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Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Fellow in Science and Technology Policy

Employer
George Mason University
Location
Virginia, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Date posted
Oct 6, 2021

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Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Fellow in Science and Technology Policy

 

The George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government invites applications for the Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science and Technology Policy. We seek talented recent graduates with the potential to contribute to the School’s research and teaching capacity at the intersection of technology and policy. For this cycle, we are looking for postdoctoral applicants focusing on emerging technology, society, and public policy. Areas of interest in relation to public policy include, but are not limited to, big data surveillance and privacy; algorithmic bias and discrimination; legal and human rights issues relating to AI and big data; digital innovation and the digital divides; and regulation and oversight of emerging technology.

 

George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

 

George Mason University is an innovative and entrepreneurial Tier-1 research university. Over the past half-century, Mason has grown into the largest and most diverse university in the state. Mason is one of the few U.S. universities to have no marked disparity in graduation outcomes for students regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

 

About the Schar School of Policy and Government:

The Schar School is known among U.S. policy schools for the breadth and interdisciplinarity of its scholarship and teaching. We have particular strengths in a number of subfields, including science and technology, international and homeland security, global health threats and transnational crime, drug and substance abuse policy and administration, immigration, regional economic policy, and non-profit management. We currently have 62 tenure-line faculty members from many disciplines including political science, economics, sociology, public administration, history, law, anthropology, regional science, engineering, and business.

 

The School has a long tradition of research and education in science and technology policy. We currently have several faculty members with expertise in this area, including the equitable use of AI and big data; privacy implications of emerging technology; blockchain and cryptocurrency; cybercrime and cybersecurity, machine learning for healthcare/medicine, smart cities and social justice, among others. George Mason University is expanding its commitment to the field with the construction of a state-of-the-art building in Arlington, an anchor for the Rosslyn-Ballston innovation corridor that is designed to support digital innovation, active learning, tech incubators, and collaboration with industry. The Schar School and the School of Computing, funded by Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program, are jointly hiring faculty this year to develop new courses and programs in the area of AI, Society, and Public Policy. 

 

The School has experienced substantial growth in recent years, including a 40% increase in the fall 2020 incoming master’s class. Our graduate campus is located in Arlington, Virginia (15 minutes from downtown D.C.), which provides faculty with unparalleled access to policy makers. The school currently has more than $25 million in active research grants, and our research centers offer faculty the opportunity to engage with lawmakers, journalists, government leaders, and other academics and to enhance the scope and impact of their research.

 

George Mason University is a Tier-1 Research University as well as the largest and most diverse university in Virginia. The Schar School is deeply committed to building a faculty that reflects the highly diverse demographics of our student body and region; underrepresented minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

 

Responsibilities:
The postdoctoral fellow is expected to:

  • Conduct research or other forms of scholarship;
  • Continue training under the supervision of Schar School faculty mentor(s);
  • Disseminate research in scholarly venues, such as journals, policy forums and conferences;
  • Write and submit grant proposals in collaboration with Schar and other Mason faculty;
  • Teach one course each semester.

 

The postdoctoral fellow is a 12-month, non-renewable term appointment. Applicants cannot already hold a full-time tenure-track faculty position. The fellow will receive an annual stipend of $75,000. The fellow will receive the benefits of employment, including annual leave and sick leave, accrued at the same rate as all 12-month faculty members. The fellow will also receive a research and training allowance of up to $10,000, paid as reimbursement to cover expenses directly related to the conduct of the proposed research and education activities, including but not limited to, travel, publication charges, subscription fees, equipment, computing resources, and research materials and supplies. Further, additional funds up to $2,000 may be provided to defray moving costs.

 

Required Qualifications:

  • Doctoral degree awarded not more than 24 months before the application deadline;
  • Academic transcript documenting the doctoral degree or, if the degree has not yet been conferred, confirmation from the awarding institution that all degree requirements, including dissertation defense, have been completed;
  • Permission to work legally in the United States.

 

Special Instructions to Applicants  

For full consideration, applicants should submit the application package for position number F667AZ at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ by February 7, 2022. Review of applications will begin on February 7.

 

The application package should include: (i) a list of three professional references with contact information; and (ii) the application document consisting of the four required sections listed below (to be uploaded as Other Doc).

  1. Biographical Sketch not to exceed two pages. The biographical sketch must include the information to certify the applicant’s eligibility.
  2. Project Summary: Abstract of fellowship activities, not to exceed one page. The project summary must include the following:
  • Overview, which must include (1) the candidate’s name; (2) the date the degree was, or will be, completed; and (3) basic disciplinary field(s) involved in the project;
  • A summary of the research plans and goals;
  • A summary of the training plan for career development and educational or public outreach.
  • Project Description, not to exceed seven single-spaced pages, must include the following information:
    • Part I – Research Plan: (up to five pages), which should include: (1) a theoretically-grounded introduction or background section and (2) a statement of research objectives, methods, and significance.
    • Part II – Training Plan (up to two pages), which should include: (1) training objectives and the plan for achieving them (these may include scientific as well as other career preparation activities); (2) an explanation of how the fellowship activities will enhance the candidate’s career development and future research directions; and (3) a timetable for quarterly goals with benchmarks for major anticipated outcomes.
  • References Cited, listed in a format such as APA or other standard format (no page limit).
  •  

    George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

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