Postdoctoral Research Associate In Digital Minds

Core responsibilities:

• Conduct empirical research using experimental methods to advance understanding of the psychology underlying human responses to digital minds
• Investigate how people perceive and make moral judgments about social AI systems and digital minds
• Explore key research questions including perceptions of AI consciousness, factors influencing attribution of moral status to AI systems, and effects on moral decision-making
• Examine individual or cross-cultural differences in perceptions of AI consciousness and moral status

This role advances our understanding of human moral psychology in relation to AI systems, which can inform ethical AI development and policy to ensure AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly.

Required qualifications:

• Completed or near completion of a PhD in Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a related field
• Expertise in moral psychology, social cognition, or related areas
• Strong understanding of both the philosophy and psychology of AI consciousness, ethics, and digital minds
• Proficiency in quantitative research methods including advanced statistics and experimental psychology
• Experience with research tools such as Qualtrics and R
• Published work in academic journals on topics related to perceptions of AI consciousness and moral status is particularly welcomed

Benefits include:

• Fixed-term position for 2 years starting in May 2026
• Funds dedicated to conference travel for the post holder
• Funds for workshops
• No teaching duties (though teaching opportunities may arise)
• Based at the prestigious University of Cambridge