The Vanguard Center for Artificial Intelligence and Insights (CAI) is seeking a Behavioral Scientist
with expertise in AI and human decision‑making to advance client and business outcomes. You will partner closely with the Applied Economics and Behavioral Science team—Vanguard’s internal research group—and the Enterprise AI Research team, which develops strategic AI capabilities across the organization.
What You’ll Do
- Lead research at the intersection of behavioral science, economics, and AI to shape innovative client and business solutions.
- Design and execute studies on client behaviors and motivations, using behavioral science principles, experiments, and AI‑driven analyses.
- Engage academic partners, including affiliated faculty at the University of Toronto, and co‑author publications for top conferences and journals.
- Translate research insights into actionable guidance for colleagues, business partners, and product teams.
- Identify high‑priority research opportunities and develop hypotheses informed by academic literature, internal data, and investor behaviors.
- Test interventions through experiments and AI‑based simulations, and collaborate with AI/ML researchers, data scientists, engineers, and behavioral scientists to embed insights into AI‑powered tools such as chatbots, digital twins, and personalized experiences.
Core Responsibilities
- Shape the Behavioral Science–AI strategy by building and prioritizing a portfolio of high‑impact initiatives.
- Train and finetune large language models to incorporate behavioral principles that enhance personalization, trust, and user experience.
- Study user interactions with AI‑enabled channels to understand their influence on financial decision‑making and identify opportunities for intervention.
- Assess algorithm aversion, trust, and transparency factors to guide responsible AI design.
- Prototype and test AI‑enabled behavioral interventions using experimental frameworks; analyze results to inform product and communication improvements.
- Produce thought leadership (e.g., white papers, presentations) on emerging applications of AI in behavioral finance.
- Partner with business stakeholders to translate experimental concepts into scalable, compliant production solutions.
- Stay current on AI trends, behavioral science developments, and responsible AI practices.
- Strengthen the team AI capabilities to improve impact, including coaching colleagues on best use of AI tools
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD in a decision‑focused social science (e.g., economics, psychology, sociology, public policy, judgment and decision‑making).
- Demonstrated experience applying AI or machine learning in behavioral or applied research contexts.
- At least two years of relevant experience (industry or academic pre/post‑PhD).
- Expertise in mixed‑methods research (surveys, lab/field experiments) and familiarity with AI techniques such as predictive modeling, NLP, or reinforcement learning.
- Ability to work effectively with technical teams and translate behavioral insights into AI‑powered solutions.
- Proficiency in Python or R for data analysis and machine learning, and familiarity with modern AI tools.
- Experience building or evaluating AI applications such as chatbots, digital twins, or recommender systems.
- Knowledge of ethical AI and human‑centered design principles.
- Publications or applied work at the behavioral science–AI intersection; passion for understanding how AI shapes expectations, behaviors, and outcomes.
Location requirement:
This role is based in our Toronto, ON office.
We recognize that no candidate will meet every qualification listed. If you’re excited about this work and believe you can contribute, we strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t tick every box.
AI Disclosure Statement
Vanguard does not use artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision-making tools in its recruitment process. All application reviews and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team.
Accommodations
Vanguard is committed to fostering an accessible and inclusive workplace. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please inform us. We will work with you to meet your needs and you can reach us at americas_crewcentral@vanguardhr.com, quoting the job ID and job title (175753 Senior AI Behavioral Scientist/Economist)
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.
