Why build AI systems that replace people if we can build AI systems that collaborate with people? Hybrid Intelligence is the combination of human and machine intelligence, expanding human intellect instead of replacing it. Our goal is to design Hybrid Intelligent systems, an approach to Artificial Intelligence that puts humans at the centre, changing the course of the ongoing AI revolution.

The project is now recruiting 27 PhD or postdoc positions. For more information on the project see the website of the Hybrid Intelligence Centre.

At the University of Amsterdam we are looking for a PhD candidate who is interested in designing and evaluating search and recommendation algorithms that learn from logged interactions of people with systems. Questions that drive the research include: How can we recognize bias in interaction data? How can we de-bias interaction data? How can we learn effectively from de-biased interaction data? We seek to develop solutions that are explainable, not just to machine learning engineers but to actual users of search and recommendation systems – automatically generating, and evaluating, effective explanations is a core part of the research agenda.

What are you going to do?

You are expected to:

• create, evaluate and describe novel algorithms for de-biasing interaction data and for learning from interaction data;
• develop algorithms for generating explanations of de-biasing processes and of algorithms that learn from interaction data;
• present research results at national and international conferences, workshops and journals;
• become an active member of the research community and to collaborate with other researchers, both within and outside the Informatics Institute;
• pursue and complete a PhD thesis within the appointed duration of four years;
• assist in teaching activities, such as teaching labs and tutorials or supervising bachelor and master students.

What do we require?

• A Master’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related field;
• a thorough understanding of both information retrieval and machine learning;
• an interest in algorithm development and in their implications for people impacted by those algorithms;
• solid programming skills and experience in Python and machine learning frameworks.
• the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams;
• a good knowledge of English (written and spoken).

Our offer

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students. 

The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be €2,395 to €3,061 (scale P) gross per month, based on a full-time contract (38 hours a week). These amounts are exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Faculty of Science - Informatics Institute

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe, the functioning of the brain, or the convergence of an algorithm.

The mission of the Informatics Institute is to perform curiosity-driven and use-inspired fundamental research in Computer Science. The main research themes are Artificial Intelligence, Computational Science and Systems and Network Engineering. Our research involves complex information systems at large, with a focus on collaborative, data driven, computational and intelligent systems, all with a strong interactive component.