Job: Principal Research Scientist, Wikimedia Foundation

[Georgia Bullen]

Hello,

Wikimedia is currently hiring a Principal Research Scientist (fully remote) to join the Foundation’s Research team to support the Wikimedia communities and the Wikimedia Foundation in the continued evolution of Wikimedia projects and their decentralized governance model, ensuring that the projects become multigenerational.

Posting & Application see: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/wikimedia/jobs/7597104

They are accepting applications through March 8, 2026 and expect a start date no later than May 18, 2026.

Here are some things the Research Team worked on in recent years that might give you a better sense of the scope of the work The PRS will be accountable for and part of:

• Understanding Wikipedia administrator recruitment, retention, and attrition (Learn more)
• A set of recommendations for conducting NPOV research on Wikipedia (Learn more)
• Developing a meta-method for analyzing the state of NPOV on Wikipedia (Learn more)

What they’re looking for (i.a.): 

• A proactive builder who is able to theorize and also create systems, frameworks, or products.
• A track record of scholarly publications and service to the research and scientific communities including but not limited to human-computer interaction and computational social science communities. 
• 3 or more years of strategic technical leadership in large matrixed organizations or their equivalent in academia, with a proven ability to counsel senior leadership. 
• Ability to distill scientific nuance into high-impact, actionable clarity for non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio and mentor contributors while pivoting between high-level strategy and technical details.
• Advanced proficiency in AI, NLP or ML frameworks, with experience auditing algorithms for bias and accuracy OR mastery of mixed-method research specifically applied to online community governance and human system interaction.
• Proven ability to perform high velocity audits of research to identify methodological flaws, Movement and organizational opportunities and risks, and insights.
• PhD degree and a minimum of five years of work experience in a related field.

Salary Range: The anticipated annual pay range of this position for applicants based within the United States is $164,924 to $251,398 with multiple individualized factors, including cost of living in the location, being the determinants of the offered pay. For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire.