Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Digital Technology for Democracy

Position description

Our understandings of democracy and technology, and their intersections, are broad and interdisciplinary. We expect candidates to be creative in their approaches and, at the same time, to clearly articulate their personal understanding of technology and democracy in their project proposal.

A new cohort of 6 fellows to join our existing cohort.

We welcome a wide range of disciplines, methods, and approaches as well as forms of scholarly output, including but not limited to: 

• Art, Drama Music
• Architecture and Urban Planning
• Business, Commerce, Innovation
• Computer Science, Data Science, Information Science
• Education
• Engineering
• Environmental Sciences and Geography
• Health Sciences
• Humanities
• Law and Public Policy
• Social Sciences

We are particularly interested in transdisciplinary research that address key topics at the intersection of digital technology and democracy and are eager to bring in a cohort addressing these issues at global, regional, and local levels. We seek a broad range of viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences and particularly encourage applicants from under-represented groups to apply. We welcome applications from all over the world. The Lab will work through the UVA International Studies Office to sponsor visas as needed.

The Digital Technology for Democracy Lab (DTD) at the University of Virginia works to explore how rapidly evolving digital technologies can challenge, but might also fortify, democratic institutions and practices. We seek to create collaboration and exchange between academia and thought-leaders, technologists, policymakers, activists, civil society organizations, artists and creative practitioners, and others, taking a broadly transdisciplinary and global approach. DTD is supported by a Grand Challenge research investment in Digital Technology and Society which will be facilitating faculty hires and a range of projects across UVA.

In addition to actively pursuing their own research projects, fellows will be an integral part of the DTD Lab. They are expected to participate in Lab-sponsored seminars and workshops; actively engage with the community of scholars formed by a cohort of fellows, Lab Faculty Leads, and other affiliated faculty; and, contribute to Lab-sponsored initiatives (such as white papers or other forms of intellectual output). Fellows will be invited to participate in our Technology and Democracy covenings aimed at bringing together different sectors, including the technology industry and policy-makers, in conversation. We will also connect fellows with relevant departments, units and schools at UVA to support their work and engagement with colleagues during their fellowship. Fellows will be part of a broader community at the Karsh Institute of Democracy, and be included in professional development activities offered to postdoctoral fellows at UVA.

The annual salary for each position is $65,000 with additional research funding of $5,000 per year. In addition to salary and research funding, standard UVA resources will be provided, including healthcare, computing resources, and access to library support and VIVA-negotiated collective agreements that lower or eliminate APCs with select publishers.

Application instructions

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