Postgraduate Associate positions in the Digital Ethics Center (DEC), Yale University

Posting Date: 
02/15/2024

Job Description

The Digital Ethics Center (DEC) at Yale University seeks to appoint full-time Postgraduate Associates to join this multidisciplinary center. Postgraduate Associate positions are intended for recent university/college graduates seeking additional research experience and training about the Governance, Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (GELSI) of digital technologies before applying to graduate or professional school.

Areas of interest (in alphabetical order) are:

  • 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;
  • security (including dark web, ransomware, surveillance) and its GELSI;
  • smart cities, twin cities, digital urbanization, and their GELSI
  • social data science, especially FAccT*ML issues;
  • virtual reality, augmented reality, immersive reality, metaverse, XR, and their GELSI.

Training

The successful candidates will be trained in GELSI analysis and problem-solving and project management. They will learn about critical issues in digital ethics, main theoretical frameworks, quantitative and qualitative methods, research project management, and collaborative, multidisciplinary procedures to develop research papers and conference presentations. They will have opportunities to collaborate with other members of the DEC, develop their own research projects, give presentations, and prepare for future academic work.

Mentoring

The successful candidates will be mentored by the director of the center, Prof. Luciano Floridi, and assigned members of the DEC, to gain experience in the design, analysis, and development of research projects and related papers, meeting presentation, and time management.

Education

The ideal candidate should be a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree 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, sociology.

Additional Information

The postgraduate Associate position is one year in duration with an annual salary of $38,400.  A maximum second year extension is conditional on progress made in the first year. This is not a remote opportunity. This position is located at the Digital Ethics Center on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT.

In accordance with university requirements, postgraduate trainees in this position are expected to be on campus full time for in-person training. 

To Apply

We welcome candidates who add to the diversity of the center. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through June 1, 2024, with an anticipated start date in Fall 2024.

Please send your application to dec@yale.edu, using the subject line “Postgraduate Applicant,” and including the following documents:

  1. Cover letter explaining your background and motivation for the position (2 pages maximum), including contact information for 2 references.
  2. Most current CV (maximum 3 pages); and
  3. an academic essay, transcript, or summary of courses and results, relevant to the activities of the DEC.
  4. A one-page description of a research project the candidate would like to develop.

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 will be contacted to schedule an interview, possibly followed by an invitation for a 20-minute presentation, and a request to submit two letters of recommendation.

ABOUT THE DIGITAL ETHICS CENTER AT YALE

The Digital Ethics Center (DEC) at Yale University investigates and evaluates the Governance, Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (GELSI) of digital technologies and the profound impact of the digital age on human life, society, and the environment, striving to influence the direction of technological development towards a more ethical and sustainable future. The DEC aims to identify and enhance the benefits of digital innovation and technologies while mitigating their risks and shortcomings. As part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the DEC draws from many disciplines, including fields such as AI, anthropology, biomedical ethics, computer science, cybersecurity, data science, economics, epistemology, ethics, ethnography, information theory, Internet studies, law, mathematical logic, management studies, multimedia studies, philosophy, political science, sociology, and statistics and data science. Through its multidisciplinary approach and translational research, the Digital Ethics Center (DEC) aims to provide actionable recommendations and strategies for stakeholders, policymakers, technology experts, and society at large. In doing so, it strives to ensure that the progress of digital technology promotes fundamental human rights, supports the flourishing of all environments, and aligns with the common good.

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.

Job Type: 
postgraduate positions
Posting Date Field: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024