Research Assistant

Job description / Role

Description

The Digital Heritage AI Project Cluster, housed within the newly established Center for Interdisciplinary Data Science at New York University Abu Dhabi, invites applications for a research assistant position. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a pioneering research initiative situated at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cultural heritage. The successful candidate will be involved in cutting-edge research and development in 3D computer vision and machine learning for the digital preservation of cultural heritage. The project focuses on state-of-the-art techniques such as Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and Gaussian Splatting to reconstruct and render highly detailed and photorealistic 3D models of artifacts, historical objects, and cultural environments. These methods aim to advance global efforts in heritage conservation, virtual accessibility, and educational outreach.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and optimize AI-driven pipelines for 3D reconstruction and rendering.
• Implement and evaluate neural rendering techniques using real-world digital heritage datasets.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers from computer science, digital humanities, and archaeology.
• Support data preprocessing, visualization, experiment documentation, and manuscript preparation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in 3D computer vision and machine learning methods.
• Proficiency in Python and experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Familiarity with 3D data formats, graphics, and geometry processing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with NeRF, Gaussian Splatting, or other neural rendering models.
• Knowledge of 3D reconstruction pipelines such as photogrammetry, structure-from-motion (SfM), or multi-view stereo (MVS).
• Interest in interdisciplinary applications of AI, especially in cultural heritage, digital humanities, or virtual museums.

Application Instructions

To apply, please prepare the following documents in PDF format:

• A cover letter outlining your motivation and relevant experience.
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV).
• Research statement.
• Academic transcript(s).
• Two letters of recommendation.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

About NYUAD

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the arts, sciences, social sciences, humanities, and engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing through its academic, research, and creative activities.

Equal opportunity employer statement: NYU is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.