Position: Postdoctoral Fellow I

AR State Title:	COSMOS – Postdoctoral Fellow I
Requisition Number:	R0090539 Apply Now
Department:	COSMOS Research Center
Salary Range:	$70,000 annually + Full benefits
FLSA Status:	Exempt

Position Summary:

The Postdoctoral Fellow position is a full-time, provisional position with the COSMOS Research Center (cosmos.ualr.edu) at the University of Arkansas and is funded through a grant or contract. The position renewal is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory job performance.  Postdoctoral Fellow will develop socio-computational models to advance our understanding of cyber campaigns run on social media, grounded in the dynamics of various social and communication processes such as group formation, activation, decentralized decision-making, and collective action. The postdoctoral fellow will help extract relevant open-source information through guided snowball data collection, leveraging cyber forensics and deep web search-based methodologies. The postdoctoral fellow will work with the research team to develop predictive models of various socio-technical behaviors across different social media platforms (including multimedia-rich platforms) and usable tools/software to identify key actors and key groups responsible for coordinating cyber campaigns and disseminating propaganda.  This is an on-campus position. This position is governed by state and federal laws, and agency/institution policy.

The position reports to:
Prof. Nitin Agarwal (nxagarwal@ualr.edu),
Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor,
Director, COSMOS Research Center, UA-Little Rock.

Required Education and/or Experience:

• The candidate must have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or a related discipline;
• The candidate must have at least 1+ years of research experience in social media mining, computational modeling of social science theories, working with social network analysis tools, and examining cyber campaigns conducted on social media. The research experience must be demonstrated through published research articles in leading journals and conferences relevant to the topics mentioned above.

Preferred Education and/or Experience:

• Candidates with strong experience in computer programming and data management will be given preference.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support research projects through ideation, social media analysis, hypothesis generation, and evaluation to understand cyber behaviors;
• Assist with data collection, cleaning, preprocessing, analysis, and interpretation of findings;
• Contribute to writing research findings and presenting at conferences, program reviews, and other academic or professional venues;
• Develop software modules to support the transition of research into functional tools;
• Assist in analyzing multimedia-rich content from online information environments;
• Provide training and support to stakeholders on research findings and tool usage;
• Mentor and oversee graduate students involved in the research, providing valuable experience for future academic careers;
• Contribute to the preparation of research reports and publications;
• Support grant writing and proposal development;
• Coordinate team meetings and lead research-related discussions;
• Record and maintain accurate minutes of meetings;
• Perform other duties and provide additional support as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in data analysis, modeling, machine learning, and AI, using Python and SQL, with extensive experience in libraries and frameworks such as Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, Gensim, BERTopic, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and LLMs;
• Skilled in data visualization using Matplotlib, Seaborn, and ggplot2, and experienced in managing research projects with tools like Git/GitHub, ClickUp, and Jupyter Notebooks;
• Specialized in NLP, text mining, and graph analytics, including the use of NLTK, spaCy, TextBlob, VADER, and transformer-based models (e.g., BERT, GPT);
• Familiar with social network analysis (SNA) using NetworkX, igraph, and Gephi for complex network and graph-based data exploration;
• Foundational understanding of computational social science and social network analysis;
• Expertise in social media mining and analysis;
• Research experience examining cyber campaigns conducted via social media platforms;
• Familiarity with analyzing multimedia-rich content in online environments;
• Experience in transitioning research concepts into practical tools;
• Proficiency in computer programming and data management;
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities;
• Ability to collaborate with individuals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for disseminating research findings and engaging with stakeholders;
• Strong organizational and time management skills;
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a research team.

