Senior Research Engineer in the Division of Science (Computer Science) – Dr. Azza Abouzied

The Human Data Interaction Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi is seeking to appoint a Senior Research Engineer to support and lead the design, development, evaluation, and dissemination of novel systems and tools for decision-making support. The position is intended for a highly experienced researcher and systems builder with strong technical independence, excellent software engineering practices, and a demonstrated ability to translate research ideas into robust, reproducible, and usable tools.

The successful candidate must be available to start immediately and should bring a minimum of six years of relevant research experience, together with at least a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Data Systems, or a closely related field.

HuDa Lab examines data and decision-making from a tooling and systems-building perspective. The lab designs and builds systems that support decision-making across a variety of domains, including disinformation mitigation, collaborative decision-making, interactive data exploration, and optimization problems in uncertain environments such as stock portfolio optimization. The lab does not specialize in applied data science projects or computational social science research. Candidates whose primary interest is applied data science rather than building tools, systems, and research prototypes for data-driven decision-making are encouraged to consider opportunities in other labs.

The Senior Research Engineer will be expected to contribute intellectually and technically to ongoing and new research projects. This includes designing and implementing research-grade systems, developing algorithms and interfaces, conducting simulations and comparative performance evaluations, designing and running user studies, maintaining high-quality code and data artifacts, and preparing research outputs for publication and presentation. The candidate should be comfortable working independently, mentoring junior researchers or research assistants, and collaborating closely with faculty, students, and external partners.

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing, building, and maintaining novel systems and tools for decision-making support.
• Developing research prototypes, interactive interfaces, data-processing pipelines, and experimental platforms.
• Evaluating systems through rigorous experiments, simulations, benchmarks, and user studies.
• Maintaining reproducible code, documentation, datasets, and research artifacts through GitHub and other shared repositories.
• Preparing technical reports, presentations, research manuscripts, and LaTeX documents.
• Contributing to grant-funded research outputs, conference submissions, and journal publications.
• Supporting project planning, milestone tracking, and technical coordination across the lab.
• Mentoring junior team members in software engineering, experimental design, reproducibility, and research communication.

A successful candidate will demonstrate strong experience in systems and tool building, algorithmic thinking, research design, and reproducible experimentation. They should be able to move fluidly between software architecture, implementation, experimental evaluation, and research communication. Strong coding skills are essential, particularly in Python, C++, JavaScript/TypeScript, or comparable languages and frameworks. Experience with SQL, declarative programming, data management, databases, visualization tools, HCI methods, AI/ML systems, optimization, or interactive data systems is highly desirable.

Applicants should have a strong record of research and technical output, which may include peer-reviewed publications, open-source projects, deployed systems, research prototypes, technical reports, or major software artifacts. Experience presenting research work clearly and concisely is essential, as the lab meets frequently for short status updates and holds regular technical one-on-one meetings to examine research problems in depth.

Minimum qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, HCI, AI, Data Systems, or a closely related field.
• At least six years of relevant research, research engineering, or senior technical experience.
• Immediate availability to start the position.
• Strong record of designing and building systems, tools, platforms, or research prototypes.
• Excellent programming ability in Python, C++, JavaScript/TypeScript, or comparable languages.
• Experience with reproducible research practices, GitHub workflows, documentation, and artifact management.
• Ability to evaluate systems through experiments, simulations, benchmarks, or user studies.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience with technical presentations and LaTeX documents.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative research environment.

The position offers a competitive salary and attractive benefits, including housing allowance, medical insurance, annual home leave allowance, and, where applicable, dependent private school fees. The researcher will have access to excellent research facilities and dedicated support for travel, computing, publications, and research-related expenses.

Applications will be evaluated immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, a transcript or degree, and two letters of reference, all in PDF format.

Questions regarding specifics for this position may be directed to Prof. Azza Abouzied at [email protected].

About NYU Abu Dhabi

https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU’s campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

NYUAD is committed to upholding a culture of non-discrimination, anti-harassment, dignity, and mutual respect; providing equal access and opportunity; and fostering academic excellence in learning, research, and teaching.

Students are drawn from among the world’s best. They are bright, intellectually passionate, and committed to building a campus environment anchored in mutual respect, understanding, and care. The NYUAD undergraduate student body has garnered an impressive record of scholarships, graduate-school admissions, and other global honors. Graduate education is an area of growth for the University; the current graduate student population of over 100 students is expected to expand in the next decade as doctoral programs are developed.

Working for NYUAD

At NYUAD, we recognize that Abu Dhabi is more than where you work; it’s your home. In order for research staff to thrive, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. This starts with a generous relocation allowance; educational assistance for your dependents; access to health and wellness services; and more. NYUAD is committed to research staff success throughout the academic trajectory, providing support for ambitious and world-class research projects and innovative, interactive teaching approaches. Support for dual-career families is a priority. Visit our website for more information on benefits for you and your dependents.

NYUAD is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and seek individuals who will contribute to the excellence and vibrancy of our academic community.

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.

Join NYU Abu Dhabi, an exceptional place for exceptional people.

NYUAD values belonging and respect; such principles are fundamental to the university’s commitment to excellence. NYUAD is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and seek individuals who will contribute to our vibrant, multidisciplinary research and teaching community. Multidisciplinary research and exceptional teaching in a global campus community are hallmarks of the University’s mission.

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