Stanford University

Postdoctoral Fellowship | Misinformation

Misinformation threatens society by undermining people’s trust in institutions, organizations, and one another. The Stanford Social Media Lab  invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to examine topics related to misinformation, trust, digital literacy, and interventions and strategies to mitigate misinformation and build trust.

Under the mentorship of Professor Jeff Hancock, the selected postdoc will operate within the Cyber Policy Center's ambit. Moreover, they will integrate into the expansive fellowship program offered by the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University.

We are particularly interested in a postdoctoral scholar who possesses deep expertise in analyzing misinformation related dynamics and/or issues related to trust, particularly within marginalized and underserved communities. Their understanding should encompass the drivers and factors that amplify falsehoods within these groups, coupled with a proven capability to devise and execute impactful research, such as interventions, that may play a role in diminishing adverse consequences. This role is slated as a full-time position for one year, with a potential extension for a second year. The selected candidate will benefit from a competitive compensation package inclusive of an array of benefits.


Responsibilities:

  • Conduct research on misinformation, trust, digital literacy and related projects. 
  • Design surveys for both data collection and experimentation, designing new measures and adapting existing ones.
  • Deploy custom-made research tools, such as Android and iOS applications and build data pipelines for collecting data from such tools
  • Work closely with the research teams at Stanford Social Media Lab and the Cyber Policy Center. We expect our fellows to participate in Cyber Policy Center research seminars and produce policy-relevant work, which could include media appearances, published articles, or briefings to or workshops for government or international organization officials, ideally in collaboration with researchers from other disciplines.
  • Write and publish research papers in leading conferences and journals
  • Contribute to the development of new research projects and grant proposals.

Applicants with backgrounds in psychology, communication, political science, human-computer interaction, and data science are encouraged to apply. All fellows are expected to be in the final stages of or have recently completed a terminal degree in their discipline, ideally a Ph.D.

Application Details

Submission of a formal application is required for all individuals who wish to be in residence as visiting fellows, whether they need funding or have independent support. Applications are run in partnership with the CISAC Fellowship Program.

All application materials, including recommendations, must be in English. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all materials, including letters of reference, are submitted by the deadline stated above. Please do not submit supplemental materials such as books, lengthy manuscripts, or more than the required number of recommendations.

Online submission of application must include:

  • Completed online application form 
  • Resume/CV
  • Graduate school transcript (Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. All pre- and postdoctoral applicants must include a transcript. Junior faculty and professionals may include a transcript, but are not required to do so.)
  • Research project prospectus or description of dissertation (1,500 words max, not including footnotes/endnotes)
  • Research abstract (200 words max)
  • Writing sample (50 pages max)

  • Three confidential letters of recommendation. Please note that recommendation letter services, such as Interfolio, may not use our online recommendation letter submission system. Please advise your recommenders to upload their letters directly to the SlideRoom system.

     

Online Application Instructions

Access the application by clicking the Apply link below. 

Note, you'll be applying through the Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation Fellowship Program (2024-2025) application portal via SlideRoom, and will need to create an account.