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow II

AR State Title:	COSMOS – Postdoctoral Fellow II
Requisition Number:	R0090538 Apply Now
Department:	COSMOS Research Center
Salary Range:	$85,000 annually + Full benefits
FLSA Status:	Exempt

Position Summary:

The Postdoctoral Fellow position is a full-time, provisional position with the COSMOS Research Center (cosmos.ualr.edu) at the University of Arkansas and is funded through a grant or contract. The position renewal is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory job performance. Postdoctoral Fellow will develop socio-computational models to advance our understanding of cyber campaigns run on social media, grounded in the dynamics of various social and communication processes such as group formation, activation, decentralized decision-making, and collective action.  Postdoctoral Fellow will help extract relevant open-source information in a guided snowball data collection manner by leveraging cyber forensics and deep web search-based methodologies. Postdoctoral Fellow will work with the research team in developing predictive models of various socio-technical behaviors on different social media platforms (including multimedia-rich platforms), and useable tools/software to identify key actors and key groups responsible for coordinating cyber campaigns and disseminating propaganda.  This is an on-campus position. This position is governed by state and federal laws, and agency/institution policy.

The position reports to:
Prof. Nitin Agarwal (nxagarwal@ualr.edu),
Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor,
Director, COSMOS Research Center, UA-Little Rock.

Required Education and/or Experience:

• The candidate must have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or a related discipline;
• The candidate must have 2+ years of research experience in social media mining, computational modeling of social science theories, working with social network analysis tools, and examining cyber campaigns conducted on social media. The research experience must be demonstrated through published research articles in leading journals and conferences relevant to the topics mentioned above.

Preferred Education and/or Experience:

• Candidates with extensive research experience in computer programming and data management will be given preference.
• Candidates with grant-writing experience and a strong publication record will be given preference.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct social media analysis to support research projects, including ideation, hypothesis generation, and evaluation of cyber behaviors;
• Lead tasks in data collection, cleaning, preprocessing, analysis, and interpretation;
• Analyze multimedia-rich online information environments to identify patterns and trends;
• Dissemination of findings through reports, publications, and presentations at conferences, scientific meetings, program reviews, and other venues;
• Contribute substantially to the preparation of grant proposals and technical reports;
• Develop software modules to integrate research outcomes into practical tools and applications;
• Provide training and technical assistance to stakeholders on research findings, methodologies, and developed tools;
• Project management (e.g., setting and tracking deadlines and progress of team members, providing reports to the supervisor);
• Mentor and supervise graduate students involved in research projects, preparing for a potential future academic career;
• Organize and coordinate research team meetings (involving researchers and data engineers), lead discussions, and document meeting minutes;
• Perform other duties and provide additional support as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in data analysis, modeling, machine learning, and AI, using Python and SQL, with extensive experience in libraries and frameworks such as Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, Gensim, BERTopic, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and LLMs;
• Skilled in data visualization using Matplotlib, Seaborn, and ggplot2, and experienced in managing research projects with tools like Git/GitHub, ClickUp, and Jupyter Notebooks;
• Specialized in NLP, text mining, and graph analytics, including the use of NLTK, spaCy, TextBlob, VADER, and transformer-based models (e.g., BERT, GPT);
• Familiar with social network analysis (SNA) using NetworkX, igraph, and Gephi for complex network and graph-based data exploration;
• Experience with research grant writing for federal (e.g., NSF, DoD) and state (e.g., ARA) funding agencies and foundations;
• Intermediate-level understanding of research methodology, data collection techniques, and statistical/analytical methods;
• Familiarity with computational social science, including social network analysis and social media mining;
• Experience in researching cyber campaigns and multimedia content on social media platforms;
• Demonstrated ability to translate research outcomes into usable tools or applications;
• Proficient in computer programming and data management;
• Ability to engage effectively with individuals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds;
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present research findings clearly and collaborate effectively in team environments;
• Experience in mentoring students, researchers, data engineers, and volunteers;
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities, with proven capacity to manage multiple priorities and deadlines;
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary research team.

