The Science of Networks in Communities (SONIC) Laboratory at Northwestern University (http://sonic.northwestern.edu) invites applications for up to three post doctoral positions. SONIC lab members utilize and advance social network theories, methods, and web-based tools to better understand and facilitate social networks in a variety of contexts, including communities of practice; science, engineering, and medical communities; and communities involved in emergency response, public health, climate change, and virtual worlds. Current research projects include several multi-year efforts funded in part by the US National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Army Research Institute, Army Research Laboratory, Air Force Research Laboratory, MacArthur Foundation, and the City of Chicago. Hires will be expected to conduct social network research in several of the on-going projects, to take leadership in initiating new interdisciplinary research projects, and to co-mentor junior lab members. Hires will also have an affiliation with the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO; http://www.northwestern.edu/nico/) to facilitate interaction and collaboration with a broader community of network researchers.
Key Responsibilities (one or more of the following):
• Develop theoretical and conceptual frameworks to investigate factors that leads to the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of
dynamically linked social and knowledge networks
• Utilize and extend methods for mathematical, statistical, and computational modeling of networks
• Develop and implement socio-technical algorithms for network recommender systems
• Utilize and develop innovative techniques for data collection, integration, and management of large-scale multidimensional social networks from surveys and digital sources/traces
• Implement algorithms for modeling large-scale social networks in high performance (Petascale) computing environments.
Qualifications:
We invite applications from US and international scholars with PhDs from a wide variety of disciplines, with interest and expertise in one or more of the following areas:
• Social scientific theories of network emergence and evolution
• Modeling of networks: mathematical, statistical, computational
• Web Science and Semantic Web technologies
• Data-mining algorithms to detect networks
• High performance and cloud computing
• Visualization of networks
• Network optimization methods
Compensation:
The appointment will carry an annual stipend commensurate with qualifications and experience in addition to standard benefits provided to all employees of Northwestern University.
Application Procedures:
Applicants must submit by email the following:
1) a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and prior research experience if applicable
2) a brief statement of research interest and experiences relevant to the activities of SONIC
3) names, affiliations, and contact information for three references.
Send all application materials as well as any inquiries to Noshir Contractor. Appointment starting date and duration are negotiable. Applications will be considered until all positions are filled. Northwestern University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.