VACLab Post-Doc Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The School of Information and Library Science ( SILS) seeks to advance the profession and practice of librarianship and information science, to prepare students for careers in the field of information and library science, and to make significant contributions to the study of information. We educate innovative and responsible thinkers who will lead the information professions. These future leaders will be equipped to discover principles and impacts of information, create systems, techniques, and policies to advance information processes and services, and advance information creation, access, use, management and stewardship to improve the quality of life for local, national, and global communities.

The School's programs are among the top ranked by the US News and World Report, and the School is internationally known for its outstanding research, teaching, and service. We offer multiple Bachelor, Masters, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees as well as a variety of dual degree, professional, certificate and online programs for personal enrichment at any stage of a students' academic career (https://sils.unc.edu/programs). We are a proud interdisciplinary campus partner leading the Carolina Health Informatics Program ( CHIP); Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life ( CITAP); and The Knowledge Trust. We have proudly staffed the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) Library since 1975.

The Carolina Health Informatics Program ( CHIP) is an interdisciplinary research and training program that plays a key role in fulfilling UNC-Chapel Hill's commitment to improving human health through health informatics research, data sharing, development, and education. We draw faculty, health care professionals, and students from across the UNC campus to conduct basic and translational research and to offer graduate training in health informatics for scientists across the disciplines and for clinicians in medicine, nursing, public health, dentistry, and pharmacy.

The Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life ( CITAP) is a research center dedicated to understanding the growing impact of the internet, social media, and other forms of digital information sharing in the context of the people who design, use, and govern them. CITAP conducts original research that illuminates how people, technology, and power intersect. Our topics of study include: how inequalities are coded into new technology systems, networked communities and how people come together online, platform governance, and identity and disinformation. We take a holistic approach grounded in history, society, culture, and politics to the study of technology platforms and information systems.

Located in Research Triangle Park ( RTP), SILS provides professional library services to the EPA's largest research facility, where investigators focus on air pollution and its effects on human health and the ecosystem. The Library's collections and services provide exposure to and experience with a wide range of materials, including biomedical, toxicological, and chemical information; engineering literature; government documents; and basic management and computer information. The EPA- RTP Library internship has been a cornerstone of the library's service model since 1975. The library is staffed by a mixture of full-time professional librarians and up to eight graduate student interns.

The Visual Analytics and Communication Lab (VACLab) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC) invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar position with research interests in the areas of visualization, visual analytics, interactive data science, and health informatics. The VACLab is led by Professor David Gotz and is housed in the UNC School of Information and Library Science. The VACLab conducts research at the intersection of interactive visualization, human-computer interaction, and machine learning. Its members aim to develop new methods of interactive visualization to support more efficient, effective, and intuitive information analysis and communication. The VACLab also studies how these new methods are used within the context of a wide range of domain application areas, both to learn why existing methods work and to discover new opportunities for scientific advancement. Many recent research projects have focused on healthcare and life science applications, though the lab's research is not limited to these areas.

The VACLab is an interdisciplinary lab with research teammates from Information Science, Computer Science, Health Informatics, and RENCI (the Renaissance Computing Institute). The lab also collaborates closely with faculty and staff throughout the Schools of Data Science and Society, Medicine, Public Health, and other UNC-affiliated health organizations such as UNC Health and the NC TraCS Institute.

We seek candidates with demonstrated record of research in the areas of visualization, human-computer interaction, health informatics, or closely related disciplines. The postdoctoral scholar will be expected to play a key role in a NIH-funded research project exploring the use of data visualization and related software technologies to combat bias and support equity within data-driven research. The postdoctoral scholar will help lead research related to this project, and have the opportunity to shape the team's broader research agenda. Responsibilities will include research leadership, idea generation, software prototype design and development, prototype evaluation and user studies, mentorship of student researchers, and research dissemination.

More information about the VACLab can be found on the lab's website: http://vaclab.unc.edu/

Candidates are required to have earned a PhD, or be on track to earn their PhD prior to the start of employment.

Candidates are required to have earned a PhD, or be on track to earn their PhD prior to the start of employment.

Candidates are expected to engage in research, collaborate within interdisciplinary teams, and help mentor students. Candidates should also have experience designing, developing, and evaluating software. This includes experience programming in one or more programming languages. In particular, experience with data visualization, user experience design, and web programming would be valuable.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.