Postdoctoral Research Associate – AI‑Guided STEM Education

About the role

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will join the NSF CAREER project 3AforCT, which integrates AI‑guided, authentic STEM inquiry in rural middle schools. Working with Texas A&M University’s Teaching, Learning and Culture (TLAC) unit, the fellow will collaborate with educators to design, implement, and evaluate AI‑supported learning activities.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct school‑based fieldwork, including data collection with environmental sensors and real‑world datasets.
• Co‑design research activities with teachers and support classroom implementation of AI‑based tools.
• Perform mixed‑methods and multimodal analysis of student learning, teacher practice, and AI tool usability.
• Coordinate project logistics across multiple sites and mentor junior researchers.
• Prepare and present findings for scholarly and practitioner audiences, and contribute to open educational resources.

Required profile

• PhD in learning sciences, educational technology, computing education, educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, STEM education, or a closely related field, completed by the start date.
• Research experience in K‑12 STEM or computing education, computational thinking, or AI‑supported learning preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct design‑based or classroom implementation research, including teacher co‑design.
• Willingness to travel regularly to partner schools and work flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, or weekends as needed.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunities to co‑author peer‑reviewed publications and present at conferences.
• Access to interdisciplinary research community and mentorship from the principal investigator.
• Experience at the intersection of AI, STEM education, and design‑based research.