Post-Doctoral Research Associate

University of Kent; Canterbury; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in England is seeking a motivated Post-Doctoral Research Associate to join the Trust in Moral Machines team. The role involves conducting research at the intersection of moral psychology and AI ethics, and requires a doctorate in psychology or related field, with strong statistical analysis skills, particularly in R. The position offers hybrid working, generous leave, and an excellent pension scheme.

Benefits

Hybrid working options

43 days’ leave per year

Excellent pension scheme

Corporate healthcare plan

Qualifications

• Doctorate or equivalent experience in psychology.
• Excellent record of publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Familiarity with literature on moral psychology and AI.
• Extensive experience conducting analysis in R.
• Ability to communicate findings clearly.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement studies related to moral psychology and AI.
• Assist in developing and analyzing the Citizen Science initiative.
• Conduct statistical analyses of complex datasets.
• Maintain coding practices for data analysis in R.
• Contribute to research publications and presentations.

Skills

Advanced statistical analysis

Writing and publishing research findings

Data processing in R

Understanding of moral psychology

Education

Doctorate or equivalent qualification

Tools

R programming

Job description

We are seeking a highly motivated and hard‑working Post‑Doctoral Research Associate to join the Trust in Moral Machines team at the University of Kent. This role involves conducting cutting‑edge research at the intersection of moral psychology and AI ethics, contributing to a major programme of work on how humans understand, evaluate, and trust artificial intelligence systems that make moral decisions. The post is funded by an ERC/UKRI Grant led by Dr Jim Everett, and offers the opportunity to collaborate with Dr Edmond Awad (University of Exeter) and an international advisory board. The successful candidate will play a key role in several ongoing projects, including a new Citizen Science initiative designed to engage global participants in experimental studies on trust in AI.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement experimental and survey‑based studies, including large‑scale cross‑cultural investigations and those outlined in the project proposal.
• Assist in the development, finalization, and analysis of the project’s “Citizen Science” initiative.
• Conduct robust statistical analyses of complex datasets using appropriate methods such as forced‑choice preference task analyses, multilevel modelling, and advanced regression techniques, ensuring transparency and reproducibility.
• Use and maintain high standards of coding practice for data processing and analysis, preferably using R, including the creation of clear, reproducible analysis scripts and documentation.
• Contribute to the write‑up of research findings for publication in leading peer‑reviewed journals and for dissemination at national and international conferences.

Qualifications

• A doctorate or equivalent qualification/experience in psychology. Candidates with experience in other aligned areas will be considered if they can demonstrate sufficient familiarity with psychology and display necessary quantitative skills.
• An excellent record of publications in quality peer‑reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
• Familiarity with psychological research literature on moral psychology, trust/​impression formation, and (preferably) AI.
• Extensive experience with conducting advanced statistical analyses in R.
• Ability to disseminate and share findings to the public in clear and engaging ways.

Benefits

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing.

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs).
• 43 days’ leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part‑time staff).
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions.
• Corporate employee‑funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health.

For further information regarding the application process, please contact [e-mail] quoting reference number SOP-014-25.

The University of Kent values diversity and equality at all levels.