Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Citizenship Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Government

Description

Georgetown University’s Initiative for Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Citizenship (AIDC) and the Department of Government invite applications for Postdoctoral Fellowship to begin in August 2026. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, this position advances the study of artificial intelligence through a humanistic lens by exploring how AI transforms civic life, democratic practice, and public reasoning.

The AIDC Initiative brings together scholars from the humanities, social sciences, and technology studies to examine how AI reshapes core democratic concepts such as participation, representation, accountability, and human dignity. The Postdoctoral Fellow will join a dynamic interdisciplinary community engaged in rethinking civic agency in the age of intelligent machines.

 

Program Overview

The fellowship will include:

• Research: Develop and pursue a research project at the intersection of AI, democracy, and humanistic inquiry. This research will result in a peer-reviewed article that will contribute to a journal special issue and a collaborative white paper. Fellows are also encouraged to pursue their own independent research during the appointment.

• Teaching: Teach one undergraduate course per semester related to the Fellow’s research interests and the mission of AIDC.

• Collaboration: Contribute to AIDC workshops, reading groups, and events; participate in collaborative projects with faculty and other postdocs.

• Public Engagement: Present research through lectures, panels, or essays aimed at academic and public audiences; support AIDC’s broader mission to foster dialogue on AI and democratic life.

Qualifications

• PhD in a humanistic discipline (e.g., philosophy, history, political theory, theology, literature, media studies, or related field) awarded by August 2026, or a PhD in another discipline with a demonstrated record of humanistic research.

• Proposed research agenda that meaningfully connects artificial intelligence and democracy and contributes to the annual theme, “Truth, Trust, and Democratic Judgement.”

• Evidence of teaching experience and a commitment to undergraduate instruction.

• Strong communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.

• Applicants whose work engages with questions of ethics, human agency, and civic participation in relationship to technology are especially encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions

Click on Apply Now to submit the following required materials:

1. A cover letter describing their research interests, teaching experience, and fit with the AIDC mission.

2. A current CV.

3. A research proposal explaining the project the Fellow will work on during the fellowship (2–3 pages).

4. A sample of a solo-authored scholarly writing (no more than 25 pages).

5. A sample syllabus for a course related to the intersection of AI and democracy to be taught at Georgetown.

 

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual salary: $70,000

• Benefits: comprehensive health insurance, retirement contributions, paid leave, and professional development funds.

• Fellows will be part of the Georgetown University ecosystem, including library access and a Georgetown email.

 

Review of applications begins March 16th, 2026. Candidates will be notified by the end of April.

The projected base salary range is $70,000.00. Compensation is determined by a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s individual qualifications, experience, education, skills, and certifications, as well as the University’s business needs and external factors. 

                

About AIDC

Established by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, AIDC brings together scholars and practitioners to study how artificial intelligence reshapes democratic life, civic participation, and human judgment. Through research fellowships, teaching, and public programming, AIDC seeks to ground conversations about AI in the ethical and humanistic traditions that sustain popular government.

For questions related to this position, please contact: Matthew David Hamilton, Managing Director of AIDC, at mdh136@georgetown.edu.             

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