PhD position in Human-Centered AI for Accessibility

This PhD position is part of the NWO-funded research project TACIT (Inclusive Technologies for Access and Social Participation). The project focuses on the co-design of inclusive and accessible AI and XR technologies for people with disabilities through inclusive Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and participatory design methods.

Your job
Around 25% of the Dutch population lives with long-term visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities and diversities, often facing barriers to participation, equity and inclusion. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which mandates that EU service providers ensure digital accessibility by 2025, marks a critical step toward reducing these inequalities. However, technology that is not co-designed with affected communities often lacks social acceptance and fails to meet real needs. TACIT aims to enhance the accessibility of public services, accelerate the adoption of the EAA, drive innovation in assistive technologies, and promote broader societal inclusion through equitable, inclusive, and human-centered design.

In this PhD position, you will work on personalization – automatically adapting technology to user needs and context. You will explore adaptive technologies to make digital services accessible for individuals with diverse disabilities, including visual, hearing, cognitive, and developmental challenges. This involves collaborating with other PhD candidates and researchers who work on enabling technologies (e.g., AI-based information conversion technology such as automated image/audio description). You will investigate the needs and wishes of stakeholders, and design, prototype, and evaluate an adaptive information presentation engine through qualitative and quantitative studies. The research is conducted in close collaboration with the Royal Auris Group (Auris), a Dutch centre of expertise for individuals with hearing and communication difficulties, to support children with developmental language disorders (DLD). You will work closely with Auris throughout the project.

We are excited to welcome an enthusiastic new colleague who thrives in an interdisciplinary and international team and meets the following criteria:

• A recently completed (or nearly completed) Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of and preferably demonstrated experience with human-centred artificial intelligence.
• Demonstrated experience in prototype development and with quantitative and qualitative research methods, preferably also experience with user-centred design.
• Interest in accessibility and working with people with disabilities.
• Fluency in spoken and written English (C1 level), and preferably also fluency in Dutch to facilitate effective collaboration with Dutch partners and stakeholders.

• a position for 18 months, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment in the first 18 months;
• a gross monthly salary between € 3.059 and €3.881 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Working at the Faculty of Science means bringing together inspiring people across disciplines and with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The Faculty has six departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information & Computing Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together, we work on excellent research and inspiring education. We do so, driven by curiosity and supported by outstanding infrastructure. Visit us on LinkedIn and discover how you can become part of our community.

The Department of Information and Computing Sciences is nationally and internationally known for its research in computer and information sciences. It provides and contributes to undergraduate programmes in Computer Science, Information Science, and Artificial Intelligence, and Master's programmes in these fields (most relevant to this position: Human-Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence). It employs over 200 people, working in four divisions: Algorithms, AI & Data Science, Software, and Interaction. The atmosphere is collegial and informal.

You will join the Human-Centred Computing group of the Interaction division. The Human-Centred Computing group studies how people use computerised systems in their everyday lives and designs novel interaction technologies for intelligent systems. Our research areas include, amongst others, personalised and adaptive systems, user modelling and recommender systems, human interaction with embodied AI, and persuasive technology. You will work closely with other members in this research group and our collaborators in the TACIT project.