Research Associate - School of Computer Science - S3D

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university that stands among the world’s most renowned education institutions. With ground-breaking brain science, path-breaking performances, creative start-ups, big data, big ambitions, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn’t imagine the future, we invent it. If you’re passionate about joining a community that challenges the curious to deliver work that matters, your journey starts here!

The Software and Societal Systems (S3D) department within the School of Computer Science explores the vital intersection of software, systems, and society to understand how computational technologies might better serve humanity. We are studying the bigger picture of computing in context in order to develop tools, policies, and methods—all in the name of making the world a safer, more equitable, better place to call home.

About the role

S3D has a Research Associate opening to work on an interdisciplinary project focused on the development and evaluation of Privacy Technology for Smart Cities. This opening can be a particularly good match for a post-doctoral candidate, though applicants are not required to have a PhD. The project builds on the Internet of Things Privacy Infrastructure developed by Prof. Norman Sadeh at Carnegie Mellon University and involves developing, piloting, and refining extensions of this technology in collaboration with the City of Long Beach. Today the infrastructure already hosts over 100,000 IoT resource descriptions, and the IoT Assistant app has been downloaded by tens of thousands of users. The project involves deployment in the City of Long Beach as well as the design and piloting of new functionality, including GenAI Functionality.

Responsibilities

• Conceptual design, development, and empirical evaluation of privacy technology for smart cities, including running human subject studies to evaluate new functionality and understand overall acceptance of the technology.
• Work closely with the Principal Investigator, Prof. Norman Sadeh, to publish papers in top-tier conferences and journals.
• Help supervise more junior team members and interact with end-users.
• Collaborate with a varied population of internal and external partners with a high level of integrity.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree required; Doctoral Degree preferred.
• 1-3 years of research experience required.
• Strong background in privacy and security, and Human Computer Interaction, including human-centered design. Preference will be given to candidates who have done research in usable privacy and security.
• Capable of working under limited supervision, being well organized, and having strong communication skills.
• Experience collaborating with others in the context of large-scale research and software projects.
• A combination of education and proven experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous retirement savings program with employer contributions.
• Tuition benefits.
• Ample paid time off and observed holidays.
• Life and accidental death and disability insurance.
• Free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass.
• Access to the Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs.
• Fitness center access.

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Position Type: Staff – Fixed Term
Full Time/Part Time: Full time