OPPORTUNITY: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Computational Modeling of Autonomous Agency

KEYWORDS: Artificial Life, Complex Systems, or Theoretical Biology.
University of Auckland | Auckland, New Zealand

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to help develop new computational and mathematical models of autonomous agency: i.e., how systems come to maintain themselves, regulate their own viability, and act in accordance with their own intrinsic and emergent values.

The fellow will join an international interdisciplinary project involving philosophers, systems biologists, physicists, computer scientists, and complex systems researchers. The role will focus on developing and analyzing models of operational closure, viability, semantic information, and emergent individuality, with the aim of producing rigorous formal frameworks for understanding the organization of agency in living and artificial systems.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable building and analyzing computational models, for example using agent-based modeling, dynamical systems simulation, network models, evolutionary models, artificial chemistries, or related approaches. Candidates need not already work on autonomous agency, but should have a strong interest in using formal or computational methods to address conceptual questions about life, mind, individuality, or adaptive organization.

The role requires intellectual independence, reliability, collegiality, and the ability to manage research tasks across an international collaboration.

This position can start as soon as August, 2026 and can run for up to three years.

Responsibilities

• Developing novel computational models
• Analyzing computational models using dynamical systems and/or information-theoretic methods
• Presenting work at international academic conferences and workshops
• Authoring and editing papers
• Mentoring PhD students
• Collaborating with an international project team
• Fortnightly postdoctoral team meetings
• International travel to visit project partners

Essential Qualifications

• PhD completed or near completion in a relevant field, such as computer science, artificial life, applied mathematics, theoretical biology, philosophy of biology, philosophy of mind, complex systems, or related areas
• Ability to develop, implement, and analyze computational or mathematical models
• Strong written and spoken English
• Ability to complete work independently and collaboratively

Desirable experience

• Dynamical systems modeling
• Information theory or information-theoretic analysis
• Familiarity with artificial life, theoretical biology, origins of agency, enactivist, or related literature
• Experience working across disciplinary boundaries

Project

The project combines artificial life, complex systems science, dynamical systems modeling, information theory, and theoretical biology to develop formal models of operational closure, viability, individuality, and semantic information. A central goal is to move beyond informal descriptions of autonomous organization and develop rigorous mathematical and computational frameworks for understanding how networks of interdependent processes relate to agency.

The position is based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand where the successful candidate will work closely with Dr Matthew Egbert as well as project collaborators from the University of Rochester, Santa Fe Institute, University of British Columbia, Dartmouth College, and the Basque Foundation for Science. The appointment is initially for one year, with funding available to extend the position for up to three years in total, subject to satisfactory progress and mutual agreement.

Funding is available for extended research visits with partner institutions in Vancouver (Canada); Santa Fe and Rochester (USA); and San Sebastián (Spain).

Start date: As soon as possible after August 2026

To apply

To register interest in this position, or if you have any questions, please email m.egbert@auckland.ac.nz. If you feel like the position is a close match for your skill set, but one or two things doesn’t exactly match, please get in touch any way and we can discuss.

To apply, please send the following via email to m.egbert@auckland.ac.nz

Application materials:

• CV
• Cover letter describing your relevant research background, computational or formal modeling experience, and interest in the project’s questions about autonomous agency
• A 1-3 page example of your writing that you are proud of (e.g., section from a publication of yours or a section of your thesis)
• Contact details for two referees