[Air-L] Postdoc and FT programmer jobs in civic software at UNC-Chapel Hill

[Freelon, Deen G]

   Hi all, wanted to advertise two positions at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Center
   for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP). The first, a
   postdoc, is probably a better fit for folks on this list. The second is
   for a full-time computer programmer, and I include it here just in case
   it’s a fit for someone. Please direct all questions to me. Thanks,
   //DEEN


   ******************************************

   POSITION #1: Postdoctoral Research Associate (Civic Software)


   [1]https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/185163


   CITAP is broadly focused on the intersection of misinformation,
   partisanship, polarization, propaganda, political institutions, and
   journalism. One of its major long-term initiatives, supervised by Dr.
   Deen Freelon, will focus on what we are calling “civic software”. This
   initiative’s goal will be to produce and analyze the output of software
   that fulfills two tasks:


   1. Helps citizens understand the civic and political implications of
   their information environments and empowers them to defend against the
   most harmful aspects therein (such as mis- and disinformation); and

   2. Generates rigorous, open datasets of relevance to disciplines such
   as communication, political science, and information science.


   An example of the kind of software we seek to implement is a
   next-generation media monitoring tool that will allow researchers to
   better understand internet users’ content consumption patterns. This
   tool will generate data that reveals what kinds of content users are
   consuming, where it comes from, and how it influences their political
   opinions and actions. All CITAP-branded software will be developed by a
   full-time programmer who is currently in the process of being hired.


   The postdoctoral researcher will assist the programmer in
   conceptualizing, testing, and evaluating (and possibly developing,
   depending on the successful candidate’s skill set) civic software for
   both research and public audiences. They will design, execute, and
   write up research studies based on the data the different software
   packages produce. They will also take a lead role in designing and
   maintaining our open data and open-source policies and procedures.


   The successful applicant will join a vibrant research community
   anchored by CITAP’s four principal researchers—Deen Freelon (Hussman
   School of Journalism and Media), Daniel Kreiss (Hussman), Alice Marwick
   (Dept. of Communication), and Zeynep Tufekci (School of Information and
   Library Sciences)—along with senior researchers Tressie McMillan
   Cottom, Shannon McGregor, Francesca Tripodi, and over a dozen grad
   student, postdoctoral, and faculty affiliates. CITAP affiliates will
   meet regularly for research updates and internal presentations, as well
   as present their work at domestic and international conferences. This
   position features a complete benefits package including health, vision,
   and dental insurance.


   Educational Requirements

   Applicants are required to hold a PhD in communication, political
   science, information science, sociology, or a related social science
   field before the appointment may begin.


   Qualifications and Experience

   The successful candidate will demonstrate strong quantitative skills
   and expertise in one or more of the following areas:


   • Computational social science (specifically social media data
   analysis)

   • Human-computer interaction (HCI)

   • Political communication (specifically the study of
   mis/disinformation, polarization, and/or hyperpartisan content)

   • Survey design and data analysis

   • User experience (UX) design


   More specifically, we are looking for a scholar who wants to expand the
   horizons of digital democracy research via new software tools. A
   promising body of relevant peer-reviewed publications, external
   funding, and/or digital interface designs is strongly preferred.


   ********************************************

   POSITION #2: Research App Developer


   The Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP) at the
   University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks a full-time computer
   programmer to support its research priorities. Position ad here:
   [2]https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/184964


   The ad describes the project for which the funding was originally
   committed, but the position itself has evolved beyond that. The
   successful applicant will work under Dr. Deen Freelon and a
   postdoctoral researcher to form a group focused on building what we
   call “civic software.” We will develop free and open-source software
   that does two things:


    1. Helps citizens understand the civic and political implications of
       their information environments and empowers them to defend against
       the most harmful aspects therein (such as mis- and disinformation);
       and
    2. Generates rigorous, open datasets of relevance to disciplines such
       as communication, political science, and information science.


   Once the project gets up and running, we will offer a suite of public
   software tools to the general- and research public. Some of these tools
   will provide direct benefits to citizens, while others will supply data
   that enables research of public relevance (thus providing an indirect
   benefit). We understand this is not a new idea--other institutions
   currently provide software offerings in a similar vein--but we believe
   there is room for multiple (noncompetitive) operators in this space.
   More importantly, we will distinguish ourselves by drawing inspiration
   from relevant social science fields as well as pressing public
   concerns, in contrast with groups that operate from a more
   CS/engineering perspective.


   The ideal applicant for this position will be mission-driven,
   civic-minded, and full of ideas. Being at a public education
   institution in a global pandemic, we know we can’t compete with private
   companies in terms of salary. Instead, we offer an opportunity to make
   a living wage developing software that helps researchers and the public
   understand our rapidly evolving communication ecosystem and avoid the
   threats that plague it. (We also don’t require you to relocate, which
   means you can work from anywhere and mostly make your own hours, a few
   meetings a week notwithstanding.)



   ********************
   Deen Freelon, Ph.D.
   Associate Professor | Hussman School of Journalism and Media
   Principal Researcher | Center for Information, Technology, and Public
   Life
   University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
   http://dfreelon.org | [3]@dfreelon | https://github.com/dfreelon |
   https://citap.unc.edu/
   [4]Schedule an appointment with me

References

   1. https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/185163
   2. https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/184964
   3. https://twitter.com/dfreelon
   4. https://doodle.com/mm/deenfreelon/book-a-time