Paula Helm

The Center for Critical Computational Studies (C³S) at Goethe University Frankfurt is seeking a postdoctoral researcher in Empirical Computational Ethics. This interdisciplinary position is ideal for candidates whose work intersects Science and Technology Studies (STS), Critical Data Studies, Responsible AI, Feminist Technoscience, and Postcolonial Computing. The successful candidate will join a newly forming research group with strong institutional support and a vibrant, collaborative environment. The Empirical Computational Ethics (ECE) group connects ethical inquiry with empirical grounding and transformative research. The group develops STS-informed alternatives to principle-driven AI ethics, focusing on how normative orders are embedded and contested within technical infrastructures and communities of practice. Research topics include epistemic justice/injustice, bias and its consequences, diversity, foundation models, data workers’ rights, and critical AI studies. The group values ethnographic fieldwork, infrastructural analysis, and technical audits to understand how normative assumptions are embedded in technology. The postdoc will have the freedom to develop independent research projects, teach topics related to FAccT, Responsible Computing, and Digital STS, co-supervise theses, and contribute to grant writing. The position is not project-based, allowing for significant autonomy and time for publishing. The role is based at the Westend Campus in Frankfurt, offering flexible working hours, a family-friendly environment, and access to a strong research infrastructure. Applicants should have a PhD (or be close to completion) in a relevant field such as STS, Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, or related disciplines. Experience or strong interest in empirical research, critical data studies, responsible AI, feminist technoscience, or postcolonial computing is required. Application materials must include a cover letter, detailed CV with publications, a 2-page research plan, and a 1-page teaching plan, submitted as a single PDF (max 10MB) by email to [email protected] by 24 March 2026. Interviews will be held in April 2026, with a preferred start date in May 2026 (negotiable). For more information, visit the C³S website or contact Professor Paula Helm via LinkedIn. This is an excellent opportunity for scholars interested in the intersection of ethics, technology, and society to shape a dynamic research agenda in a supportive academic setting.