Postdoctoral Associate — Social Cohesion in Action

Position Overview

Professors Delia Baldassarri, Christopher Barrie, and BK Lee at New York University are seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to join their research project on Social Cohesion in Action: AI‑Calibrated Models of Hyperlocal Community Responses to Adverse Events, a project examining how communities respond to disruptive events, and what sustains or erodes social cohesion and collective action in their aftermath. The project analyzes digital trace data from neighborhood‑based safety and community platforms, drawing on event alerts, user comments, and engagement patterns, and develops LLM‑driven agent‑based simulation models of community response, grounded in social scientific theory and empirical data.

The postdoc will work closely with the PIs to analyze digital trace data; design, build, and refine simulation models of community response to adverse events; integrate empirical and computational methods; and contribute to the project’s broader research agenda. There will also be opportunities to pursue related independent research.

This position is based in New York and the selected candidate will be expected to work onsite as of their effective start date.

The position will ideally begin in September 2026. This is initially a one‑year appointment, renewable for up to two years. Review of applications will begin August 1.

In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, the annual starting base salary for this position is $62,500. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the specific grant funding and the terms of the research grant when extending an offer.

Candidates should hold a PhD in a social science discipline (e.g., sociology, political science, economics) or in computer science or a related field, required at the time of hiring. We are looking for someone with strong quantitative and computational skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative research team. Knowledge of agent‑based models (ABMs) or related simulation methods (e.g., Generative ABMs), as well as of LLMs and their application to social science research, is required;

software engineering experience is desirable.

Submit a CV, cover letter, writing sample, and references.

Feel free to contact us for more information:
Delia Baldassarri (delia.b), Christopher Barrie (cb5691), or BK Lee (bklee).

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