Digital Technology for Democracy Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Virginia's Digital Technology for Democracy (DTD) Lab invites applications for 2-year postdoctoral fellowships that begin in August 2026. The fellowship is two one-year renewable appointments. Each year is contingent on a successful review by the supervisor, which will be conducted during the ninth month of their appointment. Criteria of evaluation include: (i) Rigor of research, (ii) Ability to collaborate and work efficiently, and (iii) Commitment to shared values. We are continuing to build a transdisciplinary cohort of fellows who will play a key role in animating this pan-university project spanning across all twelve UVA schools.

Position Summary

At the DTD Lab, which is part of the Karsh Institute of Democracy, our understandings of democracy and technology, and their intersections, are broad and interdisciplinary. We expect candidates to be creative in their approaches and, at the same time, to clearly articulate their personal understanding of technology and democracy in their project proposal.

Responsibilities

We welcome a wide range of disciplines, methods, and approaches as well as forms of scholarly output, including but not limited to:

• Art, Drama, Music

• Architecture and Urban Planning

• Business, Commerce, Innovation, Labor

• Computer Science, Data Science, Information Science

• Education

• Engineering

• Environmental Sciences and Geography

• Health Sciences

• Humanities

• Law & Public Policy

• Social Sciences

We are particularly interested in transdisciplinary research that addresses key topics at the intersection of digital technology and democracy and are eager to bring in a cohort addressing these issues at global, regional, and local levels. We seek a broad range of viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences and welcome applications from all over the world. The Lab will work with the UVA International Studies Office to sponsor visas as needed.

The DTD Lab at UVA works to explore how rapidly evolving digital technologies can challenge, but might also fortify, democratic institutions and practices. We seek to create collaboration and exchange between academia and thought-leaders, technologists, policymakers, activists, civil society organizations, artists and creative practitioners, and others, taking a broadly transdisciplinary and global approach. DTD is supported by a Grand Challenge research investment in Digital Technology and Society which has facilitated faculty hires and a range of projects across UVA.

In addition to actively pursuing their own research projects, fellows will be an integral part of the DTD Lab. They are expected to participate in Lab-sponsored seminars and workshops; actively engage with the community of scholars formed by a cohort of fellows, Lab faculty co-leads, and other affiliated faculty; and contribute to Lab-sponsored initiatives (such as white papers or other forms of intellectual output). Fellows will be invited to participate in convenings aimed at bringing together different sectors, including the technology industry and policymakers. We will also connect fellows with relevant departments, units, and schools at UVA to support their work and engagement with colleagues during their fellowship. Fellows will be part of a broader community at the Karsh Institute of Democracy and be included in professional development activities offered to postdoctoral fellows at UVA.

Applications will be evaluated by the current faculty co-leads for the Lab, who also serve as mentors to selected fellows: Lauren Bridges, Department of Media Studies; Steven L. Johnson, McIntire School of Commerce; Mona Kasra, Departments Art & Drama; Andrew Mondschein, School of Architecture; David Nemer, Department of Media Studies; Jess Reia, School of Data Science; and Mona Sloane, School of Data Science & Department of Media Studies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Applicants must have their PhD, SJD, or equivalent terminal degree in hand by the beginning of the fellowship

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range

The annual salary for each position is $65,000 with additional research funding of $5,000 per year. In addition to salary and research funding, standard UVA resources will be provided, including healthcare, computing resources, and access to library support and VIVA-negotiated collective agreements that lower or eliminate APCs with select publishers.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.

• This position has a term limit of 2 years after which continued employment will depend on department needs and funding.

• This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and is eligible for a hybrid schedule in accordance with UVA's remote work guidelines.

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Application Timeline

Applicants should submit their application materials by December15, 2025, with an expectation of final decisions made by March 2026.

We will host two Zoom information sessions this fall - find information about how to join HERE. Recordings of each session will be posted on the event pages following each session.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

How to Apply

Please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0077062. Complete an application with the following documents:

• A statement of interest (not to exceed 3 single-spaced pages) with a description of your scholarly areas of focus, the reasons for your interest in being a fellow in the DTD Lab, and a summary of the scholarly work you propose to pursue during the fellowship period at UVA including goals, projected research questions and potential outcomes. You will be mentored by one or two DTD lab faculty, so please specify who you would envision yourself working with.

• A CV

• A sample of your work (examples include, but are not limited to, a dissertation chapter, published article, white paper, policy study, or portfolio of artistic or digital work)

• Names and contact information for three referees who can be contacted for letters of reference. We will only request letters from referees for those candidates who are invited for interviews.

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants: Apply through your Workday profile by searching "Find Jobs."

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA's third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

• For questions about the position, please contact Laurent Dubois, Academic Director at the Karsh Institute, at lmd8s@virginia.edu.

• For questions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, Recruiting Specialist, jf2sw@virginia.edu.