Research Associate - UNSW Face Research Lab

This role is based in Sydney, Australia, within the UNSW Face Research Lab in the School of Psychology at UNSW — Australia’s leading psychology school, ranked in the top 30 globally. The School offers world-class undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including professional Masters and PhD research, and is home to 40 academic staff conducting experimental research across behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, perception, learning, memory, cognition, health, social, developmental, clinical, and forensic psychology.

About the role

As a Research Associate, you will take a leading role in an ARC Discovery Project aimed at understanding human perception of AI-generated faces. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team at UNSW (Psychology and Computer Science), the Australian National University, and international partners to shape the direction of this research.

• Fixed-term position for 18 months, full-time (35 hours per week).
• Salary: $113k - $121k plus 17% superannuation and annual leave loading.

Responsibilities

• Conduct collaborative interdisciplinary research in AI-face generation.
• Carry out behavioural and computational studies using machine learning and deep learning technologies to understand AI-face generation tools.
• Collect, curate, and maintain a large-scale database of face images and associated metadata.
• Coordinate research activities across UNSW Psychology, UNSW Computer Science, and ANU.
• Maintain effective communication and reporting of study outcomes to the project team, including international collaborators.
• Stay abreast of cutting-edge deep learning technologies (e.g., vision-language models) and evaluate their potential for the project.
• Develop innovative, efficient, and reproducible computational solutions to support experimental protocols and analysis.
• Support the dissemination of research outcomes at scientific conferences and industry events.
• Lead the preparation of research reports and manuscripts for publication in high-ranking journals.
• Conduct literature reviews to synthesize knowledge in strategically important areas.
• Assist with the supervision of research students where required.
• Seek mentorship opportunities to develop an independent academic career.
• Adhere to the UNSW Code of Conduct and Values, and comply with health and safety policies.

Requirements

• A PhD in Computer Science, Psychology, or related Cognitive/Neural Sciences.
• Strong computational expertise in deep learning and/or machine learning, including foundation models.
• Knowledge of human behavioural research at the intersection of psychology and computer science (e.g., Explainable AI, computational modelling of brain/cognitive systems).
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
• Initiative, leadership potential, and a willingness to tackle challenging problems.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
• Experience in data analysis and development of experimental research protocols.
• Proven commitment to staying updated with discipline knowledge and developments.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality academic research with limited supervision.
• Track record of publications and conference presentations relative to opportunity.
• Commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives, and values, including health and safety responsibilities.