Postdoctoral Associate - Psychological Sciences

Rice University Minimal Template External Career Site • Houston, TX

89d • $62,000

About The Position

The Selection, Methodology, and Assessment Research via Technology (SMART) Lab at Rice University, directed by Dr. Tianjun Sun, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to ongoing projects at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), psychometrics, personnel management, and individual differences. The position is partially funded by the National Science Foundation. The postdoc will work closely with an interdisciplinary team spanning psychology, organizational science, computer science, and business analytics to advance responsible and explainable AI in hiring and assessment contexts. The postdoc will spend part of their time on the NSF-funded project examining predictors, outcomes, and user perceptions of AI-chatbot-based interviews, and part of their time leading or collaborating on related psychometric AI projects in the SMART Lab. This is a one-year term limited, benefits-eligible position with the possibility of extension based upon need and available funding. Salary $62,000.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Quantitative Psychology, Psychometrics, Organizational Behavior, Computational Social Science, or a related discipline.
• Candidates must have completed all Ph.D. requirements prior to the start date. If the doctoral degree has not yet been formally conferred by the start date, an alternative appointment at a lower rate (e.g., Research Associate) may be negotiated until degree completion.
• Strong research background in psychometrics, statistical modeling, and individual differences.
• Demonstrated expertise in data analysis (e.g., R, Python) and quantitative research design.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with natural language processing, AI fairness or bias auditing, or organizational assessment research.
• Strong record of publications in peer-reviewed outlets.
• Interest in cross-disciplinary collaboration at the interface of psychology and computer science.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support research on AI-based assessment, including chatbot interview data, natural language processing, and psychometric modeling.
• Analyze machine learning measurement bias using statistical and computational methods.
• Design and execute experimental and field studies evaluating fairness, validity, and user experience in AI-based assessment.
• Collaborate on manuscript preparation for high-impact venues in psychology, management, and computational social science.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in data analysis, research design, and responsible AI methods.
• Contribute to open-science initiatives, including data transparency, code reproducibility, and ethical dissemination.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree