Details
1090551
University of Gloucestershire
13/01/2025
6 Months
8 hours per week. We will accept alternative/flexible workingarrangements e.g., working 3 days a week (over a shorter duration) for the right candidate.
Smart Casual
Pay
£16.27
£1.96
Description
Role
We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-orientated Research Assistant to contribute to an exciting research project investigating to explore to what extent do large language models (LLMs), both open and proprietary, amplify or supress knowledge, cultures and voices of marginalised narratives while addressing sociotechnical imbalances. This research uses a range of multimodal analysis – as such we are looking for a part-time Research Assistant with demonstrable interest and skills in Sociological or Marketing research.
Project title: AI and the Art of Local Storytelling: Bridging Gaps in Identity Representation through Multimodal Narratives
This research project aims to improve large language models (LLMs) by incorporating multimodal storytelling data from local communities, allowing AI to create more authentic, culturally resonant narratives. It begins by identifying gaps in current AI storytelling, particularly in representing localized identities. The project gathers diverse narratives—visual, oral, and audio—from community-driven platforms like Gloucester Picturedrome, Voices Gloucester, and the St. Paul’s Community Mural Project, capturing unique cultural expressions and experiences. Using a multi-method approach that combines human and AI analysis, the research integrates these insights into LLMs through prompt engineering, enhancing the models’ ability to reflect nuanced local contexts. The analysis, which involves both Open-Source and Proprietary LLMs, thematically examines the content to address existing imbalances in AI storytelling. By embedding this localized knowledge, the project aims to foster more nuanced and contextually grounded narratives in AI, better aligning them with diverse community voices.
The successful research assistant will be working alongside an experienced research team drawn from across Data Science, Marketing, and Sociology subject domains. This project is funded by the School of Business, Computing and Social Science Multidisciplinary Fund.
The role
The Research Assistant will play a pivotal role in supporting the research project led by Dr Sabina Fiebig-Lord. The successful candidate will assist in data collection, analysis, and various research activities to assess and characterise the current limitations of AI storytelling, particularly in how it conveys localised identities. The second objective involves capturing and analysing multimodal storytelling data from local communities to understand their unique cultural and narrative expressions. Finally, the third objective focuses on improving AI storytelling by integrating localised knowledge through prompt engineering, ensuring the AI models produce more authentic and contextually grounded narratives. An agile approach to development will be undertaken. The following activities and tasks are not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
Duties and responsibilities
- Organize and contribute to facilitate participatory workshops and focus groups, creating a platform for community members to share stories through various formats—visual, oral, audio, and embodied storytelling.
- Encourage community engagement in workshops, using them to gather localised storytelling data showcasing unique cultural expressions
- Capture and analyse storytelling data with thematic analysis techniques to identify key narratives and local nuances.
- Foster collaboration, which will be a central element of this role.
- Develop and implement research methodologies that use a triangular participatory approach, combining insights from human participants and AI systems in the analysis.
Skills and experience
Requirements• At a minimum BA/BSc in a relevant field (e.g., Sociology, Anthropology, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or related disciplines), a student on track for at least a 2:1 or a student enrolled in a relevant undergraduate/postgraduate programme• Good understanding of the sociotechnical dynamics of AI and its implications for narrative representation and storytelling.• Some or proven experience in community engagement, particularly within marginalized communities.• Demonstrated experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research, including data collection and analysis.• Experience with storytelling methodologies and participatory research approaches.• Familiarity with AI and large language models (LLMs), including both open-source and proprietary platforms.• Strong data analysis skills, particularly in thematic analysis related to multimodal data.• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams and engage effectively with community stakeholders.• Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines.• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in research practices and community engagement.• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Desirable Criteria:• Inter-disciplinary working experience.• Experience carrying out research work in a team setting.• Commercial or industry work experience.• Experience conducting literature searches.• Proficiency in using IT tools, including Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, Teams, Zoom, Miro, and transcription software.• Good understanding of statistical analysis techniques, including statistical analysis of survey or secondary data sources.• Excellent communication and writing skills.
Location
Hybrid
Additional information
Face to face interviews will be held on Monday 13th January.