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow III

AR State Title:	COSMOS – Postdoctoral Fellow III
Requisition Number:	R0090537 Apply Now
Department:	COSMOS Research Center
Salary Range:	$95,000 annually + Full benefits
FLSA Status:	Exempt

Position Summary:

The Postdoctoral Fellow position is a full-time, provisional position with the COSMOS Research Center (cosmos.ualr.edu) at the University of Arkansas and is funded through a grant or contract. The position renewal is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory job performance. Postdoctoral Fellow will develop socio-computational models to advance our understanding of cyber campaigns run on social media, grounded in the dynamics of various social and communication processes such as group formation, activation, decentralized decision-making, and collective action. Postdoctoral Fellow will help extract relevant open-source information in a guided snowball data collection manner by leveraging cyber forensics and deep web search-based methodologies. Postdoctoral Fellow will work with the research team in developing predictive models of various socio-technical behaviors on different social media platforms (including multimedia-rich platforms), and useable tools/software to identify key actors and key groups responsible for coordinating cyber campaigns and disseminating propaganda.  This is an on-campus position. This position is governed by state and federal laws, and agency/institution policy.

The position reports to:
Prof. Nitin Agarwal (nxagarwal@ualr.edu),
Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor,
Director, COSMOS Research Center, UA-Little Rock.

Required Education and/or Experience:

• The candidate must have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or a related discipline;
• The candidate must have 3+ years of research experience in social media mining, computational modeling of social science theories, working with social network analysis tools, and examining cyber campaigns conducted on social media. The research experience must be demonstrated through published research articles in leading journals and conferences relevant to the topics mentioned above; and
• The candidate must have 1+ years of experience in grant writing and management. Grant writing experience must be demonstrated through a successful grant acquisition and management record.

Preferred Education and/or Experience:

• Candidates with extensive research experience in computer programming and data management will be given preference.
• Candidates with successful grant-writing experience and a strong publication record will be given preference.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepare and submit grant applications for external funding;
• Project management (e.g., setting and tracking deadlines and progress of team members, providing reports to the supervisor);
• Lead and coordinate project meetings, including agenda setting and minute-taking;
• Assist in developing new research initiatives aligned with the Center’s mission;
• Manage complex research projects, offering strategic direction and oversight;
• Conduct social media analysis to support research projects, including ideation, hypothesis generation, data collection, preprocessing, and analysis of cyber behaviors;
• Analyze multimedia-rich content within online information environments;
• Synthesize research findings into written reports and scholarly publications, and present at conferences, program reviews, and other scientific venues;
• Develop software modules to operationalize and transition research outcomes into practical tools;
• Support stakeholder training in research methodologies and developed tools;
• Mentor and oversee graduate students involved in research, preparing for an academic or professional career;
• Perform other duties and provide additional support as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced in data analysis, modeling, machine learning, and AI, using Python and SQL, with extensive experience in libraries and frameworks such as Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, Gensim, BERTopic, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and LLMs;
• Advanced in data visualization using Matplotlib, Seaborn, and ggplot2, and experienced in managing research projects with tools like Git/GitHub, ClickUp, and Jupyter Notebooks;
• Advanced in NLP, text mining, and graph analytics, including the use of NLTK, spaCy, TextBlob, VADER, and transformer-based models (e.g., BERT, GPT);
• Familiar with social network analysis (SNA) using NetworkX, igraph, and Gephi for complex network and graph-based data exploration;
• Successful research grant writing and management record for federal (e.g., NSF, DoD) and state (e.g., ARA) funding agencies and foundations;
• Advanced understanding of research methodologies, data collection strategies, and statistical/analytical techniques;
• Advanced in computational social science, including social network analysis and social media mining;
• Extensive experience researching cyber campaigns on social media platforms;
• Skilled in analyzing multimedia content in dynamic and complex online environments;
• Proficient in qualitative and mixed-methods data collection and analysis;
• Demonstrated ability to translate research into usable, operational tools or applications;
• Strong computer programming and data management skills;
• Culturally competent and able to work effectively with individuals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds;
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for scholarly publication, collaboration, and public engagement;
• Experience supervising and mentoring student researchers and volunteers;
• Excellent organizational and project management capabilities, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines;
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team.

