital technologies, and their applications. It sponsors public discussions that build an understanding of the socio-ethical and socio-legal aspects of digital technologies. Visitors and speakers include academics and researchers as well as civil servants, members of the technology industry, policymakers and lawmakers, and experts in culture and mass media. The DEC brings together leadership with the vision and ability to think innovatively and boldly and to move those ideas forward. It ensures diversity in its membership, promotes the inclusion of views, and arrives at consensus through open and constructive exchanges of ideas and balanced debate.

Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Yale values diversity among its students, staff, and faculty and strongly welcomes applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans, and underrepresented minorities.