Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Building User-Centered AI Agents in Consumer Settings

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our project on developing user-centered AI agents in consumer settings.

As AI agents become increasingly integrated into real-world consumer environments, it is essential to ensure these systems act in the best interests of users—faithfully interpreting user intent and taking responsible actions on their behalf. This project aims to advance the design and implementation of networks of AI agents that prioritize user preferences, consent, and benefit, while also delivering real-world impact and contributing to the development of cutting-edge agentic systems.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to research on the interaction of AI and business. The postdoctoral fellow will be supervised by Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland from the Stanford Digital Economy Lab at HAI and Professor Erik Brynjolfsson from the Stanford Digital Economy Lab at Stanford HAI.

Qualifications for this position include a PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, Human-Computer Interaction, or a closely related field. Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic Systems, as well as strong interdisciplinary teamwork skills and communication skills.

Application Deadline
Rolling, with a closing date of February 1, 2026. Strong preference will be given to early applicants.

Application Instructions
To apply, please complete the application form, which includes

  • CV
  • Cover letter
  • One page research statement
  • The names and email addresses for three references
  • As well as three research papers that demonstrate your research skills relevant to this postdoc position.

Duration: 2 years
Pay: 85-90K

Apply here

The Stanford Digital Economy Lab brings together an interdisciplinary group of passionate researchers to study how digital technologies are transforming work, organizations, and the economy. Our insights are helping companies, policymakers, students, and professionals rise to the challenges and opportunities created by digitization. We believe in the power of human work and that augmenting human capabilities with machine capabilities will lead to the most profitable gains for everyone.

The Lab is part of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) and is co-sponsored by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).