Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy

The post

The University of Exeter wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support the work of Dr Chico Camargo. The researcher will be based at the Department of Computer Science, part of the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, and will be associated to the Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Exeter. This post is funded by the Alan Turing Institute and by DSO National Laboratories Singapore,  and is available immediately, for 15 months, with the possibility of an extension for 3 more months.

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher to join our team as a Social Data Scientist. The successful candidate will be responsible for conducting cutting-edge research in machine learning, multimodal data analysis, and network science applied to the automated identification of political narratives spreading on social media platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Conducting research on the development and application of machine learning algorithms and network analysis techniques to large-scale multimodal datasets from social media platforms, online communities, and other digital sources.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design and implement data-driven studies of how political narratives spread across platforms such as Twitter, Telegram, and TikTok
• Collect and analyse large datasets using statistical and computational techniques, and communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Publish high-quality research articles in top-tier journals and conferences, and present research findings at national and international conferences.

This is a full-time position for a duration of 18 months. The successful candidate will have access to state-of-the-art computing resources, a supportive interdisciplinary research environment, and opportunities for professional development and advancement.

If you are passionate about social data science, machine learning, and network science, and are interested in working on cutting-edge research projects, we encourage you to apply.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.

Essential requirements:

• PhD (or nearing completion) or equivalent qualification/experience in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, or related field with a strong focus on machine learning, network science, or related areas.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, or other relevant programming languages.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and applying machine learning and statistical techniques to complex data.
• Experience with analysing and interpreting datasets from social media platforms, online communities, and other digital sources.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams.

Desirable requirements:

• Past research in natural language processing, computer vision, network science, or computational social science
• Experience of undergraduate or graduate teaching or supervision

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon/ Cornwall

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 150 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 and the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities released by Shanghai Rankings).  

Our research income in recent years means we’re the fastest growing UK Research University with some of the world’s most influential scientists, and we seek to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99% of our research is of international quality and our world-leading research impact is growing faster than any other Russell Group university (2021 Research Excellence Framework). We are using the power of our education and research to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future.  Our shared purpose and vision continually moves us forward to make a difference to our people, our communities, our partners and the world around us.  Read about our world leading research on Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO City of Literature

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. Reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

For further information please contact Dr Chico Camargo, email [email protected].

The closing date for completed applications is 28 June 2023.  Interviews are expected to take place soon after.