Postdoctoral Research Associate - Nubian Chronicles

Introduction
The York School of Architecture is a key part of the University of York’s exciting transformational initiatives. The School’s research is interdisciplinary, drawing on York’s strengths in architecture and urban heritage to support our commitment to the public good. The School aims to appoint a Post-doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) for the British Academy-funded Global Professorship project, ‘Nubian Chronicles: Amplifying Marginalised Voices and Contested Histories through Digital Heritage Reconstruction’.

As a PDRA, you will serve as the project’s research associate at the Centre for Architecture, Urbanism and Global Heritage. You will work closely with the project Principal Investigator (PI), Professor Ahmed El Antably, and be supervised by Professor Gamal Abdelmonem, the Centre Director. You will develop a high-fidelity 3D model of submerged Lower Nubian villages and build a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline in Google AI Studio Pro to create voice-enabled AI agents grounded in oral history transcripts. You will coordinate and organise workshops; contribute to project management; meet set milestones; and collaborate with national and international partners. Responsibilities also include contributing to project reports, publications, and grant applications. The position includes funding for three international conference trips.

Main purpose of the role

• Conduct research under the supervision of the PI, translating complex oral histories and archival data into interactive spatial narratives.
• Undertake the technical development and implementation of an immersive 3D environment and AI-powered conversational agents.
• Contribute to high-impact research through co-authoring publications and presenting at international conferences.

Key responsibilities

• Construct 3D models and environmental simulations in game engines and integrate them into a persistent multi-user environment platform.
• Develop and refine RAG-based AI agents using Google AI Studio Pro.
• Manage the workflow of converting transcribed interviews and archival materials into usable data for the digital reconstruction and AI dialogue systems.
• Support the PI and the local research assistant in conducting participatory workshops to validate technical assets and ensure the ethical handling of cultural data.
• Co-author journal articles and prepare public-facing digital displays.

Essential Qualifications

• PhD in Architecture, Digital Humanities, Computer Science, or a related discipline with a focus on digital heritage applications.
• Experience in building RAG pipelines using Google AI Studio Pro, or similar LLM orchestration frameworks.
• Experience with coding and API integrations.
• Proficiency in 3D modelling.
• Experience in game engines and deployment of persistent multi-user environments.
• A track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

Desirable Qualifications

• Understanding of the ethical complexities of using AI in research and knowledge of data governance frameworks.
• Experience in participatory workshops.

This is a fixed-term contract for up to 3 years.

Interview date: To be confirmed.

Start date: Available from 1 June 2026

For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Ahmed El Antably at ahmed.elantably@york.ac.uk.

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum (essential) criteria for each position will be offered an interview. Read more about the University of York’s commitments under the Disability Confident scheme.

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