PhD position on Knowledge Engineering for Smart Diagnostics

System-level diagnosis rarely makes use of explicitly modelled knowledge, such as knowledge graphs, about the various parts of the systems and processes that might be responsible for the downtime of complex cyber-physical systems. This is partially due to the fact that this knowledge is not explicitly available in formal models, but is hidden in the brains of the experts or written documentation, often vaguely specified. Jointly with a PostDoc who will be employed on the same project, you will work on extracting knowledge from documents and experts, how to represent this knowledge in the most suitable modelling language(s) and investigate how to apply reasoning (abductive, diagnostic, etc) to various diagnostic methods investigated in the Zorro project.

You will collaborate with industrial partners, most directly with our consortium partners Philips and Canon, as well as other researchers both from the various AI groups of the VU Amsterdam, including another PostDoc research in the Zorro project, as well as the other project partners at UTwente and Saxion.

There is a related position available for a PostDoc researcher: see vacancy # 15471.
https://workingat.vu.nl/ad/postdoc-position-on-knowledge-representation-and-reasoning-for-smart-diagnostics/ih26jm/en

We are looking for a PhD candidate passionate about Artificial Intelligence, in particular knowledge representation & reasoning (KR&R). Knowledge of Semantic technologies, Formal Methods and Machine Learning for Knowledge Extraction is a plus. Candidates are expected to have completed their M.Sc. in Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence or a closely related field.

The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Stefan Schlobach (Knowledge in AI group at VU Amsterdam). The position will be embedded in the NWO funded ZORRO project: Engineering for Zero Downtime in Cyber-Physical Systems via Intelligent Diagnostics, a collaboration between the University of Twente, VU Amsterdam, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, TNO-ESI and five industrial partners.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,541 (PhD) per month during the first year and increases to €3,247 (PhD) per month during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: "Promovendus" is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 1 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 18 months. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a total duration of 4 years.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment,
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus,
• solid pension scheme (ABP),
• contribution to commuting expenses,
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

For information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment see www.workingatvu.nl.

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 31,000 students. We employ over 5,000 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means working together with students, PhD candidates and scientists who are focused on their discipline, yet also have a broad view of the world. We are proud of the collegial working environment within the faculty, which is characterised by an ambitious and pragmatic attitude with commitment to the bigger picture. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex social issues for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from genetics to pharmaceuticals and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research cover the full breadth of the natural sciences. Scientific teaching and research is highly experimental, technical, computational and interdisciplinary in nature. This is why we collaborate extensively with leading research institutes and industry. The faculty has over 11,000 students studying across 40 educational programmes and employs over 1,600 staff spread over 10 scientific departments, making us the largest science faculty in the Netherlands.

About the department
The VUA Department of Computer Science has approximately 170 members, including 35 tenured staff members and 90 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.