WASP-HS Postdoctoral Scholarship

WASP-HS is inviting applications for a postdoctoral scholarship in Child-AI Interaction at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), hosted within the RAISE Initiative and affiliated with Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC). The project sits at the intersection of human-AI interaction, child development, cognitive science, developmental psychology, human-computer interaction, and human-robot interaction, with a strong interest in how children and teenagers interact with AI agents and social robots.

The research environment, Child Development in the Age of AI and Social Robots, is led by researchers at Umeå University, Uppsala University, KTH, and Linköping University. It studies how AI systems and social robots affect children’s socio-emotional and higher-order cognitive development, including empathy, collaboration, critical thinking, metacognition, cognitive offloading, learning outcomes, health literacy, wellbeing, and everyday decision-making. Interdisciplinary approaches using qualitative and quantitative methods, theory, and participatory design are encouraged.

The scholarship is intended for a promising researcher who has recently earned a doctorate from a Swedish university and who can spend 1–2 years at MIT. Funding includes an annual stipend of about USD 73,308, a USD 7,500 yearly travel grant, an annual allowance of USD 15,000 for accompanying family members, and MIT’s standard health insurance for postdocs. A possible follow-on research position in Sweden may be supported by the Wallenberg Foundation after the stay abroad.

Eligibility highlights include a doctoral degree from a Swedish university within the last two years, a connection to a Swedish university or non-profit research organization, no prior employment or scholarship at MIT, a doctorate in psychology, cognitive science, computer science, AI, HCI, or related fields, and prior experience in human-AI or robot interaction. Applicants should propose a project using a social science and/or humanities approach, or one that shows how such knowledge contributes to AI and autonomous systems.

The application deadline is 16 November 2026. Applications must be submitted in English via the Wallenberg Foundation portal. Required materials include a CV with publications, a personal letter, a research proposal, two letters of support, and a non-binding host letter of intent. If you have not yet defended your dissertation, include a supervisor letter with the expected defense date. A budget is not required.