In recent years AI has been making strides and is becoming embedded in our daily life, empowering humans and enhancing their autonomy and quality of life. By the same token, AI can potentially reduce human autonomy when it acts autonomously, when it monitors and interprets human actions and emotions, and by its sheer complexity which makes it hard for users to understand and anticipate its operation.

This tension between human and machine autonomy poses major scientific, technological and ethical challenges to the design of AI systems, and failing to consider this tension challenges social stability and democratic constitutions. It is thus vital to develop models and methods that can predict and evaluate how people respond to changing interactions with such a social and technological environment and that can guide the design of AI to be transparent and intelligible, and safeguarding people's autonomy. This challenge is particularly acute for artificial autonomous systems that understand, predict, and respond to our internal states (thoughts, feelings, and goals) to recommend and/or take action within the emerging technological landscape of the Internet of things (IoT).

The Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Utrecht University (UU), the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) and the Wageningen University (WU) have an alliance program on Human-centred Artificial intelligence (HAI) with the aim to harness technological advances to enhance rather than threaten human autonomy, while enabling human performance. The program proposes an innovative and integrated approach that brings together researchers from these establishments combining specialized expertise in engineering and design in technology with high-class expertise in social, behavioral, cognitive, information and computing sciences, ethics, healthcare and public health.

The candidate will be hired for a period of two years and will work on:
- Design and engineering of HAI,
- Modeling and experimentation of HAI.

Main tasks
The Post-doc will spend 80% of their time on research and 20% of their time in related educational activities. Their activities will include:

• Conducting research in HUMAN-AI interaction that addresses the tension between promoting and undermining human autonomy,
• Collaboration with scientific staff across the three partner sites,  
• Participate in grant writing efforts for funding (national and European),
• Contribute to a joint training program for Masters students on HAI,
• Contribute to sustainable relationships with stakeholder networks and industry collaboration.

• The candidate should hold a PhD in AI related field with a design and engineering background in, e.g., explainable AI, affective computing, persuasive technology, recommender systems, and intelligent user interfaces.
• The candidates should demonstrate a clear affinity for working and designing with people, aspiring to combine an innovative hands-on approach with a scientific grounding and insight in cognitive and social aspects of AI.
• The candidate should have strong professional and communication skills in order to work together with remote partners in a multi-national and multi-disciplinary research team; and should be fluent in spoken and written English; fluency in Dutch will weigh positively to facilitate field-work and collaboration with domain experts in healthcare and education.   

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university with the possibility to present your work at international conferences.
• A full-time employment for 2 years, preferably starting as soon as possible.
• You will have free access to high-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• A gross monthly salary and benefits in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits (including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes).
• Should you come from abroad and comply with certain conditions, you can make use of the so-called '30% facility', which permits you not to pay tax on 30% of your salary.
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.