EngD position on Child-XR Interaction

We seek talented and motivated candidates who hold a masters in an area related to human-computer interaction. We offer a fully funded 2-year position leading to an EngD (Engineering Doctorate) degree. The appointment is for two years starting in September 2025.

Information
Researchers and the wider public are concerned by how much children are immersed in on-screen applications and content, which can be detrimental to their development. The increasing penetration of eXtended Reality (XR) technology can potentially increase a sedentary lifestyle with consequent health and developmental risks. To steer towards developmentally appropriate technologies for children, we are exploring how interactive content can be delivered through XR with minimal use of the visual sense. This requires a range of new considerations regarding interactivity, ethics, and the children’s user experience.

The project will study non-visual child-computer interfaces for XR applications. Starting from game applications that do not rely on visual displays, we shall identify opportunities for improvement and bottlenecks that compromise the user experience, and design natural forms of interaction that allow children to engage with their full senses in the physical and social world in their direct environment as well as information content superimposed on the real world.

The project involves designing outdoor games that encourage physical and social interaction between children aged 6-12. The candidate is expected to design and develop these games and conduct systematic empirical studies to develop guidelines for designing non-visual XR interaction for children. The candidate will work closely with researchers in partner institutes in Norway and the US.

Engineering Doctorate Program
The EngD program in Human-System Interaction trains professionals holding a Master’s of Science degree to develop competences in designing and evaluating interactive, intelligent and innovative systems, services, and products. The HSI program is based on design and systems thinking, as well as scientifically founded and methodologically sound human-centred and data-driven approaches, paying special attention to systems enabled by artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies and their impact on individuals, organisations and society. Candidates will spend about half of their time in courses and the rest on the research project. Program participants have backgrounds in the engineering, behavioural and physical sciences and work in small interdisciplinary teams, with other EngD, PhD, and Master students with different national and cultural backgrounds.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an international setting with a close relationship to industry. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for two years.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale TOIO (€ 2,872).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• To support you during your EngD and to prepare you for the rest of your career, you will have free access to a personal development program for EngD trainees.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.