Postdoctoral Scholar

“Join a groundbreaking project building CIPHER, a human-in-the-loop AI system designed to help civil society organizations detect and contextualize disinformation. Your work will shape how frontline groups in Canada and globally combat influence operations with cutting-edge, adaptive tools”.
- Amii Fellow and CIFAR AI Chair, Matthew Taylor

**About the Role**

This project will design, develop, and evaluate techniques and technology for human-in-the-loop AI tools aid in the identification, characterization, and response to foreign influence operations, initially grounded in the context of Russian influence operations targeting Canada and its allies. The postdoctoral scholar will work with researchers and civil society stakeholders to construct a Proof of Concept (PoC) to ground this research, development, and evaluation.

The Postdoctoral Scholar’s time will be devoted to joint work on this and other CAIDAC projects, as well as time given for professional development and independent research. The work on CAIDAC projects will include ongoing projects at the Center, new projects proposed by the Center’s academic directors, and new projects proposed by the applicant. This position is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in social and digital media, human-in-the-loop AI, and/or computational social science methods

Once trained, CIPHER will be deployed to select Canadian civil society organizations for testing and refinement. Its human-in-the-loop system will continuously learn from user interactions, enhancing its ability to detect and contextualize disinformation. After this initial phase, CIPHER will be shared with a global network of civil society groups, complete with training instructions to tailor it to their contexts.

**Required Skills / Expertise**

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Leading the development of the Proof of Concept (PoC)
- Developing, implementing, and using cutting-edge, data-driven AI technologies
- (Co)writing high-impact scientific publications
- Presenting your work at leading conferences
- Releasing tools and datasets to the research and practitioner communities
- Collaborating with co-supervisors and teammates

**Qualifications**:

- PhD in computational social science, AI, machine learning, or a related field
- Evidence of high-quality research, such as publications in top-tier venues
- Evidence of programming ability in one or more languages (e.g., Python, PyTorch, etc.)
- Demonstrates strong interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written
- Awareness and interest in international security or international relations facing Canada (Nice to have)
- Ability to travel to the USA

**Attributes and Expectations**:

- Advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Strong interpersonal communication skills for effective collaboration with internal teams and external stakeholders.
- Operates with integrity and trust
- Ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrates professional maturity, resourcefulness, and self-discipline in pursuing organizational goals
- A curious mindset with a keen interest in testing new educational tools and technologies
- Shows presence, self-confidence, sound judgment, and superior problem-solving abilities
- Fosters high-level cross-functional collaboration and establishes credibility while influencing peers to achieve common goals

**What you'll love about us**
- A professional yet casual work environment that encourages the growth and development of your skills.
- Participate in professional development activities
- Gain access to the Amii community and events
- A chance to learn from amazing teammates who support one another to succeed.
- Competitive compensation, including paid time off and health benefits.
- Opportunity to work at a modern office located in downtown Edmonton, Alberta.

**How to Apply