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Postdoctoral Scholar - Data Science Program - School of Information

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Position overview

Salary range: Postdoc: $60,000 to $65,000
Lecturer: Currently minimum of $66,038
Percent time: 100% time
Anticipated start: Positions typically start in January, May, and August.

Position description

The School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for multiple Postdoctoral Scholars, in the area of Data Science, to help conduct research, teach in, build, and be an integral part of our web-based Master of Information and Data Science program.

The number of positions varies from semester to semester, depending on the needs of the School. Due to budget restrictions, no funding is available for H1B visas.

These are hybrid positions composed of a 67% postdoctoral scholar appointment and 33% lecturer appointment. The position will include teaching sections in our online Master’s program (Spring, Summer, and Fall terms), research collaboration, and participating in the intellectual community at the School and on the Berkeley campus. Research responsibilities include pursuing a self-directed research agenda, presenting current research to the community, and participating in research exchange events.

About The I School

The UC Berkeley School of Information (I School) advances knowledge and practice everywhere humans interact with digital technologies. Through interdisciplinary research and teaching, we are committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy. This requires the insights of scholars from diverse fields — information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. The I School educates professionals and scholars to understand the problems and possibilities of information, to develop models of information practice, and to design useful and usable information applications, services, and solutions.

The I School offers three professional master’s degrees and an academic doctoral degree. Our MIDS program trains data scientists to manage and analyze the coming onslaught of big data, in a unique high-touch online degree.

Responsibilities

Postdoctoral scholars in the Data Science program at the School of Information pursue their own research agendas with the support and engagement of I School faculty and staff colleagues. Areas of interest might include research design for data science, statistics for data science, data engineering, machine learning, natural language processing, data visualization, data ethics, public interest data science, causal inference, computer vision, or other relevant subfields of data science. While the I School fosters opportunities for postdoctoral scholars to present and discuss their research and receive feedback from peers, successful postdoctoral scholars in our interdisciplinary program will be self-directed, capable of working with a high degree of independence, and thrive in an environment where they are not assigned to a specific lab or existing ongoing project.

Teaching responsibilities include planning and leading online classes that focus on active learning: discussions, group activities, examples, and walkthroughs relevant to concepts covered in existing asynchronous materials associated with the course.

In addition to teaching responsibilities, general duties include: hold office hours, assign grades, advise students on Slack, Piazza, or email, prepare course materials (e.g., syllabus, assessment materials), provide clear and prompt feedback on student work, and maintaining the course website.

Postdoctoral Scholars are also expected to attend bi-weekly course team meetings with other instructors of the course, and to attend bi-weekly faculty meetings. Postdocs are expected to teach up to 8 small sections (of approximately 15 students) per year as a Lecturer.

The total duration of an individual's postdoctoral service may not exceed five years, including postdoctoral service at other institutions.

The School of Information is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching or other related areas. We require that applicants submit a statement addressing past and/or potential contributions.

UC Berkeley has an excellent benefits package as well as a number of policies and programs to support employees as they balance work and family, if applicable.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD (or equivalent international degree).

Preferred qualifications

Successful candidates will have earned a doctoral degree in a field such as Data Science, Information, Information Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Political Science, Sociology, Law, or Economics. The Data Science postdoc will have teaching and research experience in at least one of the following core areas:

  • Research design and data analysis
  • Applied statistics
  • Data engineering, storage, retrieval
  • Visualizing and communicating data
  • Applied machine learning
  • Privacy, security, and ethics of data
  • Experiments and causal inference
  • Very large scale data mining and analysis
  • Applied regression and time series analysis
  • Deep learning
  • Social network analysis
  • Natural language processing

A record of authored publications or articles in preparation.

The ability to be self-directed with broadly-defined limits on assignments

Excellent communication skills, both oral and written

Ability to enrich course content within defined curriculum goals and objectives; and a demonstrated ability to support the academic, professional, and personal development of a diverse community of individuals in a highly multidisciplinary environment.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Cover Letter

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Statement of Research Interests/Experience/Approach

  • Statement of Teaching Interests/Experience/Approach - Please indicate which MIDS class(es) you are qualified to teach.

  • Statement on Contributions to Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including information about your understanding of these topics, your record of activities to date, and your specific plans and goals for advancing equity and inclusion if hired at Berkeley (for additional information go to https://ofew.berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity).

  • PDF Copy of Recent Publication or Manuscript in Preparation

  • Course Evaluations - We encourage you to send evaluations from any prior classes taught (as instructor, co-instructor, or teaching assistant)
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF03196

Help contact: alhintz@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Berkeley, CA, or remote (US-based).