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4055
11/6/2025
Open Until Filled
Post-Doctoral Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
Postive Psychology Center
Fellowships/Post-docs: Post-doctoral

Announcement: Dr. Jer Clifton at UPenn seeks post-doc to conduct research at intersection of artificial intelligence and primal world beliefs. Position info: https://myprimals.com/postdocjob/ For info on primal world beliefs: https://tinyurl.com/rzufzx68

 

Context: Dr. Jeremy D. W. Clifton at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center seeks a Post-Doctoral Fellow to join the Primals Project in January 2026 for a 1-year appointment, with renewal based on performance and funding. The three values that guide the Primals Project are prosocial ambition, rigorous science, and humility. This is a hybrid position with work inperson at the University of Pennsylvania’s main campus in Philadelphia.

 

Funding for the first year is guaranteed and is expected but not guaranteed in future years. This is a research-focused position with no teaching requirements. The position is supported by a small travel budget to attend research conferences.

 

Primal world beliefs (or “primals”) are beliefs about the basic character of the world, such as the world is dangerous. From 2014-2019, UPenn researchers conducted the first broad-based systematic effort to empirically derive all major primals humans hold, resulting in a taxonomy of 26 primals. Most of these primals center on the beliefs that the world is Safe, Enticing, and Alive. Today, over 45 labs around the world have active research programs examining primals. For a scholarly introduction to primals research, see the following article:

Clifton, J. D. W. (2025). Psychologists return to the first question of Western philosophy. American Psychologist, 80(2), 232–246. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001351. Full-text PDF.


The Fellow will conduct research at the intersection of primals and AI, working closely with Dr. Clifton and a growing network of AI researchers and industry leaders. Example projects:

  • Giving primals to AI: Can we give primals to AI to mimic idiosyncratic, likable personalities? How can we measure how realistic AI personas are becoming?
  • “Raising” moral AI systems: What is the value of instilling specific primals known to support ethical behavior into all AI systems? Can we coordinate with researchers and industry leaders to support industry-wide standards?
  • Using AI to estimate primals: Can we develop AI methods to reliably estimate people’s primals, such as celebrities or historical figures like battlefield commanders?
  • Using AI in taxonometric research: The methodology used to taxonomize primals is now being adapted to taxonomize other phenomenon spaces such as core beliefs about the body (e.g., my body loves to fall apart) and parenthood (e.g., having kids is a jail sentence). How can AI be used to improve taxonometric research?

 

Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

  • Identify priority projects with Dr. Clifton, Principal Investigator
  • Serve as first-author on peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings primarily in psychology, with all that entails (study design, execution, data analysis, manuscript writing, journal submission management, etc.)
  • Contribute meaningfully to other research collaborations, often as co-author
  • Pursue additional primals research in connection with one’s interests and expertise
  • Participate in the intellectual environment at UPenn Qualifications:
  • Ph.D. from an accredited university in psychology (e.g., clinical, social, personality, positive) or related discipline; AI-related disciplines also welcomed
  • Capacity for research productivity and efficiency
  • Ability to focus on priority projects
  • Passionate interest in primal world belief research
  • Collegiality; interest in collaborative efforts 
  • Ability to embrace the three values of the Primals Project: prosocial ambition, rigorous science, and humility
  • A background in AI research; advanced technical knowledge of AI systems preferred but not required
  • Capacity to appreciate not only the benefits of AI for humanity, but also the dangers it poses, and the ethical concerns involved
  • Interest in exploring additional funding opportunities, including from government, military, and industry
  • Active life of the mind

 

Process: Interviews will be conducted until position is filled. The position can start as early as January 1, 2026. To apply, submit a letter of interest (2-page max), CV, names and contact information for three references, and two full-text exemplar scholarly articles (reprints/preprints only). Send application materials and position inquiries to Primals Project Research Manager Abigail Wheeler (primalsprojectjobs@gmail.com). Salary will be commensurate with credentials and experience.

 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

 

Job First Announced: October 2025
NOTE: The above information is provided by the employer. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc. does not verify the accuracy of these statements.