Postdoctoral Fellow in Social Reinforcement Learning and Human-AI Hybrid Systems (CHM) Germany

Summary

The Center for Humans and Machines (CHM) at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join an interdisciplinary team under the supervision of Prof. Iyad Rahwan. The research focuses on understanding how machines shape human society, predicting human-AI co-evolution, and informing policies for future AI-infused societies. The position is part of the Max Planck Artificial Intelligence Network.

Postdoctoral Fellow in Social Reinforcement Learning and Human-AI Hybrid Systems (CHM) Germany

Designation

Postdoctoral Fellow (E13 TVöD, 100% position, 39 hours/week)

Key Job Information

Research Area

The research focus includes, but is not limited to:

• Fine-tuning large language models (LLMs) on rewards derived from social interactions or collective outcomes.
• Evolutionary adaptations of AI agents in social simulations.
• Behavioral experiments with human-AI hybrid groups.
• Advancing theoretical understanding of human-AI co-evolution.
• Related research themes: Cooperating with machines, Machine Culture, social reinforcement learning, and evolutionary optimization of social strategies.

Location

Berlin, Germany

Address: Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin.

(Option for mobile work up to 40% depending on work processes)

Eligibility / Qualification

• Educational Qualification: Must hold, or expect to hold by the starting date, a PhD in a computational science field (e.g., Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related fields).
• Publication Record: Proven publication record in relevant research areas.
• Core Knowledge: Solid theoretical foundation in cognitive science, machine learning, and social science.
• Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in AI applications, particularly Agentic Architectures and Reinforcement Learning.
• Technical Infrastructure: Experience with the deep learning ecosystem and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures.
• Strong Pluses:
  • Experience designing and conducting experiments with human participants.
  • Experience in web development and deployment.

Job Description & What We Provide

Job Description

As a Postdoctoral Fellow, you will lead and contribute to ambitious research projects examining human-AI systems. You will conduct simulations and experiments, publish in high-profile journals, collaborate across disciplines (including behavioral science, economics, and legal studies), and communicate findings to public and scientific audiences.

What the Institute Provides

• Computational Power: Dedicated access to MPCDF computational infrastructure (B200, H200, A100 GPUs).
• AI Tool Access: Access to open-weight models with internal API endpoints, frontier commercial models, and research/development tools.
• Support: Direct engineering support from research engineers (Web experiments, ML, infrastructure) and research assistants.
• Funding: Dedicated financial support and budget for large-scale simulations, behavioral experiments, and original research ideas.
• Benefits & Work Environment: Flexible working hours, relocation support via an International Office, kindergarten partnerships, parent-child rooms, and health/wellness programs (fitness room, yoga, massage services).

How to Apply

Applications must be addressed to Prof. Dr. Iyad Rahwan and submitted electronically as ONE SINGLE FILE via the MPIB Recruitment Platform.

Required Documents:

1. Statement of research interests
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) without a photo
3. Copies of relevant academic certificates
4. Reprints/preprints of a maximum of three publications led by the applicant (if applicable)
5. A list of four academic references

Inquiries regarding the position can be sent to: sekrahwan@mpib-berlin.mpg.de

Last Date to Apply

August 27, 2026 (Applications are evaluated on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis and may close earlier if filled).

Link