Post Doc Researcher- Sociotechnical Systems - Microsoft Research

Microsoft • Cambridge, MA

16h

About The Position

Microsoft Research New England is looking for a postdoctoral researcher interested in bringing sociotechnical perspectives to analyze critical issues of our time. They will join a team of social scientists who use empirical and critical methods to study the social, political, and cultural dynamics that shape technologies and their consequences. Our work draws on and spans several disciplines, including anthropology, communication, gender and sexuality studies, history, information studies, law, media studies, organizational and management sciences, science & technology studies, and sociology.
This is an ideal opportunity for a new Ph.D. to conduct original research that brings empirical and critical perspectives to bear on a variety of complex sociotechnical issues. Postdoctoral researchers are expected to devise their own research agendas. We are especially interested in candidates whose work can speak to one of these themes:
the politics and public responsibilities of generative AI, machine learning, platforms, algorithms, metrics, and other manifestations of computational cultures
emerging organizational forms and kinds of work in digital labor, community, government, non-profit, creator economy, and private-sector contexts
notions of cooperation, mutual aid, and community engagement and their relationships to the design and governance of AI systems
the social dynamics and moral economies of computational life sciences research and data-driven healthcare ecosystems
the intersectional dimensions of identity as they are entangled with AI, including: race, caste, and indigeneity; gender and sexual identities; socioeconomic status and class
how institutions, organizations, networks, and infrastructures (across sectors and domains) configure and are configured by sociotechnical systems
Our team is comprised of full-time researchers, postdocs, Ph.D. interns, and predoctoral research assistants. Postdocs on our team also have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in our sister labs in New York City and Montreal.
Postdoctoral researchers receive a competitive salary and benefits package, and are eligible for relocation expenses. Postdoctoral researchers are hired for a two-year term appointment following the academic calendar, starting in July 2026. The location is Cambridge MA.
Microsoft Research provides a vibrant, multidisciplinary research environment, with an open publication policy and close links to top academic institutions around the world. The postdoctoral research positions offer emerging scholars an opportunity to develop their research career and to interact with some of the top minds in the research community.

Requirements

• PhD in Anthropology, Communication, History, Information Science, Media Studies, Science & Technology Studies, Sociology, or a related field, completed or close to completion by July of 2026.

Nice To Haves

• a research program demonstrated by journal and conference publications.
• a methodological, analytical, and theoretical foundation in the social or humanistic sciences.
• effective communication skills.
• the ability to work in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment that also includes computer scientists, biologists, economists, engineers, program managers and other roles.
• demonstrated leadership potential in research.

Responsibilities

• Continue developing an academically novel research agenda
• Advance that research agenda through one or more research projects, yielding new theories, methods, analyses, insights, or collections of data in one or more subareas or a broad area of research.
• Present and publish research in high-quality conferences and journals
• Contribute to the field through activities such as reviewing papers or organizing conference panels
• Contribute to discussions in the sociotechnical systems research group, the MSR New England lab, and our sister labs.
• All employees are responsible for treating others with fairness and respect, and showing empathy and compassion.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees