Civic Science Fellow - Neuroscience (9611C), Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public - #89806

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Departmental Overview

The Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public is an interdisciplinary academic center working to break down barriers between the sciences, humanities, professional fields, and the public to help scientific advances be answerable to fundamental human interests. The Center was created in response to a growing recognition that scientific discoveries raise questions for society that science alone cannot answer. Scientists help shape which futures become possible through decisions about what research is pursued, how it is conducted, and how discoveries are translated. Yet they often receive little preparation to consider the ethical and societal implications of these choices or to engage with the publics and communities who may be affected by them. Through its fellowship program, collaborative projects, and public engagement work, the Kavli Center brings scientists into sustained conversation with scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and professional fields, as well as with members of the public. These interdisciplinary communities help participants integrate ethical reflection, societal perspectives, and public engagement into scientific practice. Based at UC Berkeley, the Center collaborates with departments and institutes across the university and beyond, connecting its fellows with leading researchers, scholars, and engagement partners.

Position Summary

With support from the John Templeton Foundation, the Kavli Center is hosting an 18-month Civic Science Fellowship focused on emerging frontiers in neuroscience. This is a full-time, limited staff position for a researcher or practitioner who can lead a research and engagement project from initial design through delivery and evaluation. The Civic Science Fellow in Neuroscience, Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public connects scientific research with analysis of ethical questions and meaningful engagement with publics and communities, helping scientists and other participants consider not only what is becoming technically possible, but what is morally permissible and societally desirable, while research directions and norms are still taking shape.

This position is part of the national Civic Science Fellows program, a network of fellows, host organizations, funders, and other partners working across sectors to strengthen connections between science, communities, and civic life. Fellows are embedded in host organizations to develop and pilot civic science projects while participating in a national cohort that provides shared learning, professional development, and opportunities to build relationships across the field.

Project Scope

This fellowship builds on the success of our previous Civic Science Fellow and the resulting Wired Minds project (kavlicenter.berkeley.edu/wired-minds). Through Wired Minds, we sought to understand the macroethical practices and beliefs of U.S. neuroscientists and created spaces where Bay Area neuroscientists and members of the public could explore together the ethical and societal implications of brain-computer interfaces. The incoming Civic Science Fellow will have the opportunity to expand upon this work or to develop a complementary line of work related to areas such as neurotechnology and mental privacy; technologies that write to or intervene in the brain; or emerging questions about mind and moral status raised by brain organoids, animal communication, or other areas of research.

While the specific project and work products will be co-designed with the selected Fellow, potential research questions include how new abilities to read from or intervene in neural systems reshape concepts such as agency, dignity, and responsibility; how scientists should navigate moral uncertainty when research challenges established ideas about mind or moral status; and how interdisciplinary and public engagement can inform scientific decision-making before technologies are fully entrenched.

Methods may draw on literature and landscape research; interviews or other qualitative inquiry; philosophical, humanistic, or social scientific approaches to examining ethical and societal questions; public or stakeholder deliberation; engagement with communities; and collaboration with scientists and trainees. Whatever its specific focus, the project will include a substantive, reciprocal engagement component involving relevant publics, communities, or other stakeholders. The Fellow may design and facilitate this work directly or bring in collaborators to contribute relevant expertise. Potential outputs include research findings, ethical frameworks or guiding questions, convenings, public-facing resources, and practical tools for researchers or institutions. The Fellow will document and evaluate the work so that useful methods and lessons can inform future projects at the Kavli Center and across the civic science field.

In addition to leading the fellowship project, the Fellow will contribute to the Kavli Center's development as a place where civic science approaches are developed, tested, and integrated into broader work at the intersection of science and society. Drawing on lessons from their project and the national Civic Science Fellows network, the Fellow will help strengthen the Center's capacity for civic science through selected programs, convenings, partnerships, and other interdisciplinary initiatives. The fellowship project will remain the Fellow's primary responsibility.

The Fellow will report to and work closely with the Kavli Center's Executive Director, who will provide ongoing guidance and thought partnership. The Fellow will also have opportunities to engage and collaborate with faculty and other experts in neuroscience, ethics, social science, and public engagement through the Kavli Center and will participate in the Center's interdisciplinary community of graduate and postdoctoral fellows.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: November 24, 2026. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis through December 14, 2026.

Responsibilities

Project Planning and Execution - 40%

• Collaboratively plan, co-design, manage, and execute one primary civic science project aligned with the Kavli Center's mission and the fellowship's neuroscience focus. Develop and maintain an 18-month work plan, timeline, and milestones; conduct and synthesize the research and analysis needed to advance the project; coordinate Center colleagues and external collaborators; and build relationships with relevant experts, communities, and other stakeholders. Design and implement the project's reciprocal engagement component, either directly or by identifying and working with collaborators who bring relevant expertise.

Project Outputs and Dissemination - 25%

• Develop and disseminate useful outputs from the project. Translate research and engagement findings into accessible and useful forms for relevant audiences, which may include reports or articles, ethical frameworks or guiding questions, workshops or convenings, public-facing resources, and practical tools. Document and evaluate the project's methods, outcomes, and lessons and prepare materials that will allow effective approaches to be adapted or sustained in future work.

Cohort and Community Participation - 20%

• Participate actively in the national Civic Science Fellows cohort and the Kavli Center fellowship community, including learning activities, training, peer exchange, works-in-progress sessions, and professional development. Bring relevant learning from these experiences back to the Kavli Center and incorporate it into the Fellow's project and broader contributions.

Center Capacity Building - 15%

• Help strengthen the Kavli Center's capacity as a home for civic science by applying relevant approaches and lessons from the fellowship project to selected Center programs and initiatives. This may include helping to adapt engagement methods and tools for other projects, contributing to convenings or fellowship programming, developing relationships with potential partners, and sharing civic science practices with Center colleagues.

Qualifications

We welcome candidates whose experience lies in public or community engagement, ethics or philosophy, social science, science and technology studies, public policy or governance, or related fields. Candidates are not expected to bring expertise in all of these areas.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience developing or carrying out projects addressing ethical, societal, or governance questions related to science, technology, or health. Relevant experience may include public or community engagement, participatory research, ethical or philosophical analysis, policy or governance research, qualitative or mixed-methods research, or related approaches.
• Ability to review and synthesize complex scientific information and ethical, societal, or policy perspectives, and to identify important questions, tensions, and implications.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to turn an open-ended question into a focused work plan, coordinate collaborators and activities, adapt as the work develops, and deliver results within a fixed timeframe.
• Ability to work productively across disciplines and forms of expertise, build relationships with academic and non-academic partners, and seek and incorporate feedback.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex ideas accurately and accessibly to different audiences.
• Demonstrated judgment, discretion, and cultural awareness when working on ethically sensitive or contested issues and with people whose experiences or perspectives may differ from one's own.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Proficiency with common office and online collaboration tools used for project coordination, research, and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• At least 5 years of professional experience (2 years with Masters or Advanced degree).

Education / Training

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing or facilitating public, community, or stakeholder engagement related to science, technology, health, or public policy.
• Experience with philosophical or normative ethical analysis, policy analysis, governance research, or other analytical approaches to questions at the intersection of science and society.
• Experience with participatory research, community co-design, deliberative engagement, dialogue, interviews, focus groups, surveys, or other qualitative or mixed-methods approaches.
• Knowledge of, or demonstrated ability to learn about, contemporary neuroscience and its ethical and societal dimensions, with a particular focus on fundamental or discovery neuroscience.
• Experience working with scientists or research institutions to integrate ethical reflection, community knowledge, public perspectives, or governance considerations into research and decision-making.
• Experience producing reports, articles, ethical frameworks, policy resources, toolkits, workshops, convenings, public scholarship, or other outputs intended for use beyond a single academic discipline.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $80,000 - $85,000.

• This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
• This is an 18-month, full-time, Limited (temporary) position that is eligible for UC benefits.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This position is eligible for up to 2 days/week remote work within the United States. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs and are subject to change.
• This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
• This position is governed by the terms and conditions in the agreement for the Research Support Professionals Unit (RX) between the University of California and the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE). The current bargaining agreement manual can be found at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/rx/index.html

Misconduct

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.