Description

MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) seeks candidates for the Michael Hammer Postdoctoral Fellowship starting in 2025.

Applications will be accepted through Friday, March 21, 2025.

Michael Hammer Postdoctoral Fellowship, at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), to perform independent research in areas combining social science knowledge with technical analyses of complex social and technological systems. A particular interest in researchers who would work on collective decision-making and behavior, broadly considered, whether the work is theoretical, computational, or empirical. Specific duties will include performing independent research in areas combining social science with technical analyses of complex social and technological systems; and leading activities within IDSS to increase participation and integration of MIT social science faculty and staff with IDSS core and affiliate faculty. The fellow may, for example, design, develop, and implement a plan for a new seminar series, propose speakers for the series, perform speaker outreach and scheduling, etc.; organize and direct a social science workshop at MIT; organize and direct IDSS SES Ph.D. student poster sessions as needed; assist IDSS core and affiliate faculty with research proposal writing; write on and publish original documents such as quarterly interviews or research reviews highlighting work conducted by faculty in social science areas of domain applications; and publish own work in recognized journals.

This will be a one-year appointment beginning on September 1, 2025 or a later mutually agreed upon date, with the possibility of renewal for a second year based upon satisfactory performance.

A committee consisting of IDSS leadership and selected core faculty will review and select applications. Selections will be made by Friday, April 11, 2025.

History
Founded in 2017, this fellowship is named in memory of Michael Hammer ’68, SM ’70, PhD ’73 . Dr. Hammer was a visionary engineer, business leader, author, and MIT professor who made a remarkable impact on both MIT and the nation’s engineering and business landscape. He recognized that solving major societal challenges begins with an understanding of how complex systems function and interact, requiring a careful analysis of inherently different kinds of systems: physical and engineered, economic and social behavioral, and institutional.

Michael Hammer Postdoctoral Fellows are conferred the permanent title of “MIT IDSS Michael Hammer Postdoctoral Fellow.” Hammer Fellows join a growing society of other Hammer postdoctoral researchers and student fellows — an endowed program of community-building and intellectual enrichment activities. For more information on Michael Hammer and the program please visit: https://idss.mit.edu/academics/ses_doc/hammer-fellows/.

The ideal candidate will have a strongly interdisciplinary research agenda with a demonstrated track record of interest in complex social problems as well as willingness to engage with the Michael Hammer Society of postdoctoral and student fellows.

Job Requirements
Ph.D. (expected or obtained) in statistics, engineering, computer science, operations research, economics, mathematics or a related field; strong analytical and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment and commitment to participating in IDSS activities.

In addition to a cover letter and CV, please submit the following documents in .pdf format.

• Two additional letters of support submitted directly to academic jobs.com; at least one should be external to MIT
• A sample of your scholarly work (either as a .pdf or URL)
• A brief paragraph with suggestions for two IDSS faculty supervisors (one from Engineering, one from another MIT school) who are doing work that intersects with your research interests and might be potential mentors