Postdoctoral Fellow in Human-Centered Information Science

The School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin invites applications for up to four new full-time post-doctoral Bullard Research Fellow positions to start in 2024, with the exact start date depending on applicant availability and completion of doctoral studies. The salary for successful candidates will be $60,000 per year, plus a standard package of benefits. These are 12-month positions that can be renewed for a second year contingent upon performance.

We are seeking applicants with active research plans in any of the following areas:

• BRF1) We seek applicants with active research plans in the areas of searching as learning, understanding searching as a human learning process, assessing learning in the search process, designing search systems to support human learning, supporting creativity in search, incorporating generative AI in enhancing creative thinking processes, credibility assessment of AI generated content, evaluation of learning-centric search systems, information searching behavior, and interactive information retrieval.
  
  This position will be mentored by Soo Young Rieh.
• BRF2) We seek applicants with active research plans in
  
  A) accessibility in online learning and
  
  B) AI in K16 education. Area
  
  A) provides an opportunity for a post-doc to study the technological, human, and social-cultural factors that impact the perceived usability and accessibility of online education and associated technologies for people with disabilities and older adults (65 ). Example area(s) include but not limited to online courseware accessibility, learning content management systems, virtual peer support networks, online courses for the benefit of older adults.
  
  Area
  
  B) provides an opportunity for a post-doc to study the ethical and practical implications of AI-based technologies used in K16 education, such as personalization of learning, intelligent user interfaces, and ethical design of AI for the classroom. It’s possible to pursue research that intersects both areas. This position will be mentored by Earl Huff, Jr.
• BRF3) We seek applicants with active research plans in interactive information retrieval and its intersection with neuro-information science and/or genAI. This position will provide an opportunity for a post-doc to shape this emerging research area(s). The successful candidate will focus on using neuro-physiological evidence to deepen understanding of human-information interaction (including, but not limited to searching as learning, cognitive load while searching, cognitive biases).
  
  One goal is to identify neuro-physiological (NP) markers of human information behavior. Another is to investigate, from human-centered perspective, incorporating large language models (LLMs) to enhance the process of information finding. Experimental studies will be conducted in our state-of-the-art Information eXperience (IX) lab. This position will be mentored by Jacek Gwizdka.
• BRF4) We seek applicants with active research plans in knowledge infrastructures, sociology of science, the future of work, and/or rural informatics. The successful candidate will have an ongoing research plan exploring the ethical development, diffusion, and impact of information technology and infrastructures for
  1) environmental management and conservation,
  2) precision and digital agricultural work, or
  3) policy work related to the prior two areas. We seek outstanding interdisciplinary researchers exploring the technologically-structured and –mediated relationship between human and non-human life, and who wish to explore how data, data practices, and information technology impact workers. This position will be mentored by Stephen
  
  C. Slota.
• BRF5) Seeking applicants to undertake research exploring the structural barriers impacting equity in data-centric design (this is part of ongoing grant work, taking upon a mixed methods approach. The next phase will require design workshops with historically marginalized technology users as well as software designers and developers). Researchers should be interested in or experienced with community-based participatory research in supporting critical and cultural computing and supporting…