The position is within the Computational Intelligence research program headed by Prof.Dr. A.E. Eiben. CI research is embedded within the main research of the Department with a special focus on evolving and learning machines. We are concerned with adaptation on individual and population level in heterogeneous groups of connected units. Embodiment and sensory information are essential features in the systems of interest that include groups of various smart devices for e-health, self-organizing robot swarms, and robots with evolvable brains and bodies. We focus on algorithmic aspects of machine-machine and man-machine collectives and investigate emerging behaviors. A practical example is the application of smart phones and watches to adaptively model and advise users towards a healthier life style. On the fundamental side we investigate embodied AI, in particular the co-evolution of mind and body in an EvoSphere (www.evosphere.eu). The CI Group naturally relates with the priority areas of the Department, Socio-technical Systems and Data Science, where the problem of “emergence engineering” is salient. Furthermore, CI research is embedded in the VU Network Institute fostering collaboration with social sciences and humanities.

The cluster of courses taught by the CI staff consists of Collective Intelligence, Data Mining, Evolutionary Computing, Heuristics, Machine Learning, Machine Learning for the Quantified Self, and Computational Intelligence.
CI group members have a special link with the Business Analytics programme (formerly: Business Mathematics and Informatics) and supervise B.A. student projects carried out at external companies.

Tasks
The candidate is expected to develop a strong research program in line with the strategic vision in collaboration with the group leader, CI staff, and the other groups of the Department. Special emphasis is laid on the focus areas;
•Learning algorithms for (groups of) machines, e.g., smart devices, robots, Artificial Life entities;
•Evolutionary and swarm systems.

We expect that the candidate is an expert in one of the above areas and (a) maintains a stream of high quality publications, (b) acquires external research grants and supervises project staff, (c) conducts excellent teaching and (d) shows Departmental citizenship.  The candidate will also help supervise PhD students of the CI group and contribute to our running research projects. At this moment these include applied research on population health with Philips as well as more fundamental EU projects, for example DREAM (www.robotsthatdream.eu) and Phoenix (www.phoenix-project.eu). Furthermore, (s)he is expected to be/come well embedded in the forefront of European research initiatives, e.g. the Horizon 2020 ICT programme, Future Emergent Technologies, etc.

•PhD-thesis on a relevant topic;
•Articles in peer-reviewed international journals and proceedings of major international conferences;
•Teaching skills, experience with supervising Bachelor, Master, and PhD students;
•Experience in acquisition of external research funding;

For tenure-track positions, the initial appointment will be for a period between four and five years. Based on performance indicators agreed at the start of the appointment, a tenure track position will lead to a tenured position in a period of maximally 5 years. In the fifth year of the appointment the tenure decision will be taken. 

You can find information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment at www.workingatvu.nl like:
•Remuneration of 8,3% end-of-year bonus and 8% holiday allowance;•Participation in a solid pension scheme (ABP);
•A minimum of 29 holidays in case of full-time employment.

The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel, and depending on experience, range from a minimum of € 3475,00 gross per month (salary scale 11) up to a maximum of € 5405,00 gross per month (salary scale 12) based on a full-time employment.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) is a leading, innovative and growing university that is at the heart of society and actively contributes to new developments in teaching and research. Our university has ten faculties, and provides work for over 4,500 staff and scientific education for more than 23,000 students.

http://www.vu.nl/en/index.asp

The VUA Department of Computer Science has approximately 170 members, including 35 tenured staff members and 40-50 PhD students. The tenured staff members form the essential basis for the functioning of the department.
A tenured staff member is required to make significant contributions to the research and education programmes, and to spend effort on specific tasks at the department level.