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow IV

AR State Title:	COSMOS – Postdoctoral Fellow IV
Requisition Number:	R0090541 Apply Now
Department:	COSMOS Research Center
Salary Range:	$110,000 annually + Full benefits
FLSA Status:	Exempt

Position Summary:

The Postdoctoral Fellow position is a full-time, provisional position with the COSMOS Research Center (cosmos.ualr.edu) at the University of Arkansas and is funded through a grant or contract. The position renewal is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory job performance. Postdoctoral Fellow will develop socio-computational models to advance our understanding of cyber campaigns run on social media, grounded in the dynamics of various social and communication processes such as group formation, activation, decentralized decision-making, and collective action. Postdoctoral Fellow will help extract relevant open-source information in a guided snowball data collection manner by leveraging cyber forensics and deep web search-based methodologies. Postdoctoral Fellow will work with the research team in developing predictive models of various socio-technical behaviors on different social media platforms (including multimedia-rich platforms), and useable tools/software to identify key actors and key groups responsible for coordinating cyber campaigns and disseminating propaganda.  This is an on-campus position. This position is governed by state and federal laws, and agency/institution policy.

The position reports to:
Prof. Nitin Agarwal (nxagarwal@ualr.edu),
Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor,
Director, COSMOS Research Center, UA-Little Rock.

Required Education and/or Experience:

• The candidate must have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or a related discipline;
• The candidate must have 4+ years of research experience in social media mining, computational modeling of social science theories, working with social network analysis tools, and examining cyber campaigns conducted on social media. The research experience must be demonstrated through published research articles in leading journals and conferences relevant to the topics mentioned above; and
• The candidate must have 3+ years of experience in grant writing and management. Grant writing experience must be demonstrated through a successful grant acquisition and management record.

Preferred Education and/or Experience:

• Candidates with extensive research experience in computer programming and data management will be given preference.
• Candidates with successful grant-writing experience and a strong publication record will be given preference.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepare, submit, and manage multiple grants for extramural funding;
• Manage multiple projects (e.g., setting and tracking deadlines and progress of team members, providing reports to the supervisor);
• Lead project meetings, including agenda setting and minute-taking;
• Provide oversight for complex or multi-faceted research projects and help shape strategic direction;
• Contribute to the conceptualization and development of new research project ideas;
• Expand the collaboration network and partnerships with the Center;
• Conduct social media analysis to support research projects, including hypothesis generation, behavioral evaluation, data collection, cleaning, preprocessing, and analysis;
• Analyze multimedia-rich content within online information environments;
• Document and communicate research findings through reports, publications, and presentations at conferences, scientific venues, program reviews, and other professional settings;
• Develop and implement software modules to transition research outcomes into practical tools.
• Train stakeholders in the use and application of research methodologies and developed tools;
• Mentor and oversee graduate students involved in research, supporting their development and gaining valuable academic leadership experience;
• Perform other duties and provide additional support as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Expert in data analysis, modeling, machine learning, and AI, using Python and SQL, with extensive experience in libraries and frameworks such as Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, Gensim, BERTopic, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and LLMs;
• Expert in data visualization using Matplotlib, Seaborn, and ggplot2, and experienced in managing research projects with tools like Git/GitHub, ClickUp, and Jupyter Notebooks;
• Expert in NLP, text mining, and graph analytics, including the use of NLTK, spaCy, TextBlob, VADER, and transformer-based models (e.g., BERT, GPT);
• Expert in social network analysis (SNA) using NetworkX, igraph, and Gephi for complex network and graph-based data exploration;
• Successful research grant writing and management record for federal (e.g., NSF, DoD, NIH) and state (e.g., ARA) funding agencies and foundations;
• Expert in computational social science and social network analysis;
• Demonstrated expertise in social media mining and analysis of cyber campaigns;
• Extensive experience in studying multimedia-rich social media platforms and their impacts;
• Expert in qualitative data collection and analysis techniques;
• Proven ability to transition research into practical, user-oriented tools;
• Strong programming skills and experience with data management and analysis tools;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds;
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, technical writing, and collaborative communication;
• Experience supervising and mentoring student researchers and managing team dynamics;
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet multiple deadlines;
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within interdisciplinary research teams.