Senior Software Engineer, Computational Policy Lab

Harvard Kennedy School; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard Kennedy School at the Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy seeks a Senior Software Engineer with expertise in software development, generative AI, and data science. The role is based on campus in Cambridge, MA, with a requirement to work on campus 3 days per week.

You will design and build large-scale software systems for education technology and AI-driven tools, contributing to empirical research and producing production-ready software for real-world use.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of post-secondary education or relevant work experience.
• Strong emphasis on advanced software engineering, ML/AI, and empirical research methods.
• Experience with generative AI pipelines and cloud deployment.

Responsibilities

• Develop complex software systems for large-scale education technology and AI tools.
• Design, implement, and scale AI-powered data science projects used in research.
• Apply ML/NLP breakthroughs to build production-ready systems for experiments.
• Lead and collaborate on AI, ML, NLP projects and large-scale experiments.
• Co-author publications and translate models into publishable research code.

Skills

Python

TypeScript

Generative AI

Cloud deployment

NLP

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Data Science

Tools

Svelte

React

Job description

TheComputational Policy Lab at the Shorenstein Center at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) is seeking a Senior Software Engineer with specializedexpertisein software development, generative AI, and data science. This position is housed within the Shorenstein Center on Media,Politicsand Public Policy. Through teaching and research at the Harvard Kennedy School and its program of visiting fellows, conferences and initiatives, the Center is at the forefront of its area of inquiry.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Core responsibilities encompass specialized tasks including:

• Independently perform complex applications/web development for projects of large to very large size and complexity
• Design and develop complex software systems for large-scale research projects, with a focus on education technology, the delivery of public benefits, and generative AI-based tools.
• Leverage recent breakthroughs in machine learning and natural language processing to build, test, and deploy advanced algorithmic tools that underpin rigorous empirical research in real-world environments.
• Lead and collaborate on technically challenging projects involving AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and large-scale experimentation.
• Contribute to the design and execution of randomized controlled trials and other empirical methods used to evaluate the impact of AI-driven interventions.
• Collaborate closely with other researchers to translate theoretical models and experimental designs into high-performance, production-ready systems.
• Co-author or contribute to academic publications and technical reports intended for peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and lay audiences.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and research developments related to AI, computational social science, and causal inference.
• Abide by and follow the Harvard University IT technical standards, policies and Code of Conduct.

Projects you will work on include, but are not limited to:

AI in Education: We are designing and testing AI-powered technologies that go beyond generic tools like ChatGPT to provide tailored support for student learning. Our flagship tool, PingPong, is currently being evaluated through a large-scale randomized experiment across universities and community colleges nationwide. In addition, we are piloting innovations such as virtual lectures, personalized student diagnostics, and teacher co-pilot tools. This role will help design, implement, and scale these technologies so they can be rigorously tested and used in real classroom settings.

AI in Public Policy: We are engineering AI systems that improve public service delivery and decision-making. Examples include tools that assist county prosecutors in making unbiased charging decisions, help public defender clients to avoid jail time due to missed court dates, and support adjudicators as they process unemployment insurance claims. In this role, you will work on building robust, production-quality systems that can be deployed in high-stakes government environments where reliability, fairness, and performance are critical.

Basic Qualifications: Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or relevant work experience in computer science, data science, or a closely related field, with a strong emphasis on advanced software engineering, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and empirical research methodologies
• Experience working with generative AI pipelines.
• Experience deploying software in a cloud environment.
• Demonstrated team performance skills, service mindset approach, and the ability to act as a trusted advisor.
• Full stack development experience with Python / TypeScript and familiarity with Svelte / React preferred.

Additional Information

• Appointment End Date:This is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment, ending one year from date of hire, with the possibility of renewal
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education
• Other Information: This position is based on campus in Cambridge, MA, and required to work on campus 3 days/week.