New 
Principal Researcher - Sociotechnical Systems - Microsoft Research
 Microsoft | |
 United States, Massachusetts, Cambridge | |
 Jul 29, 2025 | |
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OverviewMicrosoft Research (MSR) New England is looking for a new full-time, Principal Researcher who brings sociotechnical perspectives to analyze critical issues of our time. You will join the Sociotechnical Systems area, a team of social scientists who draw on empirical and critical methods to study the social, political, and cultural dynamics that shape technologies and their consequences. Our research group spans several disciplines, including anthropology, communication, gender and sexuality studies, history, information studies, law, media studies, organizational and management sciences, science & technology studies, and sociology. This is an ideal opportunity for a scholar with a Ph.D. plus 3+ years of related research experience to conduct original research addressing critical sociotechnical issues. You would be expected to devise and direct your own research agenda and to think collaboratively with others. We are especially interested in candidates whose work complements any of the following themes:the politics and public responsibilities of algorithms, generative AI, machine learning, platforms, metrics, and other manifestations of computational culturesthe intersectional dimensions of identity as they are entangled with sociotechnical systems, including: race, caste, and indigeneity; gender and sexual identities; socioeconomic status and classhow institutions, organizations, networks, and infrastructures (across sectors and domains) configure and are configured by sociotechnical systemsnotions of cooperation, participation, mutual aid, and community engagement and their relationships to the design and governance of responsible technologiespolitical economies and emerging organizational forms in digital labor, community, government, non-profit, creator economy, and private-sector contexts for sociotechnicalundertakingsOur team is comprised of full-time researchers, postdocs, visiting faculty, Ph.D. interns, and pre-doctoral research assistants. You would also have opportunities to collaborate with others across the New England lab, all of MSR, and across Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Research provides a vibrant, multidisciplinary research environment, with an open publication policy and close links to top academic institutions around the world. Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.
ResponsibilitiesContinue developingan academically novelresearch agenda.Advance thatresearch agenda through one or more research projects, yielding new theories, methods, analyses, insights, or collections of data in one or more sub-areas or a broad area of research.Present and publishresearch inhigh-quality conferences and journals.Continue to contribute to the field through activities such as reviewing papers or organizing conference panels Contributeto discussions in the Social Media Collective, the MSR New England lab, and the Sociotechnical Systems research group across the Northeast labs.All employeesare responsible fortreatingothers with fairness andrespect, andshowingempathy and compassion.Embody our culture and values. | |