HPI is recognized as one of the leading university institutes for computer science (www.hpi.de). Our goal is to strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty with excellent research and practice-oriented teaching in computer science. At HPI, we are convinced that excellence is created when knowledge from different disciplines is collaboratively combined to create responsible and pioneering solutions for the future.
In our research clusters "Systems," "Data and AI," "Foundations," "Digital Health," "Security," and "Business and Society" researchers from various disciplines work together on topics relevant to solving the challenges facing society. The Digital Engineering Faculty of the University of Potsdam and HPI offers a computer science engineering degree program that is unique in Germany.
As of September 1st 2026, the Digital Health Translation Lab at the Chair of Digital Global Public Health (Prof. Dr. Lothar Wieler), is looking for a
Postdoctoral Research Associate (m/f/x)
The position is temporary until August 31st 2028 and part-time (50% part-time).
The Digital Health Translation Lab at the HPI Chair of Digital Global Public Health investigates what it takes for clinical AI and digital health technologies to work in practice. This includes eliciting fairness preferences for medical AI through choice experiments, evaluating the real-world effectiveness of digital health technologies, and investigating the behavioral determinants of digital health outcomes. The lab works at the intersection of real-world evidence methodology, behavioral science, and clinical informatics, combining experimental approaches with large-scale health data to bridge the gap between technical innovation and clinical reality.
The primary objective of the planned project is to empirically investigate fairness preferences in decisions regarding the allocation of scarce medical resources in ethical dilemma situations, where either humans or algorithms may be deployed. The data required for this purpose will be collected by means of a web-based factorial survey incorporating vignette and choice experiments. The planned project aims to contribute to a clearer explication of the societal value base underpinning decision-making systems and algorithms for medical applications.
Your future tasks
- Development of the choice experiment and vignettes
- Technical implementation of the factorial survey for web-based data collection
- Sampling and sample management in cooperation with a survey institute
- Data preparation and documentation
- Statistical data analysis
- Presentation of findings at academic conferences and work on publications in peer-reviewed top-tier journals
Your skills
You will use your research findings for academic publications and your own scholarly development. This is a position aimed at advancing academic qualifications. If you are enthusiastic about working in an interdisciplinary, highly motivated team and engaging academically with a topic of high practical relevance, you should bring the following qualifications:
- A completed doctoral degree in a social sciences or economics
- Solid skills in the design and implementation of factorial surveys (in particular vignette and choice experiments via online surveys)
- Demonstrated capabilities in advanced statistical data analysis and corresponding programming languages (R or Python with respective frameworks preferred)
- Fluent English (C1 level, written and spoken)
- A substantive interest in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of social science, economics, computer science and medicine
What we offer
- Contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of behavioral science, real-world evidence, and clinical informatics, translating technical innovation into healthcare that holds up outside the lab
- Collaboration with leading international partners including Mount Sinai Health System (New York) and HPI’s Digital Health Cluster
- Attractive employee offers (corporate benefits)
- Company-subsidized public transportation ticket / "Deutschlandticket"
- Possibility to work remotely (up to 2 days a week)
- 30 days of vacation plus two additional days off on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
- Numerous sports facilities (tennis and basketball courts, beach volleyball court, calisthenics park, and participation in running events)
- Workplace on the HPI campus in Potsdam-Babelsberg (Griebnitzsee S-Bahn station), with fast transportation connections to Berlin
We look forward to receiving your application, including motivation letter, CV, relevant transcripts or degree certificates, a sample of your scientific work (e.g. thesis, excerpt or publication), reference letters (if available), by June 22, 2026. Interviews will be conducted in July/August 2026. Please apply exclusively via our career page.
Contact person HR-Recruiting
Nicola Mertens
nicola.mertens@hpi.de
Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH
Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Str. 2-3
14482 Potsdam